Is Montana's population growing or shrinking?
Refreshed annually
It grew by 7,100 between 2024 and 2025. That’s more than the population of the city of Lewistown. Changes in population reflect birth and death rates, immigration patterns, regional shifts, and even the overall health of the economy. Montana’s 0.63% annual increase was primarily driven by people moving from other states. In the decade between 2015 and 2025, Montana’s population grew by 10.6%.
+7.14K
population change (2024 to 2025)
+0.63%
percent change in population (2024 to 2025)
Since 2000, Montana's population increased in 25 of 25 years. The largest increase occurred between 2020 and 2021, when it gained 19,300 residents. The state's smallest increase during the 21st century occurred between 2000 and 2001 when it gained 3,200 residents.
Montana gained 7,100 residents between 2024 and 2025.
Annual population change, 1901–2025
What contributes to population change in Montana?
A state’s population is influenced by three factors:
- Natural population change: If births outnumber deaths in a given year, natural population growth is positive. If deaths exceed births, it is negative. Between 2024 to 2025 natural population change was negative in Montana, with deaths exceeding births by 90.
- Immigration: international migration directly into or out of a state. If more people move in than move out, population change from immigration is positive. If more people move out than move in, it’s negative. Montana’s population change from immigration was positive, with about 899 more people coming from another country to Montana than leaving.
- Domestic migration, moving between states: Montana’s population change from domestic migration was positive, with about 6,300 more people moving to Montana from other states than leaving.
Between 2024 and 2025, domestic migration was the primary driver of population growth in Montana.
Components of population change, 2011–2025
Which counties in Montana are growing? Which are shrinking?
Among 56 county equivalents, Gallatin County had the largest population growth in Montana, welcoming 1,242 new residents. Big Horn County lost the most, with a loss of 95 residents. County-level population data is available as of 2025.
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Richland County led Montana in percent population increase between 2024 and 2025 at 2.8 percent. Wibaux County ranked last with a 3 percent decline.
Between 2024 and 2025, Richland County gained 2.8% in population, the largest increase in Montana.
Population change
How does population change in Montana compare to other states?
Between 2015 and 2025, Montana’s population has increased by 10.6%. During that same period, the US population grew by 6.2%. Montana ranks 12th among states in population growth over that decade.
Montana ranked 12th in population growth between 2015 and 2025.
Percent change in population
Population change between 2024 and 2025, by county in Montana
| County | Population change rate | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Richland County, MT | +2.8% |
| 2. | Madison County, MT | +2.6% |
| 3. | Broadwater County, MT | +2.5% |
| 4. | Musselshell County, MT | +2.4% |
| 5. | Judith Basin County, MT | +2.2% |
| 6. | Wheatland County, MT | +2% |
| 7. | Meagher County, MT | +2% |
| 8. | Petroleum County, MT | +1.9% |
| 9. | Powder River County, MT | +1.3% |
| 10. | Sanders County, MT | +1.2% |
Population change between 2015 and 2025, by state
| State | Population change rate | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Idaho | +22% |
| 2. | Utah | +17.9% |
| 3. | Florida | +16.5% |
| 4. | Texas | +15.8% |
| 5. | Nevada | +14.9% |
| 6. | South Carolina | +14.8% |
| 7. | Arizona | +13.7% |
| 8. | North Carolina | +12.4% |
| 9. | Delaware | +12.2% |
| 10. | Washington state | +11.4% |
How is the US population changing?
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Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
Page sources
USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.
