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What are the fastest-growing counties in Montana?

Broadwater County (+23.8%), Musselshell County (+17.6%) and Madison County (+15.8%) grew fastest in Montana between 2020 and 2025.

Montana as a whole grew 5.3% between 2020 and 2025, to 1,144,694 residents.

Data as of 2025 · updated

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All 56 Montana counties ranked

Montana counties by population growth
RankCountyResidents 2025Change 2020–25Net migration per 1,000, 2025New homes per 1,000, 2025
1Broadwater County8,493+23.8%25.20.4
2Musselshell County5,582+17.6%25.81.3
3Madison County10,026+15.8%28.20.7
4Mineral County5,185+13.5%4.40.6
5Lincoln County22,328+13.1%14.01.2
6Sanders County14,062+12.9%14.9–
7Meagher County2,137+11.2%20.6–
8Granite County3,658+10.6%7.1–
9Flathead County115,429+10.1%7.97.2
10Jefferson County13,329+9.8%11.71.5
11Ravalli County48,582+9.4%13.61.1
12Carbon County11,466+9.1%−4.12.8
13Gallatin County128,740+7.6%4.212.0
14Beaverhead County10,043+7.1%8.14.2
15Lake County33,392+6.9%2.72.3
16Judith Basin County2,162+6.8%20.4–
17Lewis and Clark County75,331+5.8%3.52.6
18Park County18,214+5.7%3.10.0
19Powder River County1,781+5.1%9.5–
20Stillwater County9,445+5.0%2.30.0
21Toole County5,211+4.9%9.00.0
22Yellowstone County172,692+4.5%5.05.8
23Missoula County123,513+4.4%6.27.2
24Teton County6,496+3.9%10.00.3
25Pondera County6,072+3.2%4.00.0
26Powell County7,157+3.1%10.312.3
27Fergus County11,825+3.1%0.40.2
28Deer Lodge County9,709+3.0%−2.12.3
29Silver Bow County36,118+2.6%4.43.6
30Sweet Grass County3,762+2.4%−15.20.5
31Prairie County1,112+1.6%9.0–
32Custer County12,034+1.5%4.10.3
33Wheatland County2,100+1.2%18.6–
34Cascade County85,029+0.7%4.13.0
35Liberty County1,957+0.1%1.5–
36Phillips County4,203−0.1%4.00.0
37Hill County16,167−0.5%−0.10.1
38McCone County1,720−0.6%−1.70.6
39Rosebud County8,253−0.7%−4.80.2
40Chouteau County5,865−0.8%6.13.1
41Richland County11,377−1.3%22.80.1
42Carter County1,383−1.6%−26.83.6
43Garfield County1,148−1.9%−21.80.0
44Glacier County13,463−2.0%−3.60.0
45Blaine County6,860−2.1%−2.80.0
46Daniels County1,612−2.3%−18.00.0
47Fallon County2,959−2.3%−5.11.4
48Valley County7,385−2.4%4.50.0
49Big Horn County12,752−2.5%−11.50.0
50Dawson County8,692−2.6%−4.50.0
51Sheridan County3,436−2.9%−9.30.0
52Roosevelt County10,242−5.2%−0.10.0
–Golden Valley County844–––
–Petroleum County548–––
–Treasure County728–––
–Wibaux County885–––

Ranked by the change in Census Bureau population estimates, 2020–2025. 4 counties are listed last and not ranked: fewer than 1,000 residents, or no estimate for the same years.

Statewide totals

More county rankings for Montana

Metro areas

Fastest-growing metro areas in Montana · Fastest-growing metro areas in the U.S. · Largest metro areas in Montana

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Questions

Is Montana growing?

Montana as a whole grew 5.3% between 2020 and 2025, to 1,144,694 residents. Statewide figures add up its counties.

What is the fastest-growing county in Montana?

Broadwater County, which grew 23.8% between 2020 and 2025 to 8,493 residents (Census Bureau population estimates). Musselshell County (+17.6%) and Madison County (+15.8%) came next.

Which Montana counties are losing population?

17 of the 52 ranked counties had fewer residents in 2025 than in 2020. The steepest declines: Roosevelt County (−5.2%), Sheridan County (−2.9%), Dawson County (−2.6%).

Where are people moving in Montana?

For their size, Madison County (28.2 per 1,000 residents), Musselshell County (25.8 per 1,000 residents) and Broadwater County (25.2 per 1,000 residents) drew the most net domestic migration (people moving in from other U.S. counties minus people moving out) in 2025.

Fastest-growing counties in other states

Across the U.S.

Sources and method

Each number shows its own period. Changes compare the latest period with five years earlier (or the earliest period available). Beacon CRE last refreshed these figures on 2026-11-05. Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how we compute every number. More on every layer: data sources and licences.