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Carbon County, MT: population growth, jobs and income

Carbon County lost 38 residents between 2024 and 2025 (−0.3%).

Carbon County had an estimated 11,466 residents in 2025, up 9.1% (955 more people) since 2020. That is faster than Montana as a whole (+5.3%), and the 12th fastest growth of 52 counties in Montana.

Data as of 2025 · updated

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In the Carbon County report

One-time $99 PDF: everything on this page for Carbon County, ranked against Montana and the U.S., plus these figures that are not on the free page:

  • Median gross rent$844/mo2020–24
  • Vacant homes, incl. seasonal and second homes27.7%2020–24
  • New homes permitted, last 12 months742025-10/2026-09
  • Rent growth, 5 yearsIn the report
  • Permits in 5+ unit buildingsIn the report
  • IRS income moving in (net AGI)In the report
  • Neighbouring-county comparison tableIn the report

What's inside: 5 pages

  1. 1 Summary, headline numbers and ranks (free preview)
  2. 2 Ranks and the neighbouring-county table
  3. 3 Migration, with IRS mover and income flows
  4. 4 Rent, vacant homes, permits and employers
  5. 5 Every source and the methods
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Headline numbers

What the numbers say

Net domestic migration was negative in 2025: 47 more people moved out to other U.S. counties than moved in.

Private employers had 2,373 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +6.3% since 2018 (County Business Patterns).

Unemployment averaged 3.2% in 2025, 0.4 points lower than in 2019 (before the pandemic).

Builders were authorized to start 32 new homes in 2025, or 2.8 per 1,000 residents.

Median household income was $80,261 in the 2020–24 American Community Survey, +31.1% since 2016–20.

Across the 3,107 U.S. counties with a comparable estimate, its population growth ranks 249th.

Part of the Billings, MT metro area.

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Carbon County population by year

Resident population, July 1 estimate (Census Bureau)
YearPopulationChange
202511,466−38
202411,504+84
202311,420+183
202211,237+336
202110,901+390
202010,511–

Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year.

What drove the change in Carbon County

Carbon County grew by 955 people since 2020; the largest part came from domestic migration (+981).

Components of population change, people (Census Bureau)
Component20252020–25Share
Natural changebirths minus deaths+16−38
International migrationfrom and to other countries−6+18
Domestic migrationfrom and to other U.S. counties−47+981
Census adjustmentbalancing residual−1−6
Total change−38+955

Census Bureau population estimates, components of change, each year July 1 to June 30. The components add up to the change in the estimate; the Census adjustment is the small balancing figure the Bureau publishes.

How it ranks

MeasureIn MontanaAmong U.S. counties
Population growth12th of 52249th of 3,107
Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents43rd of 522,465th of 3,108
Private-sector job growth24th of 521,056th of 3,092
Median household income4th of 52574th of 3,107
Lowest unemployment rate25th of 52594th of 3,108
New homes permitted per 1,000 residents11th of 441,193rd of 3,005

1st = highest (lowest for unemployment). Counties are ranked only against others with a figure for the same period.

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The County Growth and Demographics Report for Carbon County, MT as a PDF, from federal data: population and migration, housing and rents, permits, private employers and jobs, unemployment, ranks in the state and the country, and neighbouring counties, with a source next to every number. Pay once, no subscription.

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Neighbouring counties

Carbon County grew faster than all 6 of its neighbouring counties (+9.1%, 2020–25).

Only Stillwater County had a higher median household income (2020–24) among its 6 neighbouring counties; Carbon County's was $80,261.

Carbon County, MT and its 6 neighbouring counties: public federal figures
CountyPopulation2025Population change2020–25Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents2025Homes permitted per 1,000 residents2025Median household income2020–24
Carbon County, MT This county11,466+9.1%−4.12.8$80,261
Stillwater County, MT9,445+5.0%2.30.0$84,732
Park County, WY31,171+5.1%3.15.8$73,035
Yellowstone County, MT172,692+4.5%5.05.8$76,570
Big Horn County, WY12,024+4.7%2.01.7$62,101
Park County, MT18,214+5.7%3.10.0$70,047
Big Horn County, MT12,752−2.5%−11.50.0$58,750

Census Bureau population estimates and building permits, American Community Survey 5-year income. Rates per 1,000 residents. – means no figure, or a base too small for a change or rate (it would swing on a few people). A figure from another period shows its year and is left out of the comparison.

All 56 Montana counties · Every state

Questions

Is Carbon County growing?

Yes. Its population grew 9.1% between 2020 and 2025, about 955 more people (Census Bureau population estimates). Montana as a whole changed +5.3% over the same years. That ranks 12th of 52 counties in Montana for population growth.

How many people moved to Carbon County?

On net, none in 2025: about 47 more people moved out to other U.S. counties than moved in (Census Bureau net domestic migration estimate).

What is the unemployment rate in Carbon County?

It averaged 3.2% in 2025 (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average).

What is the population of Carbon County?

About 11,466 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate for July 1, 2025.

How many jobs are in Carbon County?

Private employers there had 2,373 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +6.3% since 2018 (Census Bureau County Business Patterns; government jobs and the self-employed are not counted).

What Beacon CRE covers in Montana

Map, parcel and listing layers cover North and South Carolina only for now. This page and the other Montana county pages carry the public federal growth figures.

Carbon County data alerts

Email me when Carbon County gets new Census numbers: population, building permits, jobs and income. About 4 emails a year, one click to stop.

We use your address only to email you when new data for Carbon County is out: what changed, with a link to that county's report. No newsletter, no other sales emails. Delete it any time with the link in every email. We'll email you a link to confirm first; nothing starts until you click it. Privacy notice.

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.

Jobs outside North and South Carolina use County Business Patterns (paid private-sector employees in mid-March); wages and government jobs are not included.