Deer Lodge County, Montana Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Deer Lodge County is located in Montana with a total population of 9,597. It is the 23rd most populous county out of 56 in Montana. The county encompasses 1 Census-designated place.

Age Demographics

The median age in Deer Lodge County is 49.9 years. This is 24% higher than the state median of 40.4 years. Only 12.0% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Deer Lodge County is $57,527. This is 21% lower than the state median of $72,509. It is also 29% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 16.3%. This is 42% higher than the state poverty rate of 11.5%. The unemployment rate is 3.4%. This is 6% lower than the state rate of 3.6%. The median home value is $231,700. Housing costs are 38% lower than the state median of $375,800. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.0x. 73.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 6% higher than the state average of 69.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Deer Lodge County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 89.3% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 3.5%. The Asian population (0.2%) is well below the state average of 0.8%.

Education

24.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 31% lower 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 92.4%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Deer Lodge County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Montana and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.