Yellowstone County, Montana
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 30% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 21% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 15% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B, better than 63% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 61% of US counties
- top 2% for sales tax
- top 7% for summer humidity
- bottom 2% for property crime
Yellowstone County is a county in Montana with about 166,000 residents. It grades B for getting around and D for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include sales tax, summer humidity, and air quality. It rates lower on airport distance and property crime.
Official websiteco.yellowstone.mt.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm, dry summers · Cold winters · Dry · Heavy snow
very cold
cold
cool
comf.
warm
hot
comf.
cool
cold
v.cold
81%53%clearovercast
Precipitation 1.8 in0.6 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$72k78th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$49kbetter than 26% of US counties
Home Value$289k87th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 19% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 17% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.88%better than 47% of US counties
Income Tax5.90%better than 24% of US counties
Sales Tax0.00%better than 98% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden9.44%better than 50% of US counties
Unemployment3.5%better than 74% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)26°F27th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)73°F25th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation15.0 in7th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall46.1 inbetter than 15% of US counties
Sunny Days232 daysbetter than 44% of US counties
Summer Humidity48°Fbetter than 93% of US counties
Comfortable Days57 daysbetter than 15% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk83.6better than 16% of US counties
Air Quality29 AQIbetter than 90% of US counties
School Quality41.7better than 19% of US counties
Violent Crime1772/100kbetter than 10% of US counties
Property Crime3588/100kbetter than 2% of US counties
Community
Population165,52487th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age38.424th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.2343rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9836th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+2535th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)84.4%57th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.5%21st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)6.2%59th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.8%59th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)8.2%92nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time19 minbetter than 86% of US counties
Walkability7.6/20better than 83% of US counties
Airport Distance406 mibetter than 4% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access89.1%better than 84% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.12better than 25% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 64% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Yellowstone County an affordable place to live?
- Yellowstone County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $49k, better than 26% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Yellowstone County?
- The median home value in Yellowstone County is $289k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Yellowstone County?
- Median household income in Yellowstone County is $72k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Yellowstone County?
- Median gross rent in Yellowstone County is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Yellowstone County safe?
- Yellowstone County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1772/100k (better than 10%). Property crime is 3588/100k.
- What is the weather like in Yellowstone County?
- Yellowstone County averages 73°F in July and 26°F in January, with 15.0 in of annual precipitation and about 232 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Yellowstone County?
- Public-school quality in Yellowstone County is below average, scoring better than 19% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Yellowstone County?
- The average one-way commute in Yellowstone County is 19 min.
Other counties in Montana
Explore Montana
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)