Wheatland County, Montana Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Wheatland County is located in Montana with a total population of 2,049. It is the 44th most populous county out of 56 in Montana. The county encompasses 6 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Wheatland County is 47.3 years. This is 18% higher than the state median of 40.2 years. 11.5% 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 Wheatland County is $47,054. This is 33% lower than the state median of $69,922. It is also 40% lower than the national median of $78,538. The poverty rate stands at 23.7%. This is 97% 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 0.9%. This is 75% lower than the state rate of 3.8%. The median home value is $172,700. Housing costs are 49% lower than the state median of $338,100. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.7x. 76.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 10% higher than the state average of 69.4%.

Race & Ethnicity

Wheatland County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 94.6% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 2.7%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (1.3% vs 0.5%).

Education

17.8% 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 48% 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 92.6%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Wheatland 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.