Yellowstone County, Montana Demographics 2026
Yellowstone County, Montana has a population of 168,957, the 1st most populous county in Montana. The median household income is $76,570 and the median home value is $349,500. The poverty rate is 9.2%.
Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes
Yellowstone County Quick Facts
How Yellowstone County Changed
Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.
| Metric | 2019–2023 | 2020–2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 167,340 | 168,957 | +1.0% |
| Median household income | $74,400 | $76,570 | +2.9% |
| Median home value | $317,600 | $349,500 | +10.0% |
Median Household Income
Median Home Value
Economy & Housing
Household Income Distribution
Detailed income brackets
Employment
Housing Overview
People & Demographics
Age Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Diversity Index
A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.
State average: 29 | National average: 61
Education
Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)
Cities & Places in Yellowstone County
| City | Population | Median Income | Poverty | Home Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billings | 119,434 | $73,712 | 9.8% | $343,400 |
| Laurel | 7,215 | $68,474 | 10.0% | $235,100 |
| Lockwood | 7,181 | $75,700 | 10.7% | $235,400 |
| Huntley | 455 | $94,821 | 0.0% | $233,600 |
| Worden | 416 | N/A | 3.1% | N/A |
| Shepherd | 353 | $80,125 | 4.8% | $114,400 |
| Ballantine | 262 | N/A | 0.0% | $284,000 |
| Custer | 199 | $82,500 | 20.1% | $137,500 |
| Broadview | 175 | $78,438 | 8.0% | $165,600 |
| Acton | 87 | $36,042 | 40.2% | N/A |
| Nibbe | 62 | N/A | 24.2% | N/A |
| Mountain View Colony | 55 | N/A | 51.3% | N/A |
| Pompeys Pillar | 27 | N/A | 0.0% | N/A |
Explore Montana Rankings
Population Overview
Yellowstone County is located in Montana with a total population of 168,957. It is the 1st most populous county out of 56 in Montana. The county encompasses 13 Census-designated places.
Age Demographics
The median age in Yellowstone County is 39.0 years. This is 3% lower than the state median of 40.4 years.
Economy, Income & Housing
The median household income in Yellowstone County is $76,570. This is 6% higher than the state median of $72,509. It is also 5% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 9.2%. This is 20% lower than the state poverty rate of 11.5%. The unemployment rate is 3.4%. This is 7% lower than the state rate of 3.6%. The median home value is $349,500. Housing costs are 7% lower than the state median of $375,800. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.6x. 69.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied.
Race & Ethnicity
The largest racial or ethnic group in Yellowstone County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 83.4% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 6.6%.
Education
34.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 3% 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 95.5%.
Data Sources & Methodology
All figures for Yellowstone 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Yellowstone County, Montana?
Yellowstone County has a population of 168,957, making it the 1st most populous county in Montana.
What is the median income in Yellowstone County?
The median household income in Yellowstone County is $76,570 with a poverty rate of 9.2%.
How many cities are in Yellowstone County, Montana?
Yellowstone County contains 13 Census-designated places.