Population 9,597 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Deer Lodge County
Household size in Deer Lodge County
| Period | Deer Lodge County | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.92 | 2.41 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.15 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.09 | 2.44 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.05 | 2.44 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.13 | +0.03 | −0.03 |
Deer Lodge County is a place of small households, averaging 2.05 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 1.92, even as the national average fell. Of Montana's 56 counties, only three have smaller households.
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 Deer Lodge County
| Period | Deer Lodge County | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.9 | 39.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 44.9 | 40.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 48.4 | 41.5 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 47.8 | 41.5 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.9 | +1.6 | +2.3 |
Deer Lodge County skews older: half of its residents are older than 47.8, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has climbed from 45.9 in 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Deer Lodge County
| Period | Deer Lodge County | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.4% | 9.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.8% | 9.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.0% | 8.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.9% | 8.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.4 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Deer Lodge County: 6.9% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share has fallen 3.4 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than 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 Deer Lodge County
Renters in Deer Lodge County
| Period | Deer Lodge County | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.3% | 31.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 27.0% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 32.2% | 31.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 27.0% | 30.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | −0.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Deer Lodge County own their homes; 27.0% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 44.0% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the northwest.
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 Deer Lodge County
| Period | Deer Lodge County | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.0% | 13.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 22.1% | 13.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 24.2% | 14.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 16.7% | 12.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Deer Lodge County: 16.7% 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. Vacancy has edged down 1.4 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Deer Lodge County
| Period | Deer Lodge County | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1949 | 1974 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1956 | 1977 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1954 | 1978 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1955 | 1982 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +7 | +6 |
The housing in Deer Lodge County is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1955, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1949 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northeast, the oldest in the center. No other Montana county has 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 Deer Lodge County
| Period | Deer Lodge County | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $449 | $703 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $471 | $775 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $585 | $870 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $721 | $1,189 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$273 | +$487 | +$606 |
Rent in Deer Lodge County runs $721 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $273 a month from 2006–10, a 61% jump, roughly in step with the nation. The typical renter here spends 32.7% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the south and lowest in the center.
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 Deer Lodge County
Bachelor's degrees in Deer Lodge County
| Period | Deer Lodge County | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.0% | 28.7% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 20.1% | 29.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 20.3% | 32.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 25.0% | 35.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.0 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Deer Lodge County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 25.0%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree has risen 6.0 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the center and least in the southeast.
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 Deer Lodge County
| Period | Deer Lodge County | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 85.0% | 91.2% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 90.8% | 92.6% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.9% | 93.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.7% | 94.6% | 89.3% |
| Change | +7.7 pts | +3.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Deer Lodge County is above the national rate: 92.7% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. Even so, the rate is lower than in Montana overall (94.6%). The share with a diploma has risen 7.7 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Deer Lodge County
| Period | Deer Lodge County | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.8% | 5.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.7% | 6.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.7% | 4.2% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.9% | 3.7% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.9 pts | −2.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Deer Lodge County runs below the national rate: 3.9% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 3.9 points, as it has nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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).
Deer Lodge 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer Lodge County | 2.05 | 47.8 | 6.9% | 27.0% | 16.7% | 1955 | $721 | 25.0% | 92.7% | 3.9% |
| Silver Bow County | 2.31 | 40.8 | 9.5% | 29.2% | 11.8% | 1961 | $1,016 | 28.5% | 94.3% | 3.9% |
| Powell County | 2.24 | 45.9 | 5.6% | 27.5% | 16.5% | 1965 | $840 | 20.0% | 93.6% | 2.5% |
| Granite County | 2.25 | 52.4 | 6.0% | 22.1% | 36.5% | 1981 | $678 | 33.6% | 93.9% | 3.7% |
| Jefferson County | 2.54 | 45.5 | 6.2% | 15.8% | 6.6% | 1988 | $1,009 | 33.6% | 94.5% | 4.5% |
| Lewis and Clark County | 2.40 | 42.2 | 9.0% | 29.9% | 8.4% | 1984 | $1,193 | 42.7% | 95.0% | 3.3% |
| Ravalli County | 2.56 | 48.6 | 6.0% | 20.6% | 12.3% | 1988 | $1,131 | 29.0% | 93.4% | 3.0% |
| Broadwater County | 2.79 | 46.0 | 5.1% | 12.2% | 12.8% | 1999 | $1,054 | 27.0% | 92.3% | 2.4% |
| Gallatin County | 2.36 | 36.0 | 5.7% | 38.9% | 10.0% | 1996 | $1,744 | 54.6% | 97.2% | 2.4% |
| Meagher County | 2.15 | 53.5 | 0.8% | 24.6% | 36.3% | 1974 | $1,244 | 30.7% | 91.9% | 0.3% |
| Park County | 2.15 | 46.7 | 10.3% | 30.6% | 11.2% | 1977 | $1,205 | 39.5% | 96.1% | 2.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Nottoway County, VA · Larue County, KY · Latimer County, OK · Lawrence County, AR · Lawrence County, IL · Lawrence County, KY · Lee County, AR · Lee County, KY · Lee County, SC · Lee County, TX
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 Deer Lodge 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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