Cooke City, Montana Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 86, Cooke City's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Cooke City is a small community located in Montana, within Park County. The total population is 86. It ranks as the 337th most populous out of 475 Census-designated places in Montana.

Age Demographics

The median age in Cooke City is 48.5 years. This is 20% higher than the state median of 40.4 years. Only 4.7% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 10.5% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Cooke City is $49,583. This is 32% lower than the state median of $72,509. It is also 39% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 14.0%. This is 21% higher than the state poverty rate of 11.5%. The survey records no unemployed residents in Cooke City, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $370,800. Housing costs are 1% lower than the state median of $375,800. The home-value-to-income ratio of 7.5x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 51.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 26% lower than the state average of 69.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Cooke City has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 97.7% of all residents.

Education

41.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 18% higher than the state rate of 35.2%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 97.6%. Notably, 23.2% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Cooke City, Montana is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Montana state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 475 Census-designated places in Montana. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.