Population 2,007 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Meagher County: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Meagher County
Household size in Meagher County
| Period | Meagher County | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.64 | 2.41 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.53 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.64 | 2.44 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.15 | 2.44 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.49 | +0.03 | −0.03 |
Meagher County is a place of small households, averaging 2.15 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has dropped from 2.64 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change. Meagher County has smaller households than the great majority of Montana counties.
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 Meagher County
| Period | Meagher County | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.0 | 39.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 47.7 | 40.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 47.7 | 41.5 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 53.5 | 41.5 | 40.1 |
| Change | +10.5 | +1.6 | +2.3 |
Meagher County skews older: half of its residents are older than 53.5, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. Of Montana's 56 counties, only three are older.
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 Meagher County
| Period | Meagher County | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.8% | 9.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.5% | 9.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 2.9% | 8.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 0.8% | 8.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | −10.1 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 0.8% of households in Meagher County, well below the national share of 11.6%. Meagher County has the lowest share of single-parent households of any Montana county.
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 Meagher County
Renters in Meagher County
| Period | Meagher County | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.0% | 31.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 25.4% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 27.5% | 31.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 24.6% | 30.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | −11.4 pts | −0.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Meagher County is largely a place of homeowners: only 24.6% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Just over seven in ten owners (72.5%) have paid off their mortgages, 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 Meagher County
| Period | Meagher County | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.9% | 13.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 37.8% | 13.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 44.1% | 14.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 36.3% | 12.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.6 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 36.3% of the housing in Meagher County, 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. Only three of Montana's 56 counties have a higher vacancy rate.
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 Meagher County
| Period | Meagher County | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1970 | 1974 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1970 | 1977 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1969 | 1978 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1974 | 1982 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +7 | +6 |
Housing in Meagher County leans a little older: the median home dates to 1974, against 1980 nationally.
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 Meagher County
| Period | Meagher County | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $479 | $703 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $679 | $775 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $637 | $870 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,244 | $1,189 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$766 | +$487 | +$606 |
The median renter in Meagher County pays $1,244 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent takes 16.9% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Among Montana's 56 counties, though, only five have higher rents.
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 Meagher County
Bachelor's degrees in Meagher County
| Period | Meagher County | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.0% | 28.7% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 18.7% | 29.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 29.8% | 32.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 30.7% | 35.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +14.7 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
About three in ten adults 25 and older in Meagher County (30.7%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, a little below the national share of 35.6%. Compared with other Montana counties, though, Meagher County has a higher share of college graduates than most.
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 Meagher County
| Period | Meagher County | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 82.6% | 91.2% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 90.7% | 92.6% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.4% | 93.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.9% | 94.6% | 89.3% |
| Change | +9.3 pts | +3.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Meagher County have finished high school (91.9%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. Even so, the rate is lower than in Montana overall (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 Meagher County
| Period | Meagher County | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.9% | 5.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 4.0% | 6.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 0.8% | 4.2% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 0.3% | 3.7% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.7 pts | −2.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Meagher County has been low: just 0.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Of Montana's 56 counties, only four have lower unemployment. 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).
Meagher 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meagher County | 2.15 | 53.5 | 0.8% | 24.6% | 36.3% | 1974 | $1,244 | 30.7% | 91.9% | 0.3% |
| Broadwater County | 2.79 | 46.0 | 5.1% | 12.2% | 12.8% | 1999 | $1,054 | 27.0% | 92.3% | 2.4% |
| Wheatland County | 2.18 | 43.9 | 7.5% | 24.5% | 23.9% | 1959 | $849 | 23.3% | 93.6% | 0.8% |
| Judith Basin County | 2.25 | 46.2 | 5.6% | 27.3% | 27.3% | 1967 | $497 | 31.1% | 92.9% | 0.1% |
| Lewis and Clark County | 2.40 | 42.2 | 9.0% | 29.9% | 8.4% | 1984 | $1,193 | 42.7% | 95.0% | 3.3% |
| Jefferson County | 2.54 | 45.5 | 6.2% | 15.8% | 6.6% | 1988 | $1,009 | 33.6% | 94.5% | 4.5% |
| Fergus County | 2.17 | 44.9 | 9.6% | 36.6% | 12.1% | 1969 | $940 | 23.8% | 95.2% | 4.2% |
| Golden Valley County | 2.32 | 50.9 | 3.5% | 18.9% | 22.0% | 1974 | $783 | 20.9% | 86.5% | 1.5% |
| Powell County | 2.24 | 45.9 | 5.6% | 27.5% | 16.5% | 1965 | $840 | 20.0% | 93.6% | 2.5% |
| Deer Lodge County | 2.05 | 47.8 | 6.9% | 27.0% | 16.7% | 1955 | $721 | 25.0% | 92.7% | 3.9% |
| Musselshell County | 2.37 | 49.9 | 5.8% | 14.9% | 19.1% | 1971 | $1,481 | 21.9% | 89.4% | 8.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Prairie County, MT · Lake County, OR · Lake County, SD · Lake County, TN · Lake of the Woods County, MN · Lancaster County, VA · Lander County, NV · Lane County, KS · Pope County, IL · Power County, ID
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 Meagher 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.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.