Montana · GEOID 30021

Dawson County

2024 ACS 5-year estimates · population 8,827 · 4,381 housing units

Median household income

$71,334

State $73,049

Median home value

$185,300

State $394,440

Median gross rent

$815

State $1,108

Homeownership rate

71.9%

State 69.2%

Renter cost-burden rate

35.5%

≥30% of income

Owner cost-burden rate

12.5%

≥30% of income

Homeowner vacancy

2.7%

Of owner-occupied + for-sale units

Rental vacancy

0.2%

Of renter-occupied + for-rent units

Overall vacancy

17.5%

All housing units

Price-to-income ratio

2.60

Affordable: 2.0–3.0

Section 1

Community Profile

Population, demographics, household composition, and income.

Community Data Summary

	Dawson County	Montana
Population	8,827	1,116,875
Population density (per sq. mi.)	3.72	—
Median household income	$71,334	$73,049
HUD Area Median Income (4-person, 100%)	$100,900	—
Households	3,615	—
Average household size	2.33 people	—
Owner-occupied	71.9%	69.2%
Renter-occupied	28.1%	30.8%
Race	92.8% White · 0.3% Black	0.0% White · 0.0% Black

Source: ACS 5-year 2024 (Tables DP05, S1101, DP04, S1901) and Census Gazetteer (land area); HUD FY2026 Income Limits.

Racial composition

Dawson County compared with Montana.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table DP05.

Educational attainment (population 25+)

21.8% hold a bachelor's degree or higher (state: 35.2%).

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S1501.

Median Household Income by Tenure

Owner-occupied vs. renter-occupied household income, county and state.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25119.

Median Household Income by Age of Householder

Median household income by age group of householder.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B19049.

Median Household Income by Number of Earners

Median household income for families with each earner count.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S1903.

Household Size

Distribution of households by number of people.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2501.

Income by Number of Earners

Earners	Share	Median income	Attainable monthly housing cost	Attainable home
0 earners	9.7%	$83,750	$2,094	$280,726
1 earner	29.4%	$63,478	$1,587	$205,267
2 earners	54.0%	$111,250	$2,781	$383,091
3+ earners	7.0%	$128,958	$3,224	$449,006

Attainable monthly housing cost = 30% of gross income ÷ 12. Attainable home price assumes 30% housing budget, 30-yr mortgage at 7%, 5% down.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S1903; affordability formula derived.

Households

3,615

Average size: 2.33 people

Households with children

799

22.1% of households

Per-capita income

$37,820

Poverty rate: 11.2%

Section 2

Residential Market Analysis

Housing stock characteristics — tenure, type, age, size, vacancy, rents.

Tenure

71.9% owner-occupied vs. state average 69.2%.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table DP04.

Structure type

Single-family share 73.8% · Missing middle (2–19 units) 7.1%.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25024.

Housing stock by decade

76.3% built before 1980 · Median structure age 1,966.00 yrs.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2504.

Housing size mismatch

Compares the share of housing units by bedroom count against the share of households by size — a common diagnostic of housing supply/demand alignment.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Tables B25041 (bedrooms) and S2501 (household size).

Home value distribution

Owner-occupied homes by value bracket. Median: $185,300.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table DP04.

Monthly Housing Costs

Distribution of monthly housing costs across all occupied units.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25104.

Number of Bedrooms

Housing units by number of bedrooms.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25041.

Median rent by bedroom

Overall median gross rent: $815.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25031.

Renters by age

Number of renter householders by age bracket.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2502.

Owners by age

Number of owner householders by age bracket.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2502.

Vacancy composition

All 766 vacant units split into Census's seven categories. Frictional vacancy (units actively on the market) reflects healthy churn. Structural vacancy (seasonal, migrant, other) sits outside the market for year-round residents — high values change how the headline vacancy rate should be read.

Vacant units by type

For sale 9.4% · For rent 0.3% · Seasonal 39.8% · Other 49.2%.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25004.

Frictional vs structural

10.3% of vacancy is frictional (for sale + for rent + rented/sold not yet occupied); 89.7% is structural (seasonal + migrant + other).

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25004.

Seasonal / recreational share of all housing

7.0%

305 units of 4,381 total

Housing units held for seasonal or recreational use.

"Other vacant" share of all housing

8.6%

377 units of 4,381 total

⚑ Above the 5% threshold — possible indicator of disinvestment, abandonment, or condemned stock.

Section 3

Workforce Housing Needs Assessment

Affordability, cost burden, and the housing options for households in the workforce income range.

Workforce range — ACS median household income

80% MHI$57,067

100% MHI$71,334

120% MHI$85,601

County-wide median from ACS 5-year estimates. A household at 100% MHI in Dawson County should be able to afford a home up to roughly — (30% housing budget, default mortgage terms).

Workforce range — HUD Area Median Income

	1-person	2-person	4-person
80% AMI	$56,400	$64,450	$80,550
100% AMI	$70,630	$80,720	$100,900
120% AMI	$84,750	$96,850	$121,100

HUD FMR Area: Dawson County, MT. 80% AMI uses HUD's published Section 8 Low Income Limits; 100% is HUD MFI; 120% is the standard workforce convention.

Affordability calculator

Follows the standard 30%-of-gross-income affordability rule.

Income basis Household income Interest rate % Down payment % Taxes & insurance / yr

Affordable monthly—

Affordable home price—

Renter cost burden

35.5% of renter households spend ≥30% of income on rent (13.3% spend ≥50%).

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25070.

Owner cost burden by income

12.5% of homeowners spend ≥30% of income on housing. Bars show counts of cost-burdened owners by income bracket.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25106.

Household income — owners vs renters

Distribution of household income for owner-occupied (navy) and renter-occupied (gold) households.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25118.

Section 4

Industry & Workforce Wages

Employment, average wages, and the housing each industry's typical earner can afford in Dawson County.

Covered employment

2,566

Across 20 sectors

Establishments

381

QCEW 2024

Avg annual pay (workforce)

$46,180

Employment-weighted across sectors

Top 10 sectors by employment

Annual average employment by NAICS 2-digit sector. Counties with fewer than five covered establishments in a sector may show suppressed totals.

Source: BLS QCEW Annual Averages, 2024.

Attainable housing by industry

Industry	Employment	Avg annual wage	Affordable home price	vs. median value	Affordable monthly rent
NAICS 44-45 Retail trade NAICS 44-45	544	$36,559	$105,066	−$80,234	$914
NAICS 72 Accommodation and food services NAICS 72	363	$20,635	$45,791	−$139,509	$516
NAICS 61 Educational services NAICS 61	310	$41,593	$123,804	−$61,496	$1,040
NAICS 92 Public administration NAICS 92	282	$47,469	$145,676	−$39,624	$1,187
NAICS 48-49 Transportation and warehousing NAICS 48-49	270	$86,313	$290,267	+$104,967	$2,158
NAICS 23 Construction NAICS 23	155	$49,593	$153,582	−$31,718	$1,240
NAICS 81 Other services (except public administration) NAICS 81	108	$28,621	$75,518	−$109,782	$716
NAICS 71 Arts, entertainment, and recreation NAICS 71	90	$20,936	$46,911	−$138,389	$523
NAICS 21 Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction NAICS 21	88	$98,928	$337,224	+$151,924	$2,473
NAICS 52 Finance and insurance NAICS 52	76	$62,611	$202,040	+$16,740	$1,565
NAICS 54 Professional, scientific, and technical services NAICS 54	59	$66,807	$217,659	+$32,359	$1,670
NAICS 51 Information NAICS 51	51	$83,224	$278,768	+$93,468	$2,081
NAICS 99 Unclassified NAICS 99	39	$21,963	$50,734	−$134,566	$549
NAICS 31-33 Manufacturing NAICS 31-33	38	$44,382	$134,185	−$51,115	$1,110
NAICS 56 Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services NAICS 56	26	$32,492	$89,927	−$95,373	$812
NAICS 11 Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting NAICS 11	22	$60,719	$194,997	+$9,697	$1,518
NAICS 53 Real estate and rental and leasing NAICS 53	14	$39,064	$114,390	−$70,910	$977
NAICS 62 Health care and social assistance NAICS 62	13	$74,475	$246,202	+$60,902	$1,862
NAICS 55 Management of companies and enterprises NAICS 55	13	$56,449	$179,103	−$6,197	$1,411
NAICS 22 Utilities NAICS 22	5	$49,990	$155,060	−$30,240	$1,250

Subsector	Employment	Avg annual wage	Affordable home price	vs. median value	Affordable monthly rent
NAICS 611 Educational services NAICS 611	310	$41,593	$123,804	−$61,496	$1,040
NAICS 921 Executive, legislative, and other general government support NAICS 921	227	$46,050	$140,394	−$44,906	$1,151
NAICS 721 Accommodation NAICS 721	183	$23,318	$55,778	−$129,522	$583
NAICS 722 Food services and drinking places NAICS 722	180	$17,907	$35,636	−$149,664	$448
NAICS 457 Gasoline stations and fuel dealers NAICS 457	152	$26,852	$68,933	−$116,367	$671
NAICS 621 Ambulatory health care services NAICS 621	146	$73,374	$242,103	+$56,803	$1,834
NAICS 623 Nursing and residential care facilities NAICS 623	131	$47,148	$144,481	−$40,819	$1,179
NAICS 624 Social assistance NAICS 624	104	$36,390	$104,436	−$80,864	$910
NAICS 237 Heavy and civil engineering construction NAICS 237	78	$50,156	$155,678	−$29,622	$1,254
NAICS 459 Sporting goods, hobby, musical instrument, book, and miscellaneous retailers NAICS 459	64	$31,225	$85,211	−$100,089	$781
NAICS 813 Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations NAICS 813	64	$18,752	$38,782	−$146,518	$469
NAICS 423 Merchant wholesalers, durable goods NAICS 423	63	$73,740	$243,466	+$58,166	$1,844
NAICS 441 Motor vehicle and parts dealers NAICS 441	61	$61,349	$197,342	+$12,042	$1,534
NAICS 541 Professional, scientific, and technical services NAICS 541	59	$66,807	$217,659	+$32,359	$1,670
NAICS 424 Merchant wholesalers, nondurable goods NAICS 424	58	$53,493	$168,100	−$17,200	$1,337
NAICS 238 Specialty trade contractors NAICS 238	57	$50,624	$157,420	−$27,880	$1,266
NAICS 444 Building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers NAICS 444	56	$39,753	$116,955	−$68,345	$994
NAICS 484 Truck transportation NAICS 484	49	$84,545	$283,686	+$98,386	$2,114
NAICS 522 Credit intermediation and related activities NAICS 522	46	$62,048	$199,944	+$14,644	$1,551
NAICS 999 Unclassified NAICS 999	39	$21,963	$50,734	−$134,566	$549
NAICS 922 Justice, public order, and safety activities NAICS 922	30	$62,921	$203,194	+$17,894	$1,573
NAICS 458 Clothing, clothing accessories, shoe, and jewelry retailers NAICS 458	26	$18,447	$37,646	−$147,654	$461
NAICS 924 Administration of environmental quality programs NAICS 924	18	$41,016	$121,656	−$63,644	$1,025
NAICS 491 Postal service NAICS 491	17	$52,001	$162,546	−$22,754	$1,300
NAICS 449 Furniture, home furnishings, electronics, and appliance retailers NAICS 449	15	$28,774	$76,087	−$109,213	$719
NAICS 485 Transit and ground passenger transportation NAICS 485	13	$21,269	$48,151	−$137,149	$532
NAICS 551 Management of companies and enterprises NAICS 551	13	$56,449	$179,103	−$6,197	$1,411
NAICS 488 Support activities for transportation NAICS 488	9	$40,937	$121,362	−$63,938	$1,023
NAICS 221 Utilities NAICS 221	5	$49,990	$155,060	−$30,240	$1,250
NAICS 923 Administration of human resource programs NAICS 923	5	$47,307	$145,073	−$40,227	$1,183
NAICS 926 Administration of economic programs NAICS 926	1	$70,519	$231,476	+$46,176	$1,763

Affordable home price assumes the industry's average earner uses 30% of gross income for housing, with a 30-year mortgage at 7%, 5% down, $2,500/yr taxes & insurance, and 0.5% PMI. Adjust the Section 3 calculator for other terms. Affordable rent is 30% of monthly gross pay.

Source: BLS QCEW Annual Averages, 2024; ACS 5-year 2024 (median home value).

Section 5

Wages by Occupation

Selected essential-worker occupations for the MSA or nonmetropolitan area containing this county — jobs, the 10-year change, wages, and the housing each typical earner can afford. Both jobs counts and wages are reported at the MSA / nonmetropolitan-area level (BLS does not publish OEWS at the county level), so every county inside the same area shows the same numbers. For county-accurate employment totals, see Section 4 above.

Occupational wages and affordable housing

Occupation	2025 jobs	2015–2025 change	% change	Hourly wage	Annual wage	Affordable home price	Affordable monthly rent
Waiters and Waitresses SOC 35-3031	710	—	—	$13.09	$27,230	$70,340	$681
Fast Food and Counter Workers SOC 35-3023	1,400	—	—	$13.99	$29,110	$77,338	$728
Cashiers SOC 41-2011	1,920	—	—	$14.89	$30,980	$84,299	$775
Childcare Workers SOC 39-9011	240	—	—	$16.11	$33,520	$93,753	$838
Janitors and Cleaners SOC 37-2011	1,220	—	—	$17.92	$37,270	$107,712	$932
Tellers SOC 43-3071	260	—	—	$18.48	$38,430	$112,030	$961
Retail Salespersons SOC 41-2031	950	—	—	$18.58	$38,640	$112,812	$966
Home Health and Personal Care Aides SOC 31-1131	760	—	—	$20.45	$42,540	$127,329	$1,064
Office Clerks, General SOC 43-9061	1,310	—	—	$22.07	$45,900	$139,836	$1,148
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General SOC 49-9071	910	—	—	$23.51	$48,890	$150,966	$1,222
Firefighters SOC 33-2011	210	—	—	$24.37	$50,680	$157,629	$1,267
Construction Laborers SOC 47-2061	500	—	—	$24.49	$50,930	$158,559	$1,273
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education SOC 25-2021	1,280	—	—	—	$55,680	$176,240	$1,392
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers SOC 53-3032	1,130	—	—	$28.22	$58,690	$187,445	$1,467
Carpenters SOC 47-2031	280	—	—	$28.47	$59,210	$189,380	$1,480
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers SOC 33-3051	610	—	—	$30.51	$63,470	$205,237	$1,587
Electricians SOC 47-2111	240	—	—	$34.43	$71,620	$235,574	$1,791
Registered Nurses SOC 29-1141	1,260	—	—	$42.79	$89,010	$300,306	$2,225
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters SOC 47-2152	90	—	—	$43.73	$90,950	$307,527	$2,274

Affordable home price uses the same Section 3 formula (30% housing budget, 30-year mortgage at 7%, 5% down, $2,500/yr T&I, 0.5% PMI). Affordable rent is 30% of monthly wages. Negative job-change values are shown in red parentheses. A "prior-year code differs" note flags occupations whose SOC code changed between the two vintages (2010 SOC → 2018 SOC) — the change estimate is best-effort.

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (10-year change vs. May 2015). Jobs counts and wages reflect the MSA or nonmetropolitan area containing this county, not the county alone — OEWS is not published at the county level.

Methodology & sources

All figures derive from the 2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates. State and national comparisons are population-weighted aggregates of county-level estimates (an approximation; ACS publishes its own state and national medians which can differ slightly).

The affordability calculator uses a 30% housing-budget rule with a 30-year mortgage. Defaults are 7% interest, 5% down, $2,500/year taxes and insurance, and 0.5% PMI — adjustable above.

Variables: 30021 · pulled from Full Housing Data Table.xlsx.