Americans on the whole were doing well financially heading into 2020, with major markers like unemployment reaching 50-year lows. The pandemic changed all that: During the second quarter of the 2020 fiscal year, our nation's real GDP fell by a whopping 31.4%, a number that hasn't been seen since the Great Depression. Since then the GDP has recovered, the first quarter of 2022 was 11% above the fourth quarter of 2019.
While GDP has recovered since the height of the pandemic, wage growth has not kept pace with inflation. In 2021 average hourly wages increased 4.7% while there was 7% inflation, meaning the worker's purchasing power dropped by 2.4%.
Where you live can make a big impact on your financial situation. The highest earning county in the U.S. earns $147,111, while the lowest earns $22,292. Stacker compiled a list of the lowest-earning counties in Montana using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Counties are ranked by the Census' 2020 5-year estimate median household income.
Sara Goth // Wikicommons
1 / 50#50. Yellowstone County
- Median household income: $62,630
--- 10.8% above state average, 3.6% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 28.2%
--- #603 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 8.1%
--- #2,432 highest among all counties nationwide
Acroterion // Wikimedia Commons
2 / 50#49. Carbon County
- Median household income: $61,209
--- 8.3% above state average, 5.8% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 23.5%
--- #1,057 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 8.3%
--- #2,332 highest among all counties nationwide
Larry D. Moore // Wikimedia Commons
3 / 50#48. Rosebud County
- Median household income: $57,769
--- 2.2% above state average, 11.1% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 22.0%
--- #1,268 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 14.7%
--- #2,064 highest among all counties nationwide
Aualliso // Wikimedia Commons
4 / 50#47. Flathead County
- Median household income: $57,763
--- 2.2% above state average, 11.1% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 22.9%
--- #1,147 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 8.6%
--- #2,062 highest among all counties nationwide
J.B. Chandler // Wikimedia Commons
5 / 50#46. Powder River County
- Median household income: $57,755
--- 2.2% above state average, 11.1% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 22.3%
--- #1,240 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 9.4%
--- #2,060 highest among all counties nationwide
Montanabw // Wikimedia Commons
6 / 50#45. Broadwater County
- Median household income: $57,723
--- 2.1% above state average, 11.2% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 20.8%
--- #1,475 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 6.6%
--- #2,055 highest among all counties nationwide
#44. McCone County
- Median household income: $57,045
--- 0.9% above state average, 12.2% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 21.2%
--- #1,410 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 9.9%
--- #1,986 highest among all counties nationwide
Aualliso // Wikimedia Commons
8 / 50#43. Teton County
- Median household income: $56,649
--- 0.2% above state average, 12.8% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 19.0%
--- #1,784 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 8.9%
--- #1,947 highest among all counties nationwide
Prizrak 2084//Wikicommons
9 / 50#42. Missoula County
- Median household income: $56,247
--- 0.5% below state average, 13.5% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 23.7%
--- #1,030 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 11.3%
--- #1,917 highest among all counties nationwide
J.B. Chandler // Wikimedia Commons
10 / 50#41. Daniels County
- Median household income: $56,026
--- 0.9% below state average, 13.8% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 20.1%
--- #1,587 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 3.5%
--- #1,902 highest among all counties nationwide
Aualliso // Wikimedia Commons
11 / 50#40. Madison County
- Median household income: $55,892
--- 1.1% below state average, 14.0% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 21.6%
--- #1,333 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 6.9%
--- #1,887 highest among all counties nationwide
Itsa Ortiz // Wikimedia Commons
12 / 50#39. Ravalli County
- Median household income: $55,090
--- 2.6% below state average, 15.2% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 21.5%
--- #1,352 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 10.3%
--- #1,815 highest among all counties nationwide
dave_mcmt // Wikimedia Commons
13 / 50#38. Custer County
- Median household income: $54,891
--- 2.9% below state average, 15.5% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 24.3%
--- #953 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 12.0%
--- #1,790 highest among all counties nationwide
Aualliso // Wikimedia Commons
14 / 50#37. Pondera County
- Median household income: $54,235
--- 4.1% below state average, 16.6% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 19.1%
--- #1,781 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 7.7%
--- #1,721 highest among all counties nationwide
Larry D. Moore // Wikimedia Commons
15 / 50#36. Sheridan County
- Median household income: $54,135
--- 4.3% below state average, 16.7% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 24.0%
--- #990 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 10.0%
--- #1,707 highest among all counties nationwide
Jasperdo // Flickr
16 / 50#35. Sweet Grass County
- Median household income: $53,790
--- 4.9% below state average, 17.2% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 15.7%
--- #2,395 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 6.4%
--- #1,671 highest among all counties nationwide
David Coats // Wikimedia Commons
17 / 50#34. Park County
- Median household income: $53,082
--- 6.1% below state average, 18.3% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 22.7%
--- #1,169 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 11.0%
--- #1,601 highest among all counties nationwide
Montanabw // Wikimedia Commons
18 / 50#33. Lake County
- Median household income: $52,169
--- 7.7% below state average, 19.7% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 21.2%
--- #1,410 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 13.7%
--- #1,499 highest among all counties nationwide
Montanabw // Wikimedia Commons
19 / 50#32. Cascade County
- Median household income: $52,049
--- 7.9% below state average, 19.9% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 20.2%
--- #1,575 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 11.9%
--- #1,475 highest among all counties nationwide
Tony Webster // Wikimedia Commons
20 / 50#31. Dawson County
- Median household income: $51,681
--- 8.6% below state average, 20.5% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 19.4%
--- #1,712 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 9.8%
--- #1,416 highest among all counties nationwide
Publichall // Wikimedia Commons
21 / 50#30. Valley County
- Median household income: $51,087
--- 9.6% below state average, 21.4% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 15.9%
--- #2,358 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 10.6%
--- #1,327 highest among all counties nationwide
BigDaveMT // Wikimedia Commons
22 / 50#29. Wibaux County
- Median household income: $50,972
--- 9.8% below state average, 21.6% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 20.5%
--- #1,520 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 5.8%
--- #1,314 highest among all counties nationwide
J.B. Chandler // Wikimedia Commons
23 / 50#28. Hill County
- Median household income: $50,912
--- 10.0% below state average, 21.7% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 17.8%
--- #1,986 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 12.9%
--- #1,307 highest among all counties nationwide
Aualliso // Wikimedia Commons
24 / 50#27. Granite County
- Median household income: $50,795
--- 10.2% below state average, 21.8% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 14.4%
--- #2,591 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 8.2%
--- #1,295 highest among all counties nationwide
Sam Beebe // Wikimedia Commons
25 / 50#26. Powell County
- Median household income: $50,332
--- 11.0% below state average, 22.6% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 16.8%
--- #2,179 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 12.1%
--- #1,253 highest among all counties nationwide
Aualliso // Wikimedia Commons
26 / 50#25. Judith Basin County
- Median household income: $50,329
--- 11.0% below state average, 22.6% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 17.6%
--- #2,023 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 15.7%
--- #1,252 highest among all counties nationwide
Aualliso // Wikimedia Commons
27 / 50#24. Toole County
- Median household income: $49,725
--- 12.1% below state average, 23.5% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 19.7%
--- #1,656 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 7.0%
--- #1,180 highest among all counties nationwide
Christopher Boswell // Shutterstock
28 / 50#23. Silver Bow County
- Median household income: $49,359
--- 12.7% below state average, 24.1% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 18.4%
--- #1,892 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 16.8%
--- #1,137 highest among all counties nationwide
Mike Cline // Wikimedia Commons
29 / 50#22. Golden Valley County
- Median household income: $49,028
--- 13.3% below state average, 24.6% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 16.9%
--- #2,170 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 15.2%
--- #1,106 highest among all counties nationwide
Ltvine // Wikimedia Commons
30 / 50#21. Mineral County
- Median household income: $48,672
--- 13.9% below state average, 25.1% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 16.8%
--- #2,179 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 14.8%
--- #1,067 highest among all counties nationwide
Leonard J. DeFrancisci // Wikimedia Commons
31 / 50#20. Big Horn County
- Median household income: $48,273
--- 14.6% below state average, 25.7% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 18.6%
--- #1,855 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 12.3%
--- #1,027 highest among all counties nationwide
Aualliso // Wikimedia Commons
32 / 50#19. Fergus County
- Median household income: $47,618
--- 15.8% below state average, 26.7% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 17.1%
--- #2,120 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 15.1%
--- #968 highest among all counties nationwide
Mike Cline // Wikimedia Commons
33 / 50#18. Meagher County
- Median household income: $46,815
--- 17.2% below state average, 28.0% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 21.7%
--- #1,324 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 20.5%
--- #892 highest among all counties nationwide
Jimmy Emerson, DVM // Flickr
34 / 50#17. Liberty County
- Median household income: $46,750
--- 17.3% below state average, 28.1% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 21.3%
--- #1,399 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 11.5%
--- #885 highest among all counties nationwide
J.B. Chandler // Wikimedia Commons
35 / 50#16. Phillips County
- Median household income: $46,686
--- 17.4% below state average, 28.2% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 13.2%
--- #2,740 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 11.0%
--- #879 highest among all counties nationwide
Aualliso // Wikimedia Commons
36 / 50#15. Musselshell County
- Median household income: $46,328
--- 18.1% below state average, 28.7% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 15.3%
--- #2,463 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 7.6%
--- #846 highest among all counties nationwide
Aualliso // Wikimedia Commons
37 / 50#14. Beaverhead County
- Median household income: $45,819
--- 19.0% below state average, 29.5% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 18.5%
--- #1,874 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 16.5%
--- #801 highest among all counties nationwide
J.B. Chandler // Wikimedia Commons
38 / 50#13. Chouteau County
- Median household income: $45,707
--- 19.2% below state average, 29.7% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 17.7%
--- #2,004 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 10.8%
--- #794 highest among all counties nationwide
J.B. Chandler // Wikimedia Commons
39 / 50#12. Roosevelt County
- Median household income: $45,458
--- 19.6% below state average, 30.1% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 16.7%
--- #2,200 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 21.6%
--- #774 highest among all counties nationwide
J.B. Chandler // Wikimedia Commons
40 / 50#11. Blaine County
- Median household income: $45,361
--- 19.8% below state average, 30.2% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 16.8%
--- #2,193 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 16.9%
--- #768 highest among all counties nationwide
Larry D. Moore // Wikimedia Commons
41 / 50#10. Treasure County
- Median household income: $44,671
--- 21.0% below state average, 31.3% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 14.1%
--- #2,634 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 12.9%
--- #703 highest among all counties nationwide
J.B. Chandler // Wikimedia Commons
42 / 50#9. Garfield County
- Median household income: $43,750
--- 22.6% below state average, 32.7% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 17.6%
--- #2,023 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 12.9%
--- #629 highest among all counties nationwide
TerryAdvocate // Wikimedia Commons
43 / 50#8. Prairie County
- Median household income: $42,350
--- 25.1% below state average, 34.8% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 17.8%
--- #1,986 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 13.6%
--- #524 highest among all counties nationwide
Jimmy Emerson, DVM // Flickr
44 / 50#7. Carter County
- Median household income: $42,300
--- 25.2% below state average, 34.9% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 12.5%
--- #2,809 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 13.7%
--- #521 highest among all counties nationwide
JERRYE AND ROY KLOTZ MD // Wikimedia Commons
45 / 50#6. Sanders County
- Median household income: $42,284
--- 25.2% below state average, 34.9% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 11.9%
--- #2,882 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 15.3%
--- #517 highest among all counties nationwide
Aualliso // Wikimedia Commons
46 / 50#5. Deer Lodge County
- Median household income: $42,129
--- 25.5% below state average, 35.2% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 12.1%
--- #2,852 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 19.2%
--- #502 highest among all counties nationwide
J.B. Chandler // Wikimedia Commons
47 / 50#4. Petroleum County
- Median household income: $40,000
--- 29.3% below state average, 38.5% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 20.2%
--- #1,575 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 8.4%
--- #353 highest among all counties nationwide
USEPA Environmental-Protection-Agency // Wikimedia Commons
48 / 50#3. Lincoln County
- Median household income: $39,820
--- 29.6% below state average, 38.7% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 15.1%
--- #2,490 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 13.4%
--- #342 highest among all counties nationwide
Aualliso // Wikimedia Commons
49 / 50#2. Glacier County
- Median household income: $37,645
--- 33.4% below state average, 42.1% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 14.3%
--- #2,606 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 22.9%
--- #241 highest among all counties nationwide
Aualliso // Wikimedia Commons
50 / 50#1. Wheatland County
- Median household income: $35,265
--- 37.6% below state average, 45.7% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 10.3%
--- #3,003 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 27.0%
--- #152 highest among all counties nationwide
