United States › Montana › Pondera County COUNTY
Pondera County Montana · 6,072 residents (2025 est.) · 1,625 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
With 6,035 people, Pondera County is a county in Montana. 20% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. There are 4 people per square mile. The foreign-born share is 2%. 21.9% of locals live below the federal poverty line. Households here earn about 28% less than in Montana as a whole.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 42.0
US median: 38.9
Less educated
20% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 57%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 6,424 in 2000
6,072 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 4 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 38.6 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
6K 6K 6K 6K 6K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Pondera County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $52,338
−6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $30,464 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $14,276 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 14.4% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 18.8% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.450 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 20.2%
Transportation & warehousing 5.6%
Public administration 3.5%
Professional, scientific, technical 2.5%
Education & health services 1.5%
Arts, entertainment, food 1%
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$206,100
+57%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $72,200 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$784
+17%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $367 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 70.5% in 2000
32.3% rent
from 12.9% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.40 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 20.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 28.5% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.6 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 83.2%(5,347)
Hispanic / Latino 0.8%(54)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 78.9%(4,760)
Hispanic / Latino 2.6%(154)
from 41 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 64 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 16 more ancestry groups with data from 19.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 81.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 5.7% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 13.8 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 66.7% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 11.7% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 5.8% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 12.9% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 2.3% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 11.8% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 4.6% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 58.4% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 71.7% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 17.2% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 36.7% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 2.5% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 12.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 15.4% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 18.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 66.3% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 85.6% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 86.5% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 94.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 18.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 39.6% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 17.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 22.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 31.9% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 5.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 57.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 51.5% 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) 35.1%(119)
Share of the 339 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 Pondera County Head to head
Compare Pondera County to nearby counties PONDERA COUNTY VS
Teton County
Income $70,430 +35%
Home value $264,000 +28%
Population 6,496 +7%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
PONDERA COUNTY VS
Toole County
Income $57,731 +10%
Home value $218,400 +6%
Population 5,211 −14%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
PONDERA COUNTY VS
Glacier County
Income $46,875 −10%
Home value $165,100 −20%
Population 13,463 +122%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
PONDERA COUNTY VS
Liberty County
Income $57,857 +11%
Home value $169,100 −18%
Population 1,957 −68%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Pondera County, Montana? Pondera County, Montana has about 6,035 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Pondera County, Montana? The typical household in Pondera County, Montana earns about $52,338 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Pondera County, Montana expensive? In Pondera County, Montana, the median home is worth about $206,100, and the typical rent is about $784 a month.
How educated are people in Pondera County, Montana? About 20.1% of adults age 25 and over in Pondera County, Montana hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Pondera County, Montana? About 21.9% of people in Pondera County, Montana live below the federal poverty line.
Has Pondera County, Montana grown since 1990? Yes, Pondera County, Montana has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 398 residents, a change of about -6 percent over that period.
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