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
84.1
baseline 77.5
2McCone County
80.1
baseline 75.3
3Petroleum County
79.8
baseline 80.1
4Carter County
79.1
baseline 72.6
5Meagher County
73
baseline 65.5

All 56 Retirement-Ranked Counties in Montana

RankCountyCounty Fit Scorebaseline CountyScoreDelta
1Judith Basin County, MT84.177.5+6.6
2McCone County, MT80.175.3+4.8
3Petroleum County, MT79.880.1-0.3
4Carter County, MT79.172.6+6.5
5Meagher County, MT7365.5+7.5
6Garfield County, MT71.467.7+3.7
7Daniels County, MT7167.8+3.2
8Fallon County, MT70.972.4-1.5
9Powder River County, MT69.767.7+2
10Wheatland County, MT67.263.2+4
11Sweet Grass County, MT66.864.6+2.2
12Madison County, MT66.765.6+1.1
13Musselshell County, MT64.659.7+4.9
14Carbon County, MT64.164.8-0.7
15Treasure County, MT64.169.5-5.4
16Golden Valley County, MT63.869.9-6.1
17Chouteau County, MT63.565.7-2.2
18Wibaux County, MT63.363.2+0.1
19Broadwater County, MT63.154.5+8.6
20Beaverhead County, MT62.863-0.2
21Teton County, MT62.162.9-0.8
22Stillwater County, MT6258.8+3.2
23Sanders County, MT6160.6+0.4
24Granite County, MT60.657.4+3.2
25Jefferson County, MT59.558+1.5
26Mineral County, MT58.954.1+4.8
27Fergus County, MT58.356.6+1.7
28Ravalli County, MT57.958.4-0.5
29Liberty County, MT57.657.1+0.5
30Powell County, MT57.159.4-2.3
31Phillips County, MT56.362.3-6
32Lincoln County, MT56.257.7-1.5
33Rosebud County, MT56.260.2-4
34Prairie County, MT55.960.2-4.3
35Deer Lodge County, MT5448.9+5.1
36Pondera County, MT53.251.5+1.7
37Glacier County, MT51.352.6-1.3
38Park County, MT50.948.9+2
39Richland County, MT50.952.7-1.8
40Sheridan County, MT50.849.3+1.5
41Valley County, MT50.456.1-5.7
42Gallatin County, MT48.144.2+3.9
43Blaine County, MT46.654.1-7.5
44Dawson County, MT46.247.7-1.5
45Custer County, MT45.948-2.1
46Toole County, MT44.849.1-4.3
47Roosevelt County, MT42.546.5-4
48Flathead County, MT41.639.8+1.8
49Silver Bow County, MT41.636.4+5.2
50Big Horn County, MT41.542.9-1.4
51Lewis and Clark County, MT40.638.4+2.2
52Lake County, MT37.540.5-3
53Missoula County, MT37.435.1+2.3
54Cascade County, MT35.133.5+1.6
55Hill County, MT34.434.1+0.3
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 84.1. 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.