United States › Montana › Sanders County COUNTY
Sanders County Montana · 14,062 residents (2025 est.) · 2,760 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
With 13,285 people, Sanders County is a county in Montana. The median age is 54.6, about 16 years above the US median. 81% of homes are owner-occupied. There are 5 people per square mile. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 21% of adults. The foreign-born share is 2%.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 54.6
US median: 38.9
Less educated
21% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 119%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 10,227 in 2000
14,062 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 4 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 44.2 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
8K 10K 11K 12K 14K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Sanders County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $57,476
+18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $26,852 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $14,593 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 13.0% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 17.2% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.422 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 11.2%
Professional, scientific, technical 6.6%
Transportation & warehousing 1.6%
Public administration 1.6%
Education & health services 1.3%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$359,000
+119%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $89,800 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$820
+15%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $390 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 76.4% in 2000
18.7% rent
from 19.1% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.49 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 32.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 46.9% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 5.2 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 90.9%(9,299)
Hispanic / Latino 1.6%(159)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 88.3%(11,730)
Hispanic / Latino 3.5%(466)
from 22 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 33 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
+ 25 more ancestry groups with data from 15.5% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 81.2% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.5% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 17.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 70.8% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 12.0% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 10.0% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 6.2% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 3.8% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 10.5% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 53.0% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 58.5% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 15.4% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 26.7% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 1.3% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 19.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 21.2% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 24.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 65.2% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 85.9% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 85.7% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 97.0% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 1.0% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 23.8%(1,398)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 24.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 29.8% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 22.0% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 34.1% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 25.5% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 5.4% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 52.4% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 56.8% 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) 13.4%(198)
Gulf War (1990s) 15.1%(224)
Share of the 1,479 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 Sanders County Head to head
Compare Sanders County to nearby counties SANDERS COUNTY VS
Shoshone County
Income $55,527 −3%
Home value $267,400 −26%
Population 14,130 same
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SANDERS COUNTY VS
Mineral County
Income $63,450 +10%
Home value $364,300 +1%
Population 5,185 −63%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SANDERS COUNTY VS
Lake County
Income $63,360 +10%
Home value $421,800 +17%
Population 33,392 +137%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SANDERS COUNTY VS
Lincoln County
Income $47,143 −18%
Home value $296,500 −17%
Population 22,328 +59%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Sanders County, Montana? Sanders County, Montana has about 13,285 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Sanders County, Montana? The typical household in Sanders County, Montana earns about $57,476 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Sanders County, Montana expensive? In Sanders County, Montana, the median home is worth about $359,000, and the typical rent is about $820 a month.
How educated are people in Sanders County, Montana? About 21.5% of adults age 25 and over in Sanders County, Montana hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Sanders County, Montana? About 15.4% of people in Sanders County, Montana live below the federal poverty line.
Has Sanders County, Montana grown since 1990? Yes, Sanders County, Montana has grown since 1990. The population has added about 4,616 residents, a change of about 53 percent over that period.
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