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Deer Lodge County, MT: population growth, jobs and income

Deer Lodge County lost 57 residents between 2024 and 2025 (−0.6%).

Deer Lodge County had an estimated 9,709 residents in 2025, up 3.0% (284 more people) since 2020. That is slower than Montana as a whole (+5.3%), and the 28th fastest growth of 52 counties in Montana.

Data as of 2025 · updated

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In the Deer Lodge County report

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

  • Median gross rent$696/mo2020–24
  • Vacant homes, incl. seasonal and second homes19.3%2020–24
  • New homes permitted, last 12 months192025-10/2026-09
  • 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: 20 more people moved out to other U.S. counties than moved in.

Private employers had 2,957 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +7.5% since 2018 (County Business Patterns).

Unemployment averaged 4.0% in 2025.

Builders were authorized to start 22 new homes in 2025, or 2.3 per 1,000 residents.

Median household income was $57,527 in the 2020–24 American Community Survey, +36.5% since 2016–20.

Across the 3,107 U.S. counties with a comparable estimate, its population growth ranks 981st.

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Deer Lodge County population by year

Resident population, July 1 estimate (Census Bureau)
YearPopulationChange
20259,709−57
20249,766+108
20239,658+129
20229,529+7
20219,522+97
20209,425–

Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year.

What drove the change in Deer Lodge County

Deer Lodge County grew by 284 people since 2020; the largest part came from domestic migration (+506).

Components of population change, people (Census Bureau)
Component20252020–25Share
Natural changebirths minus deaths−41−248
International migrationfrom and to other countries+4+23
Domestic migrationfrom and to other U.S. counties−20+506
Census adjustmentbalancing residual+0+3
Total change−57+284

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 growth28th of 52981st of 3,107
Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents40th of 522,231st of 3,108
Private-sector job growth22nd of 52928th of 3,092
Median household income40th of 522,272nd of 3,107
Lowest unemployment rate40th of 521,565th of 3,108
New homes permitted per 1,000 residents14th of 441,418th 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 Deer Lodge 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

Over 2020–25, Deer Lodge County's population change (+3.0%) was ahead of 1 of its 6 neighbouring counties and behind 5.

Its median household income ($57,527, 2020–24) is lower than in all 6 of its neighbouring counties.

Deer Lodge 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
Deer Lodge County, MT This county9,709+3.0%−2.12.3$57,527
Silver Bow County, MT36,118+2.6%4.43.6$61,754
Granite County, MT3,658+10.6%7.1–$59,265
Beaverhead County, MT10,043+7.1%8.14.2$61,268
Powell County, MT7,157+3.1%10.312.3$66,923
Jefferson County, MT13,329+9.8%11.71.5$95,490
Ravalli County, MT48,582+9.4%13.61.1$71,283

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.

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Questions

Is Deer Lodge County growing?

Yes. Its population grew 3.0% between 2020 and 2025, about 284 more people (Census Bureau population estimates). Montana as a whole changed +5.3% over the same years. That ranks 28th of 52 counties in Montana for population growth.

How many people moved to Deer Lodge County?

On net, none in 2025: about 20 more people moved out to other U.S. counties than moved in (Census Bureau net domestic migration estimate).

What is the unemployment rate in Deer Lodge County?

It averaged 4.0% in 2025 (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average).

What is the population of Deer Lodge County?

About 9,709 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate for July 1, 2025.

How many jobs are in Deer Lodge County?

Private employers there had 2,957 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +7.5% 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.

Deer Lodge County data alerts

Email me when Deer Lodge 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 Deer Lodge 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.