Hill County, Montana Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Hill County, Montana, including popular demographics data like median age, number of households, household income, gender, employment and unemployment rates, occupations, religion, and more.

We are using the latest American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year survey data from the US Census Bureau, which is accurate up to 2021.

Table of Contents

Population

There is a lot of data that lets us see how many people live in Hill County, Montana. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Hill County, Montana. The estimated population of Hill County, Montana is 16,297 people, with a median age of 34.1.

We can look at the total population in Hill County over the last 5 years to see how much it has changed.

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
16,297
 -0.76% -1.04%
2020
16,422
 -0.09% -
2019
16,436
 -0.02% -
2018
16,439
 -0.18% -
2017
16,468
 - -

Population of Hill County, Montana by Race and Ethnicity

We can also look at how the population has changed over the last 5 years by each of the race/ethnicity types as defined by the US Census Bureau.

Race 2021 2017 Change
White
67.9%
70.2%
 -3.28%
Black/African American
0.4%
0.3%
 +33.33%
Native
23.6%
22.7%
 +3.96%
Hispanic
4%
3.5%
 +14.29%
Asian
0.5%
0.4%
 +25.00%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
0%
 0.00%
Two Or More Races
3.3%
2.9%
 +13.79%
Other
0.4%
0%
 0.00%

This data can be very important for a number of reasons, including social and economic research, planning and development, and marketing to a multi-cultural population.

Note that the Native group includes both Native American and Alaskan Native people.

Population of Hill County, Montana by Age and Gender

The age and gender of a population is another interesting demographic statistic because it lets us track trends in the population over time. For example, we can see how the population has changed over the last 5 years by median age as a total, and also by male and female.

Year Total Male Female
2021 34.1 -1.16% 33.9 +2.73% 34.2 -2.56%
2020 34.5 +0.58% 33 +0.3% 35.1 0%
2019 34.3 -0.58% 32.9 -1.5% 35.1 -0.57%
2018 34.5 +0.29% 33.4 +0.91% 35.3 0%
2017 34.4 - 33.1 - 35.3 -

The median age of Hill County, Montana gives you an idea of the age distribution, with half of the population being older than the median age and half being younger.

This can then be used to infer and compare against birth rates, parent ages, and more metrics to understand the population. For example, an increasing median age indicates an aging population, which can be a sign of a declining population in terms of birth rates and workforce participation.

Age 2021 2017
(Years) Male Female Male Female
0 to 9 1,357 +0.79% 1,280 +13.53% 1,360 1,460
10 to 19 1,244 -8.17% 1,156 -6.81% 1,122 1,079
20 to 29 1,235 -4.92% 1,122 -3.27% 1,174 1,085
30 to 39 1,025 +1.67% 899 +14.97% 1,041 1,038
40 to 49 826 +8.48% 892 -10.24% 894 804
50 to 59 1,035 -6.31% 1,221 -32.04% 966 864
60 to 69 924 +2.17% 670 +38.48% 941 959
70+ 686 +5.85% 896 -12.41% 725 785

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Hill County, Montana is $56,840.00.

In simple terms, the median income is the middle income of a group of people. Half of the people in the group make more than the median income, and half make less. The median income is a good indicator of the overall income of a group of people, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more.

Median Income by Age

We can also look at the median income by age to see how the median income varies by age, and how it compares to the overall median income for Hill County.

  • Under 25
    $29,792.00
  • 25 to 44
    $58,872.00
  • 45 to 64
    $68,934.00
  • 65 and over
    $41,250.00

Average Household Income

Whenever we ask what is the average household income in Hill County, we are actually talking about the mean household income.

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Hill County, and then dividing that number by the total number of households. This is a good way to get a general idea of the average income of a group of people, but it can be skewed by a very high or very low incomes.

The average household income of Hill County, Montana is currently $66,253.00.

In terms of accurately summarizing income at a geographic level, the median income is a better metric than the average income because it isn't affected by a small number of very high or very low incomes.

If you had an area where the average income was greater than the median, it can mean that there is significant income inequality, with income being concentrated in a small number of wealthy households.

1.71% of households in Hill County are classed as high income households (making $200,000+ per year).

Household Income Tiers

The US Census Bureau divides households into income tiers based on the median income for the area. This is a good way to compare the income of Hill County against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    18.95%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    24.84%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    19.00%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    15.84%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    15.55%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    4.10%
  • $200,000 or more
    1.71%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Hill County is $25,384.00.

Per capita income is the average income of a person in a given area. It is calculated by dividing the total income of Hill County by the total population of Hill County.

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in Hill County, Montana, including people like children, the elderly, unemployed people, retired people, and more.

Education Levels

We can also look at the education levels in Hill County to see how many people have a high school degree, a bachelor's degree, or a graduate degree.

Educational attainment is a good indicator of the overall education level of a population, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more to see how education levels affect income, unemployment rates, and more.

  • Master's degree or higher
    7.20%
  • Bachelor's degree
    34.59%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    13.06%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    42.63%
  • Less than high school diploma
    2.50%

Employment

Employment rates are all based around the total population in Hill County that are over the age of 16.

The total population of Hill County over the age of 16 is 12,291.

Of those people, a total of 62.90% are working or actively looking for work. This is called the labor force participation rate.

The participation rate is a useful market measure because it shows the relative amount of labor resources available to the economy.

The employment to total population rate in Hill County is 60.10%.

Employment by Age

We can look at the employment rates by age to see how it compares to the overall employment rate.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
16 to 19 years 1,015 41.30% 10.70%
20 to 24 years 1,172 70.60% 7.50%
25 to 29 years 1,087 82.00% 5.10%
30 to 34 years 1,030 81.70% 2.10%
35 to 44 years 1,879 77.60% 3.50%
45 to 54 years 1,629 83.70% 5.10%
55 to 59 years 1,069 73.90% 2.90%
60 to 64 years 982 53.60% 0.60%
65 to 74 years 1,490 35.30% 3.80%
75 years and over 938 9.40% 0.00%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Hill County. The table below shows the rates for each of the ethnicity groups types defined by the US Census Bureau.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
White 8,992 65.40% 3.40%
Black or African American 92 72.80% 0.00%
American Indian and Alaska Native 2,467 55.20% 9.00%
Asian 47 38.30% 0.00%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 3 100.00% 0.00%
Other 247 56.70% 0.00%
Two or more races 443 58.50% 6.20%
Hispanic or Latino 408 73.00% 4.00%
Not Hispanic or Latino 8,903 65.50% 3.40%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Hill County as well as the gender breakdown and earnings of them.

The total population of civilian employees that are 16 years old or older in Hill County is 7,391, with median earnings of $35,845.00.

Women in Hill County, Montana earning approximately 66.80% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 7,391 $35,845.00
Male 3,908 $44,143.00
Female 3,483 $29,495.00

Occupations by Category

In the table below, we can break down the population and earnings even further by occupation. The list of occupation categories below will show you how many people are employed in each category and the median earnings of each profession.

Occupation Employed Earnings
Management 826 $49,412.00
Business and Financial 145 $55,739.00
Computer and Mathematical 124 $39,471.00
Architecture and Engineering 162 $60,217.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 81 $42,054.00
Community and Social Service 103 $33,646.00
Legal 30 $34,583.00
Educational and Library 488 $29,286.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 187 $75,231.00
Healthcare Practitioners 384 $57,984.00
Healthcare Support 276 $13,750.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 101 $50,903.00
Law Enforcement 91 $48,438.00
Food Preparation and Serving 412 $11,471.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 403 $14,861.00
Personal Care and Service 130 $22,250.00
Sales 528 $33,910.00
Office and Administrative Support 862 $29,408.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 134 $28,594.00
Construction and Extraction 413 $37,218.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 326 $51,635.00
Production 294 $64,306.00
Transportation and Material Moving 479 $47,250.00

Occupations by Gender

The table below shows the same occupations from the list above, but we have split them by male and female to see how many male and females work in each occupation, the median earnings, and the male to female ratio of earnings.

That last metric is important because it can be used to look at the gender pay gap between men and women.

Occupation Male Female
Population Earnings Population Earnings
Management 552 $51,557.00 274 $41,406.00
Business and Financial 86 $38,654.00 59 $56,534.00
Computer and Mathematical 101 $39,399.00 23 $50,536.00
Architecture and Engineering 122 $61,413.00 40 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 41 $54,196.00 40 $41,129.00
Community and Social Service 16 $38,571.00 87 $33,021.00
Legal 0 $0.00 30 $34,583.00
Educational and Library 97 $44,226.00 391 $28,546.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 59 $34,875.00 128 $75,947.00
Healthcare Practitioners 46 $140,625.00 338 $51,667.00
Healthcare Support 2 $0.00 274 $12,426.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 89 $51,181.00 12 $0.00
Law Enforcement 52 $61,667.00 39 $8,594.00
Food Preparation and Serving 129 $12,008.00 283 $11,130.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 245 $23,281.00 158 $13,309.00
Personal Care and Service 51 $24,063.00 79 $21,938.00
Sales 273 $35,938.00 255 $32,557.00
Office and Administrative Support 123 $46,250.00 739 $29,375.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 87 $29,922.00 47 $13,750.00
Construction and Extraction 413 $37,218.00 0 $0.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 300 $51,923.00 26 $0.00
Production 267 $65,417.00 27 $12,917.00
Transportation and Material Moving 455 $50,388.00 24 $30,714.00

Households and Family Size

A household defined bu the US Census Bureau is a group of people who occupy a housing unit. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, group of rooms, or single room occupied as separate living quarters.

There are currently 6,243 households in Hill County, with an average household size of 2.55 people.

A family is defined as a group of two or more people related by birth, marriage, or adoption who live together in the same household.

There are 4,100 families in Hill County with an average family size of 3.16 people.

Households by Marital Status

The four categories of household by marital status are:

  • Married-couple family
  • Male householder with no spouse present
  • Female household with no spouse present
  • Nonfamily household

The table below shows the total number of households and families, with the average sizes of each.

Married Male Female Nonfamily
Total Households 2,836 534 730 2,143
Average Household Size 3.27 2.67 3.45 1.25
Total Families 2,836 534 730 0
Average Household Size 3.26 2.42 3.31 0

Poverty

Of the 4,100 families in Hill County, 11.80% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Hill County:

Household Size Poverty Threshold
1 Person $14,580.00
2 People $19,720.00
3 People $24,860.00
4 People $30,000.00
5 People $35,140.00
6 People $40,280.00
7 People $45,420.00
8 People $50,560.00

Housing

There are 7,233 housing units in Hill County, Montana.

The table below shows the split between occupied and vacant units:

Total Percentage
Occupied 6,243 86.31%
Vacant 990 13.69%

25.05% of the total 7,233 housing units in Hill County are rental units. This is approximately 1,812 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 4,177 are occupied by the owner - or 57.75% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Hill County is $662.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Hill County that fall into a particular rent range. These can then be used to compare with other areas, or to see how they have changed over time.

  • No rent paid
    254
  • Less than $500
    439
  • $500 to $999
    1,051
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    297
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    0
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    25
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    0
  • $3,000 or more
    0

Property Value

The median value of a property in Hill County is $168,100.00.

Just like with rental rates, we can look at the number of properties in Hill County that fall into a particular value range.

  • Less than $50,000
    420
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    616
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    738
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    977
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    870
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    409
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    133
  • $1,000,000 or more
    14

Property Age

We can also look at the age of properties in Hill County. The chart below shows the number of properties in Hill County that fall into a particular age range.

  • 1939 or earlier
    1,085
  • 1940 to 1949
    521
  • 1950 to 1959
    1,250
  • 1960 to 1969
    716
  • 1970 to 1979
    1,873
  • 1980 to 1989
    837
  • 1990 to 1999
    398
  • 2000 to 2009
    355
  • 2010 to 2013
    198
  • 2014 or later
    0

Vehicles per Household

The number of vehicles available per household can be a good indicator of the level of affluence in an area. The chart below shows the number of households in Hill County that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    323
  • 1 vehicle available
    1,716
  • 2 vehicles available
    2,044
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    2,160

Commuting to Work

In this section, we can also look at how people in Hill County get to work. The chart below shows the number of people in Hill County that commute to work in a particular way.

13.4 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Hill County.

These commute times can be compared to other date like income and educational levels to see how they relate to each other and if there are any trends in the data that might suggest a correlation.

  • Less than 5 minutes
    455
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    2,116
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    1,571
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    1,220
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    501
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    264
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    380
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    28
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    39
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    145
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    95
  • 90 or more minutes
    15

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for Hill County, Montana in this article! Hopefully you have found it very useful in your research of the area.

If you use any of the data found on this page, please consider linking back to USPopulation.org as the source and if you have any feedback or data requests, click here to contact us.

Places in Hill County, Montana

We have data for 21 places in Hill County, Montana. Click on a place below to see more information about the demographics of that place.