Sanders County, MT

County

Add Comparison

2021 Population

12,298

4.19% 1-year growth

US Senator

Jon Tester

Democratic Party

US Senator

Steve Daines

Republican Party

2021 Median Age

54.4

0.183% 1-year decrease

2021 Poverty Rate

16.8%

1.36% 1-year increase

2021 Median Household Income

$46,848

10.8% 1-year growth

2021 Median Property Value

$263,500

4.73% 1-year growth

About

In 2021, Sanders County, MT had a population of 12.3k people with a median age of 54.4 and a median household income of $46,848. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Sanders County, MT grew from 11,804 to 12,298, a 4.19% increase and its median household income grew from $42,284 to $46,848, a 10.8% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Sanders County, MT are White (Non-Hispanic) (89.5%), American Indian & Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic) (3.51%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (3.1%), White (Hispanic) (2%), and Two+ (Hispanic) (0.886%).

None of the households in Sanders County, MT reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

99.3% of the residents in Sanders County, MT are U.S. citizens.

In 2021, the median property value in Sanders County, MT was $263,500, and the homeownership rate was 76.2%.

Most people in Sanders County, MT drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 22.5 minutes. The average car ownership in Sanders County, MT was 2 cars per household.

Sanders County, MT borders Bonner County, ID, Shoshone County, ID, Flathead County, MT, Lake County, MT, Lincoln County, MT, Mineral County, MT, and Missoula County, MT.

About the photo: Flathead River, west of Dixon, MT

Photo by Keith Ewing

United States Montana

Population & Diversity

Sanders County, MT is home to a population of 12.3k people, from which 99.3% are citizens. As of 2021, 1.47% of Sanders County, MT residents were born outside of the country (181 people).

In 2021, there were 25.5 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (11k people) in Sanders County, MT than any other race or ethnicity. There were 432 American Indian & Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic) and 381 Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Citizenship

99.3%

2021 Citizenship

99.3%

2020 Citizenship

As of 2021, 99.3% of Sanders County, MT residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2020, the percentage of US citizens in Sanders County, MT was 99.3%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Sanders County, MT compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Sanders County, MT

White (Non-Hispanic)
11k ± 37
American Indian & Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic)
432 ± 88
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
381 ± 92.7

3.28%

Hispanic Population

403 people

3.28% of the people in Sanders County, MT are hispanic (403 people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Sanders County, MT as a share of the total population.

Foreign-Born Population

1.47%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

181 people

1.69%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

200 people

As of 2021, 1.47% of Sanders County, MT residents (181 people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2020, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Sanders County, MT was 1.69%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Sanders County, MT compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
841 ± 144
Gulf War (1990s)
240 ± 105
Korea
137 ± 76

Sanders County, MT has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 3.5 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Sanders County, MT employs 4.26k people. The largest industries in Sanders County, MT are Health Care & Social Assistance (613 people), Retail Trade (447 people), and Construction (396 people), and the highest paying industries are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($68,438), Wholesale Trade ($50,714), and Transportation & Warehousing ($49,107).

Employment

Occupations

4.26k

2021 Value

± 407

3.15%

1 Year growth

± 13.1%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Sanders County, MT grew at a rate of 3.15%, from 4.13k employees to 4.26k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Sanders County, MT, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (477 people), Management Occupations (429 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (425 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Sanders County, MT.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Montana (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

View Full Dashboard

Industries

Employment by Industries

4.26k

2021 Value

± 407

3.15%

1 Year growth

± 13.1%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Sanders County, MT grew at a rate of 3.15%, from 4.13k employees to 4.26k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Sanders County, MT, are Health Care & Social Assistance (613 people), Retail Trade (447 people), and Construction (396 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Sanders County, MT, though some of these residents may live in Sanders County, MT and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$36,436

Median earning men ± $3,995

$26,299

Median earning women ± $2,458

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($72,875), Wholesale Trade ($51,643), and Construction ($44,917).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($77,800), Wholesale Trade ($48,452), and Manufacturing ($40,357).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

Y-Axis

2.75%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in Montana. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Montana.

View Full Dashboard

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

125
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
86
Manufacturing
73
Arts, Entertainment & Recreation and Accommodation & Food Services

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Montana to other states, or from other states to Montana.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound Montana product (by dollars) was Coal-n.e.c. with $7.07B, followed by Crude petroleum ($6.71B) and Cereal grains ($4.29B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Montana products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Montana.

$50.5B

2020 Value in Montana

$81.2B

Projected 2050 Value in Montana

60.9% growth

In 2020, total outbound Montana trade was $50.5B. This is expected to increase 60.9% to $81.2B by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Montana trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Montana to other states, or from other states to Montana.

Most Common Trade Partners

Washington
$4.3B
Idaho
$2.87B
Colorado
$2.59B

In 2020, the top outbound Montana domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Washington with $4.3B, followed by Idaho with $2.87B and Colorado and $2.59B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Montana shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Sanders County, MT went to Donald J. Trump with 74.3% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (23.9%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.86%).

Jon Tester and Steve Daines are the senators currently representing the state of Montana. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Montana is currently represented by 2 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (74.3%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (23.9%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.86%)
Libertarian Party

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Sanders County, MT for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Montana

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Montana.

Jon Tester

Senator from Montana

Assumed office on January 3, 2007

Steve Daines

Senator from Montana

Assumed office on January 3, 2015

Jon Tester and Steve Daines are the senators currently representing Montana.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Montana over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Montana

Montana is currently represented by 2 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Montana have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

Completions

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Montana.

Measure

In 2021, 0.385% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.262% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Montana.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2021 were High School or Equivalent (246k), Some college (211k), and Bachelors Degree (174k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Sanders County, MT was $263,500 in 2021, which is 1.08 times larger than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $251,600 to $263,500, a 4.73% increase. The homeownership rate in Sanders County, MT is 76.2%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in Sanders County, MT have an average commute time of 22.5 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Sanders County, MT is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Property

$263,500

Median Property Value 2021

±$23,673

$4,108

Median Property Taxes

±$379

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Sanders County, MT the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Sanders County, MT compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

76.2%

Homeownership

2021

70.4%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2021

In 2021, 76.2% of the housing units in Sanders County, MT were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 77.1%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Sanders County, MT compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 1
Census Tract 9403

The following map shows all of the tracts in Sanders County, MT colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$46,848

Median Household Income

± $5,061

5.39k

Number of Households

± 446

In 2021, the median household income of the 5.39k households in Sanders County, MT grew to $46,848 from the previous year's value of $42,284.

The following chart displays the households in Sanders County, MT distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $60k - $75k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Sanders County, MT is from Montana.

0.463

2021 Wage GINI in Montana

0.459

2020 Wage GINI in Montana

In 2021, the income inequality in Montana was 0.463 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.762% growth from 2020 to 2021, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for Montana was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Montana in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Montana across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2021

Drove Alone (64%)
Worked At Home (16%)
Carpooled (12%)

In 2021, 64% of workers in Sanders County, MT drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (16%) and those who carpooled to work (12%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

22.5 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Sanders County, MT have a shorter commute time (22.5 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 4.94% of the workforce in Sanders County, MT have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Sanders County, MT compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Sanders County, MT distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Sanders County, MT have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

16.8% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Sanders County, MT (2.03k out of 12.1k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.6%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 55 - 64, followed by Males 45 - 54 and then Males 55 - 64.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Sanders County, MT is White, followed by Native American and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

88.7% of the population of Sanders County, MT has health coverage, with 22.1% on employee plans, 25.3% on Medicaid, 23.9% on Medicare, 14% on non-group plans, and 3.45% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Sanders County, MT see 1346 patients per year on average, which represents a 2.28% increase from the previous year (1316 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 3039 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 338 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 51.6% were men and 48.4% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,346 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Sanders County, MT

Primary care physicians in Sanders County, MT see an average of 1,346 patients per year. This represents a 2.28% increase from the previous year (1,316 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Sanders County, MT in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 18.2% under 18 years, 12% between 18 and 34 years, 38.5% between 35 and 64 years, and 31.3% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 51.6% were men and 48.4% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

11.3%

Uninsured

22.1%

Employer Coverage

25.3%

Medicaid

23.9%

Medicare

14%

Non-Group

3.45%

Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in Sanders County, MT grew by 17% from 9.66% to 11.3%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Sanders County, MT changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2022, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was N/A in Sanders County, MT.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Sanders County, MT.

Error: TypeError: measure_.at is not a function

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2022, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 29.9% in Sanders County, MT.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Sanders County, MT.

Error: TypeError: measure_.at is not a function