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Missoula County, MT: population growth, jobs and income

Missoula County gained 1,042 residents between 2024 and 2025 (+0.9%).

Missoula County had an estimated 123,513 residents in 2025, up 4.4% (5,176 more people) since 2020. That is slower than Montana as a whole (+5.3%), and the 23rd fastest growth of 52 counties in Montana.

Data as of 2025 · updated

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In the Missoula County report

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

  • Median gross rent$1,190/mo2020–24
  • Vacant homes, incl. seasonal and second homes7.5%2020–24
  • New homes permitted, last 12 months7882025-10/2026-09
  • 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 added 765 people in 2025: more people moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out.

Private employers had 54,136 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +5.9% since 2018 (County Business Patterns).

Unemployment averaged 3.2% in 2025, 0.1 points higher than in 2019 (before the pandemic).

Builders were authorized to start 886 new homes in 2025, or 7.2 per 1,000 residents.

Median household income was $75,598 in the 2020–24 American Community Survey, +34.4% since 2016–20.

Across the 3,107 U.S. counties with a comparable estimate, its population growth ranks 705th.

Part of the Missoula, MT metro area.

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Missoula County population by year

Resident population, July 1 estimate (Census Bureau)
YearPopulationChange
2025123,513+1,042
2024122,471+967
2023121,504+645
2022120,859+985
2021119,874+1,537
2020118,337–

Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year.

What drove the change in Missoula County

Missoula County grew by 5,176 people since 2020; the largest part came from domestic migration (+4,137).

Components of population change, people (Census Bureau)
Component20252020–25Share
Natural changebirths minus deaths+110+305
International migrationfrom and to other countries+164+718
Domestic migrationfrom and to other U.S. counties+765+4,137
Census adjustmentbalancing residual+3+16
Total change+1,042+5,176

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 growth23rd of 52705th of 3,107
Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents20th of 52912th of 3,108
Private-sector job growth27th of 521,110th of 3,092
Median household income9th of 52800th of 3,107
Lowest unemployment rate27th of 52596th of 3,108
New homes permitted per 1,000 residents4th of 44321st 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 Missoula 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, Missoula County's population change (+4.4%) was ahead of 2 of its 9 neighbouring counties and behind 7.

Its median household income ($75,598, 2020–24) is higher than in all 9 of its neighbouring counties.

Missoula County, MT and its 9 neighbouring counties: public federal figures
CountyPopulation2025Population change2020–25Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents2025Homes permitted per 1,000 residents2025Median household income2020–24
Missoula County, MT This county123,513+4.4%6.27.2$75,598
Lake County, MT33,392+6.9%2.72.3$63,360
Granite County, MT3,658+10.6%7.1–$59,265
Mineral County, MT5,185+13.5%4.40.6$63,450
Powell County, MT7,157+3.1%10.312.3$66,923
Ravalli County, MT48,582+9.4%13.61.1$71,283
Flathead County, MT115,429+10.1%7.97.2$73,925
Sanders County, MT14,062+12.9%14.9–$57,476
Clearwater County, ID9,118+4.1%5.04.2$60,000
Idaho County, ID17,874+7.7%2.70.3$66,325

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 Missoula County growing?

Yes. Its population grew 4.4% between 2020 and 2025, about 5,176 more people (Census Bureau population estimates). Montana as a whole changed +5.3% over the same years. That ranks 23rd of 52 counties in Montana for population growth.

How many people moved to Missoula County?

On net, about 765 people in 2025: that many more moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out (Census Bureau net domestic migration estimate).

What is the unemployment rate in Missoula County?

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

What is the population of Missoula County?

About 123,513 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate for July 1, 2025.

How many jobs are in Missoula County?

Private employers there had 54,136 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +5.9% 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.

Missoula County data alerts

Email me when Missoula 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 Missoula 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.