Deer Lodge County, Montana Population 2026

Updated April 2026 · US Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates · 23rd-largest in Montana

The population of Deer Lodge County, Montana is 9,512 as of the 2023 American Community Survey, making it the 23rd-largest county in Montana. The median household income is $49,533, the median home value is $209,700, and the median age is 49.6.

The population of Deer Lodge County has grown 5.6% since 2010 (9,291 → 9,811), a +0.39% annualized rate.

Deer Lodge County within Montana · Source: US Census TIGER/Line via us-atlas

9,512

Population

+0.39%

Annual growth

People / sq mi

$49,533

Median Income

$209,700

Median Home Value

Deer Lodge County covers 737 sq mi of land at 12.9 people per square mile.

About Deer Lodge County, MT

Deer Lodge County is a county in Montana with a population of 9,512. It ranks #23 among counties in Montana by population. The median age is 49.6, older than the national median. The population is 53.2% male and 46.8% female.

The median household income in Deer Lodge County is $49,533, below the US median of $74,580. 12.9% of residents live below the federal poverty level. Home values sit at a median of $209,700, with monthly rent averaging $661. The homeownership rate of 69.5% is higher than the national rate of 64.8%.

Educational attainment in Deer Lodge County reflects 22.3% of adults 25 and older holding a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national average of 34.3%. Roughly 7.7% of workers primarily work from home, below the national work-from-home rate of 14.2%. The average commute is 21.2 minutes each way.

Deer Lodge County Population History (2010-2024)

The county of Deer Lodge County had a population of 9,291 in 2010 and 9,811 in 2024, a 5.6% growth over 14 years. The peak was 9,811 in 2024. Average annual growth rate: 0.39%.

9,811

Population (2024)

9,291

Population (2010)

9,811

Peak (2024)

0.39%

Avg Annual Growth

Year	Population	Change	Annual %	Source
2010	9,291	-	-	estimate
2011	9,282	-9	-0.10%	estimate
2012	9,220	-62	-0.67%	estimate
2013	9,264	+44	+0.48%	estimate
2014	9,125	-139	-1.50%	estimate
2015	9,115	-10	-0.11%	estimate
2016	9,071	-44	-0.48%	estimate
2017	9,122	+51	+0.56%	estimate
2018	9,159	+37	+0.41%	estimate
2019	9,207	+48	+0.52%	estimate
2020	9,423	+216	+2.35%	estimate
2021	9,522	+99	+1.05%	estimate
2022	9,541	+19	+0.20%	estimate
2023	9,685	+144	+1.51%	estimate
2024	9,811	+126	+1.30%	estimate

Race & Ethnicity

White	90.6%
Black or African American	0.3%
Asian	0.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	3.9%
Two or More Races	0.0%

Age & Sex

49.6

Median Age

46.8%

Female

53.2%

Male

25.5%

Age 65+

Age Distribution

Under 5

3.5%

5–9

3.6%

10–14

2.6%

15–19

3.6%

20–24

6.9%

25–34

12.1%

35–44

12.7%

45–54

12.5%

55–59

8.8%

60–64

8.2%

65–74

16.4%

75–84

6.5%

85+

2.6%

Children (under 15): 9.7% · Seniors (65+): 25.5%

Income & Poverty

Median household income	$49,533$-20,389 vs state
Mean household income	$64,237
Per-capita income	$32,758
Poverty rate	12.9%+5.8% vs state
Unemployment rate	2.7%
Employment-to-population	52.0%

Top Industries by Employment

Professional & business services

25.8%

Education & health care

11.3%

Construction

10.7%

Finance & real estate

8.6%

Public administration

7.1%

Agriculture

4.9%

Information

4.1%

Arts, entertainment & food

4.0%

The largest employment sector in Deer Lodge County is professional & business services, accounting for 25.8% of workers.

How residents commute

0.0%

Drive alone

5.7%

Carpool

76.2%

Public transit

7.7%

Work from home

21.2 min

Avg commute

Housing

$209,700$-128,400 vs state

Median home value

$661

Median rent

69.5%

Homeownership rate

5,506

Total housing units

82.8%

Occupied

17.2%

Vacant

30.5%

Renter-occupied

Social & access

93.2%

With health insurance

88.6%

With broadband internet

35.8%

Foreign-born

12.7%

Veterans (18+)

26.0%

With a disability

98.1%

Speak language other than English at home

Education

92.8%

High School+

22.3%

Bachelor's+

Largest cities in Montana

Billings (118,321)Missoula (75,600)Great Falls (60,412)Bozeman (55,042)Butte-Silver Bow (34,929)Helena (33,126)Kalispell (26,830)Belgrade (11,425)All Montana cities →

Other counties in Montana

Yellowstone County (167,340)Gallatin County (122,194)Missoula County (119,639)Flathead County (108,445)Cascade County (84,601)Lewis and Clark County (72,580)Ravalli County (45,807)Silver Bow County (35,589)Lake County (32,073)Lincoln County (20,656)All Montana counties →

Part of Montana

Montana demographic profile All Montana data →

Metro areas in Montana

Billings (187,269)Missoula (124,435)Bozeman (122,194)Helena (92,391)Great Falls (84,601)All US metros →

County rankings

US Counties by Population Richest US Counties by Median Household Income Expensive US Counties by Home Value Educated US Counties Counties With Highest Poverty Rates Youngest US Counties by Median Age Oldest US Counties by Median Age Cheapest US Counties by Median Home Value Racially Diverse US Counties Counties With Largest Hispanic Population All rankings →

Frequently Asked Questions

Deer Lodge County, Montana has a population of 9,512 according to the US Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, making it the 23rd-largest county in Montana. Population density is 13 people per square mile.

The population of Deer Lodge County has grown 5.6% since 2010 (9,291 → 9,811), a +0.39% annualized rate.

The median household income in Deer Lodge County, Montana is $49,533, with mean (average) household income of $64,237 and per-capita income of $32,758. 12.9% of residents live below the federal poverty level.

In Deer Lodge County, the largest racial and ethnic groups are White (90.6%), Hispanic or Latino (3.9%), Black or African American (0.3%). Figures are from the US Census Bureau's 2023 ACS 5-year estimates and reflect self-reported responses.

The median age in Deer Lodge County, Montana is 49.6 years. Residents are 46.8% female and 53.2% male.

The median home value in Deer Lodge County is $209,700 and median monthly rent is $661. 69.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. The county has 5,506 total housing units, 17.2% of which are vacant.

The largest employment sector in Deer Lodge County, Montana is professional, scientific, and management services, employing 25.8% of workers. The unemployment rate is 2.7%.

Billings is among the largest cities associated with Deer Lodge County, Montana, with a population of 118,321.