Rosebud County, Montana Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Rosebud County is located in Montana with a total population of 8,236. It is the 27th most populous county out of 56 in Montana. The county encompasses 6 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Rosebud County is 36.7 years. This is 9% lower than the state median of 40.2 years. With 28.9% of the population under 18, Rosebud County has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Rosebud County is $56,430. This is 19% lower than the state median of $69,922. It is also 28% lower than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 21.6%. This is 79% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.0%. 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 9.0%. This is 138% higher than the state rate of 3.8%. The median home value is $188,900. Housing costs are 44% lower than the state median of $338,100. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.3x. 66.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 4% lower than the state average of 69.4%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Rosebud County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 52.7% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 3.5%. The Black or African American population (0.2%) is well below the state average of 0.5%.

Education

18.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 45% lower than the state rate of 34.5%. Nationally, 35.0% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 91.4%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Rosebud County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023), 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.