United States › Montana › Petroleum County COUNTY
Petroleum County Montana · 548 residents (2025 est.) · 1,656 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
With 447 people, Petroleum County is a county in Montana. At a median age of 51.6, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Density works out to 0 people per square mile. 1% of people here were born outside the United States. Home values have more than tripled since 2000, reaching $201,400. The average commute runs 16 minutes.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 51.6
US median: 38.9
Average education
31% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 117%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 493 in 2000
548 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 0 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 41.1 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
384 434 485 535 585 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Petroleum County Age distribution, 2024
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Section 02
Income & economy $60,208
+37%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $24,107 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $15,986 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 11.4% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 23.2% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.398 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 35.7%
Professional, scientific, technical 9.4%
Education & health services 0.4%
Transportation & warehousing 0%
Arts, entertainment, food 0%
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$201,400
+117%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $51,000 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$800
+33%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $330 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 74.4% in 2000
27.1% rent
from 18.8% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.02 people
−13%since 2009
from 2.33 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 24.1% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 3.2% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.4 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 98.2%(484)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 98.9%(442)
from 15 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry from 17.4% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 82.9% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 0.9% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 10.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 58.7% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 8.3% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 7.1% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 25.2% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 2.3% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 2.7% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 59.5% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 78.6% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 20.9% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 45.3% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 18.3% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 7.2% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 24.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 73.8% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 84.0% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 80.0% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 99.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.0% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 24.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 27.6% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 45.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 19.2% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 19.0% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 74.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 39.7% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 4.8%(3)
Gulf War (1990s) 56.5%(35)
Share of the 62 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Petroleum County Head to head
Compare Petroleum County to nearby counties PETROLEUM COUNTY VS
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PETROLEUM COUNTY VS
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PETROLEUM COUNTY VS
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PETROLEUM COUNTY VS
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Home value $212,200 +5%
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Petroleum County, Montana? Petroleum County, Montana has about 447 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Petroleum County, Montana? The typical household in Petroleum County, Montana earns about $60,208 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Petroleum County, Montana expensive? In Petroleum County, Montana, the median home is worth about $201,400, and the typical rent is about $800 a month.
How educated are people in Petroleum County, Montana? About 30.8% of adults age 25 and over in Petroleum County, Montana hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Petroleum County, Montana? About 8.1% of people in Petroleum County, Montana live below the federal poverty line.
Has Petroleum County, Montana grown since 1990? Yes, Petroleum County, Montana has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 72 residents, a change of about -14 percent over that period.
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