Gardiner, Montana Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 647, Gardiner'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

Gardiner is a small community located in Montana, within Park County. The total population is 647. It ranks as the 135th most populous out of 475 Census-designated places in Montana.

Age Demographics

The median age in Gardiner is 48.7 years. This is 21% higher than the state median of 40.4 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Gardiner is $60,598. This is 16% lower than the state median of $72,509. It is also 25% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 21.8%. This is 89% higher than the state poverty rate of 11.5%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 4.2%. This is 17% higher than the state rate of 3.6%. The median home value is $633,400. Housing costs are 69% higher than the state median of $375,800. The home-value-to-income ratio of 10.5x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 54.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 21% lower than the state average of 69.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Gardiner is White (non-Hispanic), making up 84.4% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 6.8%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (3.7% vs 0.4%).

Education

51.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Gardiner in the top 10% of all cities in the state for educational attainment. This is 47% 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 93.8%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Gardiner, 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.