Wheatland County, Montana Population 2026

Updated April 2026 · US Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates · 44th-largest in Montana

The population of Wheatland County, Montana is 2,049 as of the 2023 American Community Survey, making it the 44th-largest county in Montana. The median household income is $47,054, the median home value is $172,700, and the median age is 47.3.

The population of Wheatland County has declined 4.5% since 2010 (2,156 → 2,058), a -0.33% annualized rate.

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

2,049

Population

-0.33%

Annual growth

People / sq mi

$47,054

Median Income

$172,700

Median Home Value

Wheatland County covers 1,422 sq mi of land at 1.4 people per square mile.

About Wheatland County, MT

What sets Wheatland County apart is where people work — remote work is unusually prominent here, at 21.7% versus 14.0% nationally. Wheatland County is a county in Montana with a population of 2,049. It ranks #44 among counties in Montana by population.

Incomes run on the lower side: a median household income of $47,054, below the US median of $78,538. Roughly 16.6% of residents fall below the poverty line, above the national 12.4%. Median home value is $172,700, with typical rent around $741.

Fewer adults hold degrees here than in most comparable places — 17.8%, below the national 35.0%. An unusually large 21.7% of workers are remote, above the national 14.0%, and the average commute runs about 19 minutes each way.

The remote-work concentration is telling in Wheatland County — it skews toward higher-income, college-educated workers and reshapes both commute patterns and housing demand.

Wheatland County Population History (2010-2024)

The county of Wheatland County had a population of 2,156 in 2010 and 2,058 in 2024, a -4.5% growth over 14 years. The peak was 2,163 in 2018. Average annual growth rate: -0.32%.

Wheatland County population, 2010–2024 · Source: U.S. Census Bureau — decennial census & Population Estimates

2,058

Population (2024)

2,156

Population (2010)

2,163

Peak (2018)

-0.32%

Avg Annual Growth

Year	Population	Change	Annual %	Source
2010	2,156	-	-	estimate
2011	2,131	-25	-1.16%	estimate
2012	2,089	-42	-1.97%	estimate
2013	2,121	+32	+1.53%	estimate
2014	2,089	-32	-1.51%	estimate
2015	2,110	+21	+1.01%	estimate
2016	2,123	+13	+0.62%	estimate
2017	2,143	+20	+0.94%	estimate
2018	2,163	+20	+0.93%	estimate
2019	2,102	-61	-2.82%	estimate
2020	2,072	-30	-1.43%	estimate
2021	2,039	-33	-1.59%	estimate
2022	2,043	+4	+0.20%	estimate
2023	2,068	+25	+1.22%	estimate
2024	2,058	-10	-0.48%	estimate

Race & Ethnicity

White	95.7%
Black or African American	1.3%
Asian	0.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	2.1%
Two or More Races	0.0%

Age & Sex

47.3

Median Age

53.0%

Female

47.0%

Male

28.9%

Age 65+

Age Distribution

Under 5

3.0%

5–9

8.4%

10–14

7.9%

15–19

3.8%

20–24

3.7%

25–34

11.4%

35–44

9.5%

45–54

12.9%

55–59

4.1%

60–64

6.5%

65–74

17.4%

75–84

9.4%

85+

2.1%

Children (under 15): 19.3% · Seniors (65+): 28.9%

Income & Poverty

Median household income	$47,054$-22,868 vs state
Mean household income	$61,451
Per-capita income	$27,719
Poverty rate	16.6%+9.5% vs state
Unemployment rate	0.5%
Employment-to-population	51.3%

Top Industries by Employment

Agriculture

24.1%

Professional & business services

17.7%

Construction

15.4%

Public administration

8.3%

Manufacturing

5.3%

Finance & real estate

4.6%

Retail trade

4.5%

Arts, entertainment & food

3.9%

The largest employment sector in Wheatland County is agriculture, accounting for 24.1% of workers.

How residents commute

0.8%

Drive alone

13.3%

Carpool

49.6%

Public transit

21.7%

Work from home

19.1 min

Avg commute

Housing

$172,700$-165,400 vs state

Median home value

$741

Median rent

76.2%

Homeownership rate

1,159

Total housing units

74.6%

Occupied

25.4%

Vacant

23.8%

Renter-occupied

Social & access

82.3%

With health insurance

85.2%

With broadband internet

38.2%

Foreign-born

10.1%

Veterans (18+)

11.7%

With a disability

97.1%

Speak language other than English at home

Education

92.6%

High School+

17.8%

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

Wheatland County, Montana has a population of 2,049 according to the US Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, making it the 44th-largest county in Montana. Population density is 1 people per square mile.

The population of Wheatland County has declined 4.5% since 2010 (2,156 → 2,058), a -0.33% annualized rate.

The median household income in Wheatland County, Montana is $47,054, with mean (average) household income of $61,451 and per-capita income of $27,719. 16.6% of residents live below the federal poverty level.

In Wheatland County, the largest racial and ethnic groups are White (95.7%), Hispanic or Latino (2.1%), Black or African American (1.3%). Figures are from the US Census Bureau's 2023 ACS 5-year estimates and reflect self-reported responses.

The median age in Wheatland County, Montana is 47.3 years. Residents are 53.0% female and 47.0% male.

The median home value in Wheatland County is $172,700 and median monthly rent is $741. 76.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. The county has 1,159 total housing units, 25.4% of which are vacant.

The largest employment sector in Wheatland County, Montana is agriculture, forestry, fishing, and mining, employing 24.1% of workers. The unemployment rate is 0.5%.

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