Best Counties in Montana — 2026 Rankings
56 of 56 counties scored across 12 dimensions
56
56 scored
57/100
composite score
80.9/100
32.6—80.9
lowest to highest
State Overview
Understanding County Scores in Montana
Montana Outpaces the National Livability Median
Montana earns a solid composite score of 56.4, placing it well above the national median of 50.0. This score reflects a consistent quality of life across its 56 counties, suggesting a stable environment for residents compared to the national average.
High Safety and Manageable Costs Drive Success
The state's strongest metric is its risk score of 66.7, indicating significantly lower exposure to environmental and social hazards. Additionally, a tax score of 59.5 and a cost score of 58.5 provide a financial cushion for residents compared to higher-tax neighboring states.
Lower Incomes Remain the Primary Economic Hurdle
Montana's income score of 45.2 sits below the national average, highlighting a gap between local wages and the cost of living. While the state remains relatively affordable, this lower earning potential can squeeze household budgets for those in service-based industries.
Rural Counties Lead the Way in Livability
Petroleum County ranks first with a composite score of 80.1, largely due to its high affordability. Judith Basin and McCone follow closely at 77.5 and 75.3, with Judith Basin notably achieving a near-perfect tax score of 90.3.
A Haven for the Security-Minded Resident
With an overall composite score of 56.4, Montana is a premier choice for families and retirees who value safety and tax efficiency. It is particularly well-suited for those who prioritize a low-risk environment over high metropolitan income levels.
All County Rankings in Montana
Search, sort, and filter all 56 ranked counties
Showing 1–25 of 56 counties
| Rank | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Petroleum County | 80.9 | 72.1 | 72.8 | 34.5 | 97.5 | 81.8 | 96.9 | 98.7 | 86 | 32.8 | 37.8 | 41.3 | |
| 2 | Judith Basin County | 76.5 | 89.4 | 85.5 | 31 | 91.5 | 72.4 | 50.3 | 94.5 | 86 | 44.4 | 30.3 | ||
| 3 | Fallon County | 75.1 | 84.3 | 64 | 75.7 | 74.3 | 67.7 | 90.6 | 94.6 | 86 | 30.1 | 43.9 | 41.1 | |
| 4 | McCone County | 73.7 | 63.1 | 85.7 | 60.4 | 92.4 | 77.1 | 44.4 | 94.8 | 86 | 32.4 | 38.6 | 31.8 | |
| 5 | Treasure County | 72.9 | 73.3 | 57.3 | 57.1 | 97.5 | 56.5 | 98.1 | 99.5 | 0.2 | 32.2 | 31.8 | 46.1 | |
| 6 | Carter County | 71.4 | 88.7 | 78.2 | 19.7 | 97.5 | 53 | 43.4 | 98.3 | 86 | 34.1 | 41.5 | 42.5 | |
| 7 | Powder River County | 69.7 | 62.6 | 84.5 | 54.4 | 93.6 | 49.9 | 47.4 | 96 | 86 | 31.6 | 43.3 | ||
| 8 | Garfield County | 69.6 | 69.6 | 77.3 | 60.9 | 92.8 | 50 | 47.9 | 97.6 | 86 | 30.3 | 35.2 | 31.8 | |
| 9 | Madison County | 68.8 | 92.4 | 45.8 | 73.7 | 87.3 | 69.9 | 64 | 59 | 28.6 | 43.9 | 27.9 | ||
| 10 | Golden Valley County | 67.4 | 80.4 | 64.9 | 28.8 | 79.9 | 36 | 96.5 | 99 | 2.2 | 36 | 46.3 | ||
| 11 | Daniels County | 67.1 | 45.2 | 80.5 | 22.7 | 97.5 | 54.1 | 53.1 | 98.2 | 86 | 34.2 | 30.2 | ||
| 12 | Carbon County | 66.1 | 79.5 | 42 | 81.7 | 87.8 | 74.4 | 63.3 | 40.2 | 26.3 | 36 | 40.4 | ||
| 13 | Meagher County | 65.8 | 64.6 | 50.6 | 66.5 | 90 | 67.3 | 45 | 97.2 | 86 | 46 | 27.7 | ||
| 14 | Wibaux County | 65.7 | 71.4 | 67.1 | 55.9 | 97.5 | 45.8 | 50.2 | 89 | 9.4 | 35.3 | 47.2 | 40.9 | |
| 15 | Prairie County | 65.6 | 47.4 | 90.3 | 14 | 86.2 | 20.3 | 84.8 | 95.8 | N/A | 31.2 | 37.7 | 37.1 | |
| 16 | Wheatland County | 65.3 | 77.2 | 85.8 | 11 | 79.6 | 35.8 | 47.3 | 96.5 | 86 | 41.2 | 47.3 | ||
| 17 | Beaverhead County | 64.6 | 63.7 | 65.9 | 37.7 | 75.2 | 66.1 | 68.8 | 57.1 | 32.9 | 46.5 | 27.9 | ||
| 18 | Chouteau County | 64.6 | 54.8 | 85.8 | 28.6 | 93.8 | 45.1 | 54.7 | 60.5 | 21.1 | 35 | 26.5 | ||
| 19 | Sweet Grass County | 64.6 | 85 | 34.6 | 76.9 | 48.1 | 77.7 | 82.5 | 91.9 | 86 | 41 | 42 | ||
| 20 | Teton County | 63.8 | 54.9 | 62.5 | 62.9 | 75.1 | 62.6 | 66.3 | 81 | 33.5 | 45.6 | 28.8 | ||
| 21 | Phillips County | 63 | 52 | 94.9 | 18.3 | 43.4 | 55.7 | 89.9 | 65.5 | 36.7 | 34.4 | 29 | ||
| 22 | Sanders County | 60.4 | 81.2 | 70.8 | 26.8 | 61.1 | 41 | 57 | 52.7 | 86 | 38.1 | 33.7 | ||
| 23 | Lincoln County | 60.2 | 79 | 77.3 | 8 | 77.1 | 38.4 | 53.8 | 35.7 | 22.9 | 37.1 | 27.7 | ||
| 24 | Stillwater County | 59.4 | 75.5 | 28.5 | 86.3 | 50.6 | 75 | 64 | 83.3 | 86 | 38.1 | 40.9 | ||
| 25 | Ravalli County | 59.2 | 84.2 | 29.4 | 64.8 | 68.9 | 71.1 | 62.1 | 21.5 | 56.9 | 37.6 | 25.6 |
Petroleum County
Judith Basin County
Fallon County
McCone County
Treasure County
Carter County
Powder River County
Garfield County
Madison County
Golden Valley County
Daniels County
Carbon County
Meagher County
Wibaux County
Prairie County
Wheatland County
Beaverhead County
Chouteau County
Sweet Grass County
Teton County
Phillips County
Sanders County
Lincoln County
Stillwater County
Ravalli County
Frequently Asked Questions about Counties in Montana
Common questions about county rankings and scores in Montana.
What is the best county in Montana?
Petroleum County is the top-ranked county in Montana with a CountyScore of 80.9/100. It leads the state across the available scoring dimensions, which include Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, Water Quality, Weather & Climate.
How many counties are ranked in Montana?
Montana has 56 counties in total. Of those, 56 have been ranked with a composite score based on available data dimensions. The remaining 0 counties do not yet have enough data for a full score.
What factors determine a county's score?
Each county is scored 0–100 across up to nine baseline data dimensions: Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, Water Quality, and Weather & Climate. The composite score is a weighted average of whichever baseline dimensions have data. Currently available baseline dimensions are: Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, Water Quality, Weather & Climate. Higher scores are always better — a score of 100 represents the best possible performance for that dimension.
What is the average county score in Montana?
The average composite CountyScore across all ranked counties in Montana is 57/100. The national average is 50/100, so Montana counties score 7 points above the national average.
How does Montana compare to other states?
Montana's average county score of 57/100 is 7 points above the national average of 50/100. You can compare Montana counties to counties in any other state using the county detail pages or the CountyScore compare tool.
Explore County Data by Category
Dive deeper into specific dimensions for counties in Montana.
Best counties in other states
Data: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, FBI UCR, CDC, FEMA NRI, NCES, EPA SDWIS, 2019–2023 ACS — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.