Fergus County, Montana Population 2026

Updated April 2026 · US Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates · 18th-largest in Montana

The population of Fergus County, Montana is 11,581 as of the 2023 American Community Survey, making it the 18th-largest county in Montana. The median household income is $59,731, the median home value is $202,700, and the median age is 45.3.

The population of Fergus County has grown 2.4% since 2010 (11,585 → 11,862), a +0.17% annualized rate.

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

11,581

Population

+0.17%

Annual growth

People / sq mi

$59,731

Median Income

$202,700

Median Home Value

Fergus County covers 4,339 sq mi of land at 2.7 people per square mile.

About Fergus County, MT

Fergus County is a county in Montana with a population of 11,581. It ranks #18 among counties in Montana by population. The median age is 45.3, older than the national median. The population is 51.2% male and 48.8% female.

The median household income in Fergus County is $59,731, below the US median of $74,580. 8.8% of residents live below the federal poverty level. Home values sit at a median of $202,700, with monthly rent averaging $868. The homeownership rate of 66.0% is close to the national rate of 64.8%.

Educational attainment in Fergus County reflects 23.8% of adults 25 and older holding a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national average of 34.3%. Roughly 16.2% of workers primarily work from home, similar to the national work-from-home rate of 14.2%. The average commute is 18.6 minutes each way.

Fergus County Population History (2010-2024)

The county of Fergus County had a population of 11,585 in 2010 and 11,862 in 2024, a 2.4% growth over 14 years. The peak was 11,862 in 2024. Average annual growth rate: 0.18%.

11,862

Population (2024)

11,585

Population (2010)

11,862

Peak (2024)

0.18%

Avg Annual Growth

Year	Population	Change	Annual %	Source
2010	11,585	-	-	estimate
2011	11,463	-122	-1.05%	estimate
2012	11,394	-69	-0.60%	estimate
2013	11,470	+76	+0.67%	estimate
2014	11,336	-134	-1.17%	estimate
2015	11,315	-21	-0.19%	estimate
2016	11,333	+18	+0.16%	estimate
2017	11,280	-53	-0.47%	estimate
2018	11,088	-192	-1.70%	estimate
2019	11,032	-56	-0.51%	estimate
2020	11,470	+438	+3.97%	estimate
2021	11,619	+149	+1.30%	estimate
2022	11,669	+50	+0.43%	estimate
2023	11,816	+147	+1.26%	estimate
2024	11,862	+46	+0.39%	estimate

Race & Ethnicity

White	93.2%
Black or African American	0.6%
Asian	0.1%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	2.7%
Two or More Races	0.0%

Age & Sex

45.3

Median Age

48.8%

Female

51.2%

Male

24.6%

Age 65+

Age Distribution

Under 5

5.3%

5–9

5.6%

10–14

6.1%

15–19

4.9%

20–24

4.9%

25–34

12.0%

35–44

11.1%

45–54

10.3%

55–59

5.2%

60–64

10.0%

65–74

14.5%

75–84

8.0%

85+

2.1%

Children (under 15): 17.0% · Seniors (65+): 24.6%

Income & Poverty

Median household income	$59,731$-10,191 vs state
Mean household income	$76,413
Per-capita income	$34,970
Poverty rate	8.8%+1.7% vs state
Unemployment rate	2.2%
Employment-to-population	59.6%

Top Industries by Employment

Professional & business services

20.7%

Agriculture

16.6%

Construction

9.7%

Education & health care

7.1%

Finance & real estate

7.0%

Retail trade

6.9%

Arts, entertainment & food

5.9%

Manufacturing

4.8%

The largest employment sector in Fergus County is professional & business services, accounting for 20.7% of workers.

How residents commute

0.8%

Drive alone

9.2%

Carpool

61.6%

Public transit

16.2%

Work from home

18.6 min

Avg commute

Housing

$202,700$-135,400 vs state

Median home value

$868

Median rent

66.0%

Homeownership rate

6,008

Total housing units

86.6%

Occupied

13.4%

Vacant

34.0%

Renter-occupied

Social & access

84.9%

With health insurance

92.1%

With broadband internet

32.6%

Foreign-born

12.2%

Veterans (18+)

14.4%

With a disability

95.3%

Speak language other than English at home

Education

94.2%

High School+

23.8%

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

Fergus County, Montana has a population of 11,581 according to the US Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, making it the 18th-largest county in Montana. Population density is 3 people per square mile.

The population of Fergus County has grown 2.4% since 2010 (11,585 → 11,862), a +0.17% annualized rate.

The median household income in Fergus County, Montana is $59,731, with mean (average) household income of $76,413 and per-capita income of $34,970. 8.8% of residents live below the federal poverty level.

In Fergus County, the largest racial and ethnic groups are White (93.2%), Hispanic or Latino (2.7%), Black or African American (0.6%). Figures are from the US Census Bureau's 2023 ACS 5-year estimates and reflect self-reported responses.

The median age in Fergus County, Montana is 45.3 years. Residents are 48.8% female and 51.2% male.

The median home value in Fergus County is $202,700 and median monthly rent is $868. 66.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. The county has 6,008 total housing units, 13.4% of which are vacant.

The largest employment sector in Fergus County, Montana is professional, scientific, and management services, employing 20.7% of workers. The unemployment rate is 2.2%.

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