← Map/← Montana/Counties/Prairie

Prairie
Montana

Population

$44K

Median Income

$135K

Median Home

R+45

Politics

Economy

Median Household Income$44K

This county

national avg ~$75K

Poverty Rate13.4%

This county

national avg ~11.5%

Unemployment Rate3.0%

This county

national avg ~3.8%

GDP per Capita$46,828

Federal Spending per Capita$5,392

Median Individual Earnings$30K

This county

national avg $45K

Professional/Management Workers37.0%

Average Adjusted Gross Income$53K

Avg Credit Score734

Work From Home %24.5%

This county

national avg 17.0%

Population Under 1822.6%

This county

national avg 22.0%

Single-Person Households32.2%

This county

national avg 28.0%

Income (20th Percentile)$16K

Income (80th Percentile)$88K

Income (95th Percentile)$208K

Bachelor's Degree or Higher25.3%

This county

national avg 35.0%

Less Than High School13.8%

This county

national avg 11.0%

Knowledge Economy GDP %5.6%

Dependency Ratio1.49

Medicare Spending / Person$3,450

SS Benefits / Person$5,592

Education Wage Premium1.50x

Median Earnings (Bachelor's)$64K

Median Earnings (Graduate)$44K

Median Earnings (HS Diploma)$30K

Public Assistance Recipients3.3%

Average Annual Wage$44K

Professional Services Concentration0.37x national

This county

1.0 = national average share

Housing

Median Home Value$130K

This county

$450K state avg

$303K national

Market Rent (ZORI)$866/mo

This county

$1450/mo state avg

$1400/mo national

Property Tax Rate1.01%

This county

0.58% state avg

1.10% national

Annual tax on median home: $1,421

Affordability & Supply

HUD Fair Market Rent (2BR)$1,548/mo

Home Value to Income Ratio2.1x income

Severely Cost-Burdened Households12.0%

Homeownership Rate75.1%

This county

national avg ~65%

Days on Market (Redfin)— Slow — buyers have leverage

134 days

Sold Above List (Redfin)

0.0%

Source: Redfin · Updated monthly

Health

Food Insecurity11.1%

This county

national avg ~11%

Food Environment Index4.9 / 10

This county

higher = better access

Primary Care Shortage Score15

This county

national avg 5

Mental Health Shortage Score18

Dental Care Shortage Score15

Healthcare Shortage Score16.0

Obesity Rate (BRFSS)34.0%

This county

national avg 32.0%

Smoking Rate (BRFSS)19.2%

This county

national avg 14.0%

Poor Health Rate (BRFSS)22.7%

This county

national avg 18.0%

Physical Inactivity (BRFSS)26.5%

This county

national avg 24.0%

High Blood Pressure (BRFSS)30.8%

This county

national avg 32.0%

Active Physicians1

ER Visits per 1,000 Medicare Patients489 / 1,000

Medicare Cost per Beneficiary$11,765

Uninsured (under 65)17.8%

This county

national avg ~10%

Adults with Depression26.2%

Education

HS Diploma Holders231

Bachelor's Degree Holders115

HS Completion Rate86.2%

This county

national avg ~85%

Safety

Violent Crime Rate4.1 / 1,000

This county

national avg ~4.0

Traffic Fatalities1

Social Vulnerability (CDC SVI)36th pct

Drug Overdose Deaths (2024)0.0 / 100K

Climate & Air Quality

Natural Amenity Scale-0.4

January Sunshine-0.53

January Temperature-1.49

Average Temp46°F

Avg High Temp59°F

Avg Low Temp33°F

Annual Precipitation14.9 in/yr

Avg Storm Events8.6 storms/yr

Avg Annual Storm Damage$0K

Drought Index (2022)0.45

Heating Degree Days7,566 HDD/yr

This county

national avg ~4,500 HDD/yr

Cooling Degree Days690 CDD/yr

This county

national avg ~1,200 CDD/yr

Heating Degree Days (1901–2000 Baseline)8,548 HDD/yr

Cooling Degree Days (1901–2000 Baseline)552 CDD/yr

Avg Tornadoes / Year0.0

Avg Flood Events / Year0.4

Avg Hail Events / Year3.0

Avg Hurricane Events / Year0.00

Avg Wildfire Events / Year0.0

Avg Winter Storms / Year0.0

Avg Heat Events / Year0.0

Natural Hazard Risk (FEMA)2 / 100

Community Resilience (FEMA)13 / 100

Federal Disaster Declarations7 since 1953

Fine Particulate Pollution (PM2.5)5.0 µg/m³

This county

EPA standard 9 µg/m³

Outdoor & Recreation

Historic Places (NRHP)3 properties

FAA-Registered Airports1 total

Airports (excl. heliports)1 airports

Internet & Remote Work

Download Speed202 Mbps

This county

national avg ~120 Mbps

Upload Speed311 Mbps

Fixed Internet (Q1 2026)223 Mbps

Mobile Internet (Q1 2026)267 Mbps

Mobile Upload (Q1 2026)56 Mbps

Mobile Latency (Q1 2026)68 ms

Households with 100Mbps+87.0%

This county

national avg 75.0%

Cellular-Only Internet7.6%

This county

national avg 8.0%

Fixed Upload Speed (Q1 2026)81 Mbps

Commute & Transit

Remote Workers136 workers

Public Transit Commuters0 workers

Walk to Work78 workers

Extreme Commutes (90+ min)2 workers

Walk to Work14.1%

Families & Childcare

Childcare Cost Burden33.2%

This county

national median ~27% of household income

Civic & Community

Voter Turnout86.5%

This county

national avg ~55%

Volunteering Rate1.0%

Income Inequality (Gini)5.452

Nonprofit Organizations17

Veterans Share8.3%

This county

national avg 7.0%

Married Adults54.2%

Never-Married Adults20.8%

Divorced Adults15.5%

Religious Organizations3

Asian Population4.0%

Native American Population0.1%

Membership Associations0.0 per 10K residents

Lifestyle & Services

Professional Services Firms3

Debt Burden

Avg Mortgage Balance$116K

Avg Student Loan Balance$7K

Avg Credit Card Balance$5K

Loan Delinquency Rate20.4%

This county

national avg 4.0%

Innovation

Inventor Rate0.31%

Politics

R+45

2024 Presidential · Montana was R+13 statewide

vs Montana State

Income tax

5.9%Same (state law)

Property tax

1.01%0.58% state avg

Politics

R+45R+13

COL Index

County data104 (state)

Population & Migration

Net Domestic Migration 2023

↑ +9

More people arriving than leaving

Economic Mobility

50%

chance a low-income child reaches the middle class

Source: Opportunity Insights

Real Estate

Find Homes in Prairie County

Median home value: $135K

View on Zillow →View on Realtor.com →

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Local News — Prairie

Alta Journal · Mar 22, 2026

The Fight Over Montana’s Great Plains

It would be big enough, American Prairie said, to actually function as an ecosystem. And not only wo…

Bureau of Land Management (.gov) · May 8, 2026

BLM revokes American Prairie bison grazing permit

Under the Taylor Grazing Act, the BLM may authorize grazing only for domestic livestock managed prim…

Daily Montanan · May 12, 2026

Bureau of Land Management cancels bison grazing leases for American Prairie

Montana officials praise decision of BLM to cancel buson grazing leases, American Prairie condemns m…

National Zoo · May 29, 2026

To Restore Montana’s Prairie Streams, Smithsonian Researchers Are Thinking Like Beavers

To Restore Montana's Prairie Streams, Smithsonian Researchers Are Thinking Like Beavers ... A first-…

Billings Gazette · 1 week ago

Montana's response to American Prairie's request for a temporary restraining order

American Prairie is unlikely to prevail on the merits of its claims as it has not articulated irrepa…

Flathead Beacon · Jul 8, 2026

Cayuse Prairie School Business Manager Named Montana’s School Business Official of the Year

This year, Mumby has added a feather to her cap. The Montana Association of School Business Official…

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Data: Census ACS, BLS, Zillow, USDA Natural Amenities, OpenElections 2024, CMS, NCES. Vintage 2022–2025. News via Google News.

PrairieMontana

Prairie
Montana