countyscore

Best Counties for Retirement in Montana 2026

56 counties ranked with the Retiree lens of the County Fit Score.

Top 5 Retirement Counties in Montana

1Judith Basin County
83
baseline 76.5
2Petroleum County
81.2
baseline 80.9
3McCone County
79.1
baseline 73.7
4Carter County
77.9
baseline 71.4
5Fallon County
73.3
baseline 75.1

All 56 Retirement-Ranked Counties in Montana

RankCountyCounty Fit Scorebaseline CountyScoreDelta
1Judith Basin County, MT8376.5+6.5
2Petroleum County, MT81.280.9+0.3
3McCone County, MT79.173.7+5.4
4Carter County, MT77.971.4+6.5
5Fallon County, MT73.375.1-1.8
6Garfield County, MT72.469.6+2.8
7Powder River County, MT72.369.7+2.6
8Meagher County, MT71.765.8+5.9
9Daniels County, MT70.767.1+3.6
10Wheatland County, MT69.465.4+4
11Madison County, MT68.768.8-0.1
12Treasure County, MT67.673-5.4
13Sweet Grass County, MT66.364.7+1.6
14Wibaux County, MT65.865.7+0.1
15Carbon County, MT64.666.1-1.5
16Broadwater County, MT64.456.4+8
17Beaverhead County, MT63.664.6-1
18Musselshell County, MT63.357.2+6.1
19Teton County, MT62.963.8-0.9
20Chouteau County, MT62.764.6-1.9
21Stillwater County, MT62.459.4+3
22Golden Valley County, MT61.767.4-5.7
23Granite County, MT61.258.5+2.7
24Sanders County, MT60.760.4+0.3
25Prairie County, MT6065.6-5.6
26Mineral County, MT59.855+4.8
27Jefferson County, MT58.958.1+0.8
28Ravalli County, MT58.959.2-0.3
29Lincoln County, MT58.460.2-1.8
30Liberty County, MT58.257.8+0.4
31Phillips County, MT57.663-5.4
32Fergus County, MT5754.9+2.1
33Powell County, MT56.258.6-2.4
34Pondera County, MT54.852.9+1.9
35Rosebud County, MT54.257.7-3.5
36Deer Lodge County, MT53.849.3+4.5
37Sheridan County, MT51.150.2+0.9
38Glacier County, MT50.552-1.5
39Park County, MT50.548.8+1.7
40Richland County, MT50.452.3-1.9
41Valley County, MT49.656.3-6.7
42Dawson County, MT48.149.8-1.7
43Blaine County, MT47.955-7.1
44Gallatin County, MT47.844+3.8
45Custer County, MT46.949.7-2.8
46Toole County, MT44.348.4-4.1
47Roosevelt County, MT42.446.7-4.3
48Flathead County, MT41.840+1.8
49Silver Bow County, MT41.736.7+5
50Lewis and Clark County, MT40.438.3+2.1
51Big Horn County, MT39.841.5-1.7
52Lake County, MT38.241.2-3
53Missoula County, MT37.235.1+2.1
54Hill County, MT35.334.4+0.9
55Cascade County, MT35.233.4+1.8
56Yellowstone County, MT33.532.6+0.9

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best county for retirement in Montana?

Based on the Retiree lens, Judith Basin County ranks as the top retirement county in Montana with a County Fit Score of 83. The baseline CountyScore remains visible for context.

How many counties in Montana are ranked for retirement?

We rank 56 counties in Montana with the Retiree lens, using independent importance values for health, safety, taxes, cost, disaster risk, water, and weather.

Also Browse Montana Counties For

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Retirement Rankings by State

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Data: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, FBI UCR, CDC, FEMA NRI, NCES, EPA SDWIS, 2019-2023 ACS — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.