Population 1,106 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Big Sandy
Household size in Big Sandy
| Period | Big Sandy | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.83 | 2.41 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.64 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.49 | 2.44 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.91 | 2.44 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.08 | +0.03 | −0.03 |
Big Sandy is a place of big households: 2.91 people per home on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. Numbers like that usually point to plenty of families with kids.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Big Sandy
| Period | Big Sandy | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.9 | 39.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 36.5 | 40.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.8 | 41.5 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.4 | 41.5 | 40.1 |
| Change | +6.6 | +1.6 | +2.3 |
Big Sandy skews a little older than the country: its median age is 42.4, against 40.1 nationally. The picture is much the same across Montana. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 35.9, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Big Sandy
| Period | Big Sandy | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.0% | 9.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 18.7% | 9.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 13.2% | 8.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.3% | 8.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.7 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Big Sandy as they are nationally: 11.3%, against 11.6%. Single parents are more common here than in Montana overall (8.8%).
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Big Sandy
Renters in Big Sandy
| Period | Big Sandy | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.8% | 31.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 40.9% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 38.2% | 31.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 30.8% | 30.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | −7.0 pts | −0.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Big Sandy own their homes; 30.8% rent, a little below the national share of 34.8%. That is in line with the rest of Montana. Among homeowners, 70.7% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Big Sandy
| Period | Big Sandy | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.0% | 13.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 18.3% | 13.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 19.6% | 14.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 20.7% | 12.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −6.4 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Big Sandy: 20.7% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Big Sandy
| Period | Big Sandy | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1961 | 1974 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1959 | 1977 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1968 | 1978 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1967 | 1982 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +7 | +6 |
Big Sandy is a place of older homes: half were built before 1967, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Big Sandy
| Period | Big Sandy | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $457 | $703 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $447 | $775 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $503 | $870 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $565 | $1,189 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$107 | +$487 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Big Sandy costs $565 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 9.0% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Big Sandy
Bachelor's degrees in Big Sandy
| Period | Big Sandy | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.1% | 28.7% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 18.0% | 29.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 22.5% | 32.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 17.4% | 35.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.3 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Big Sandy: 17.4% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Big Sandy
| Period | Big Sandy | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 81.9% | 91.2% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 90.0% | 92.6% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 86.6% | 93.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.2% | 94.6% | 89.3% |
| Change | +9.3 pts | +3.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Big Sandy have finished high school (91.2%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. Still, the rate is lower than in Montana as a whole (94.6%).
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Big Sandy
| Period | Big Sandy | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.2% | 5.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.6% | 6.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.9% | 4.2% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.8% | 3.7% | 5.4% |
| Change | +2.7 pts | −2.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Big Sandy runs well above the national rate: 7.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Big Sandy compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Sandy | 2.91 | 42.4 | 11.3% | 30.8% | 20.7% | 1967 | $565 | 17.4% | 91.2% | 7.8% |
| Box Elder | 3.46 | 30.4 | 30.8% | 63.4% | 12.2% | 1984 | $411 | 17.4% | 83.4% | 6.8% |
| Kenilworth | 2.47 | 46.8 | 9.4% | 25.7% | 19.3% | 1975 | $1,146 | 19.7% | 98.1% | 0.0% |
| St. Pierre | 3.61 | 23.7 | 27.9% | 59.4% | 11.1% | 1981 | $411 | 21.6% | 88.7% | 15.2% |
| Sangrey | 3.61 | 23.7 | 27.9% | 59.4% | 11.1% | 1981 | $411 | 21.6% | 88.7% | 15.2% |
| Azure | 3.61 | 23.7 | 27.9% | 59.4% | 11.1% | 1981 | $411 | 21.6% | 88.7% | 15.2% |
| Rocky Boy | 3.12 | 34.8 | 22.7% | 43.0% | 16.7% | 1981 | $567 | 20.0% | 87.6% | 7.0% |
| Parker School | 3.61 | 23.8 | 27.9% | 59.3% | 11.2% | 1981 | $411 | 21.6% | 88.7% | 15.2% |
| Virgelle | 2.56 | 45.1 | 6.1% | 25.9% | 25.5% | 1966 | $964 | 23.6% | 97.8% | 1.8% |
| Kremlin | 2.69 | 42.3 | 13.3% | 26.4% | 20.6% | 1962 | $628 | 24.6% | 91.2% | 4.1% |
| Loma | 2.48 | 46.3 | 8.0% | 26.4% | 21.5% | 1972 | $1,051 | 20.9% | 97.9% | 0.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Willeyton, NC · Barataria, LA · Black Rock, MA · Marquette, KS · Lacey, MI · Lake George, CO · Lapine, LA · Larue, TX · Lenzburg, IL · Lester, OH
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Big Sandy. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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