Population 11,961 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Custer County
Household size in Custer County
| Period | Custer County | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.22 | 2.41 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.34 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.33 | 2.44 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.32 | 2.44 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.10 | +0.03 | −0.03 |
Custer County is a place of small households, averaging 2.32 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.22, even as the national average fell.
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 Custer County
| Period | Custer County | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.2 | 39.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.9 | 40.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.1 | 41.5 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.8 | 41.5 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.6 | +1.6 | +2.3 |
Custer County skews older than the country: its median age is 43.8, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has climbed from 41.2 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. The youngest areas are in the northwest, the oldest in the east.
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 Custer County
| Period | Custer County | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.8% | 9.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.8% | 9.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.8% | 8.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.8% | 8.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.9 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are less common in Custer County than nationally: 8.8%, against 11.6%. Montana as a whole looks much the same. The single-parent share is down 0.9 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Custer County
Renters in Custer County
| Period | Custer County | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.4% | 31.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 30.9% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 31.2% | 31.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 30.1% | 30.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | −4.3 pts | −0.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Custer County own their homes; 30.1% rent, a little below the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 54.3% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the west; owners are most common in the east. The renter share has fallen 4.3 points since 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
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 Custer County
| Period | Custer County | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.1% | 13.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.8% | 13.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 15.5% | 14.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.2% | 12.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | +6.0 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Custer County: 14.2% 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. Vacancy is up 6.0 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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 Custer County
| Period | Custer County | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1963 | 1974 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1961 | 1977 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1964 | 1978 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1963 | 1982 | 1980 |
| Change | −0 | +7 | +6 |
The housing in Custer County is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1963, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. Of Montana's 56 counties, only five have older homes.
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 Custer County
| Period | Custer County | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $534 | $703 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $662 | $775 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $867 | $870 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $837 | $1,189 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$303 | +$487 | +$606 |
The median renter in Custer County pays $837 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $303 a month since 2006–10, up 57%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 26.5% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
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 Custer County
Bachelor's degrees in Custer County
| Period | Custer County | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.7% | 28.7% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 20.0% | 29.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 24.3% | 32.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 27.5% | 35.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.8 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
More than a quarter of adults 25 and older in Custer County (27.5%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 6.8 points, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the west and least in the north.
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 Custer County
| Period | Custer County | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.7% | 91.2% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 90.6% | 92.6% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.9% | 93.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.6% | 94.6% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.9 pts | +3.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Custer County: 95.6% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 3.9 points, in line with the national trend. Custer County has a higher share of high school graduates than the great majority of Montana counties.
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 Custer County
| Period | Custer County | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.1% | 5.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 3.8% | 6.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.2% | 4.2% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.3% | 3.7% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.1 pts | −2.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Custer County has been low: just 3.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. The picture is much the same across Montana. 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).
Custer County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Custer County | 2.32 | 43.8 | 8.8% | 30.1% | 14.2% | 1963 | $837 | 27.5% | 95.6% | 3.3% |
| Fallon County | 2.35 | 37.0 | 6.7% | 30.6% | 20.7% | 1982 | $806 | 17.5% | 99.6% | 0.0% |
| Slope County | 2.05 | 54.1 | 5.9% | 19.3% | 18.0% | 1961 | $525 | 29.3% | 93.0% | 2.7% |
| Musselshell County | 2.37 | 49.9 | 5.8% | 14.9% | 19.1% | 1971 | $1,481 | 21.9% | 89.4% | 8.3% |
| Hettinger County | 2.05 | 46.4 | 5.5% | 23.2% | 20.9% | 1965 | $673 | 22.7% | 93.8% | 5.4% |
| Wheatland County | 2.18 | 43.9 | 7.5% | 24.5% | 23.9% | 1959 | $849 | 23.3% | 93.6% | 0.8% |
| Grant County | 2.08 | 49.6 | 3.3% | 16.6% | 34.0% | 1963 | $720 | 20.7% | 88.7% | 3.8% |
| Meagher County | 2.15 | 53.5 | 0.8% | 24.6% | 36.3% | 1974 | $1,244 | 30.7% | 91.9% | 0.3% |
| Logan County | 2.25 | 49.4 | 2.2% | 17.0% | 26.8% | 1965 | $758 | 25.7% | 91.3% | 1.9% |
| Powell County | 2.24 | 45.9 | 5.6% | 27.5% | 16.5% | 1965 | $840 | 20.0% | 93.6% | 2.5% |
| LaMoure County | 2.26 | 45.8 | 5.9% | 16.4% | 15.4% | 1965 | $744 | 25.1% | 92.0% | 2.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Baker County, OR · Bates County, MO · Barton County, MO · Barnwell County, SC · Barnes County, ND · White County, IL · Barber County, KS · Baraga County, MI · Sevier County, UT · Bamberg County, SC
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 Custer County. 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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