United States › Montana › Prairie County COUNTY
Prairie County Montana · 1,112 residents (2025 est.) · 1,737 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Prairie County is a county of 1,250 people in Montana. The median age is 57.8, about 19 years above the US median. 84% of homes are owner-occupied. Density works out to 1 people per square mile. The typical home is worth $165,700, having more than tripled since 2000. Renters pay $627 a month at the median.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 57.8
US median: 38.9
Less educated
27% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 131%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 1,199 in 2000
1,112 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 1 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 48.9 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
963 1K 1K 1K 1K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Prairie County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $51,250
+11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $25,451 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $14,422 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 16.9% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 17.2% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.420 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 41.3%
Professional, scientific, technical 6.3%
Public administration 1.7%
Education & health services 1.3%
Transportation & warehousing 0%
Arts, entertainment, food 0%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$165,700
+131%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $39,400 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$627
+22%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $283 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 77.5% in 2000
16.1% rent
from 29.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.24 people
+14%since 2009
from 1.96 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 23.5% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 13.6% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 1.9 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 97.7%(1,171)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 88.1%(1,101)
from 3 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 6 more ancestry groups with data from 14.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 78.8% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 2.5% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 12.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 64.7% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 3.9% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 2.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 13.5% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 11.6% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 3.5% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 1.8% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 1.8% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 52.5% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 83.1% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 23.6% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 45.2% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 3.1% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 15.2% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 19.3% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 15.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 69.0% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 87.3% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 92.9% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 96.4% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.2% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 15.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 34.4% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 15.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 31.1% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 29.2% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 5.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 50.1% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 59.2% 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) 8.8%(8)
Share of the 91 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.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper
Places similar to Prairie County Head to head
Compare Prairie County to nearby counties PRAIRIE COUNTY VS
Custer County
Income $70,605 +38%
Home value $219,100 +32%
Population 12,034 +982%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
PRAIRIE COUNTY VS
Dawson County
Income $71,334 +39%
Home value $185,300 +12%
Population 8,692 +682%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
PRAIRIE COUNTY VS
McCone County
Income $69,375 +35%
Home value $211,600 +28%
Population 1,720 +55%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
PRAIRIE COUNTY VS
Wibaux County
Income $67,462 +32%
Home value $98,600 −40%
Population 885 −20%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Prairie County, Montana? Prairie County, Montana has about 1,250 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Prairie County, Montana? The typical household in Prairie County, Montana earns about $51,250 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Prairie County, Montana expensive? In Prairie County, Montana, the median home is worth about $165,700, and the typical rent is about $627 a month.
How educated are people in Prairie County, Montana? About 26.9% of adults age 25 and over in Prairie County, Montana hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Prairie County, Montana? About 20.6% of people in Prairie County, Montana live below the federal poverty line.
Has Prairie County, Montana grown since 1990? Yes, Prairie County, Montana has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 133 residents, a change of about -10 percent over that period.
Keep going
Explore from here 