Yellowstone County is located in south-central Montana, anchored along the Yellowstone River and bordering Wyoming to the south. It is part of the northern Great Plains transition zone, where prairie and river valleys meet nearby badlands and uplands. Established in 1883, the county developed as a regional transportation and trade hub, shaped by railroad expansion and later by energy and agricultural production. With a population of roughly 165,000, Yellowstone County is Montana’s most populous county and the state’s principal metropolitan center. The county is a mix of urban and rural areas: Billings serves as the primary city and commercial nucleus, while surrounding communities support farming and livestock operations. Key economic sectors include healthcare, retail and services, transportation and logistics, energy-related activities, and agriculture. The landscape features broad plains, river corridors, and prominent sandstone formations such as the Rimrocks. The county seat is Billings.

Yellowstone County Local Demographic Profile

Yellowstone County is located in south-central Montana and includes Billings, the state’s largest city. The county serves as a regional hub for commerce, health care, and transportation in the Yellowstone River valley.

Population Size

According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for Yellowstone County, Montana, the county’s population was 164,731 (2020).

For local government and planning resources, visit the Yellowstone County official website.

Age & Gender

The U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts profile for Yellowstone County reports county-level age and sex statistics (e.g., median age and the percentage distribution by broad age groups, along with the female/male composition). Exact values should be taken from the QuickFacts tables for the most current release.

Racial & Ethnic Composition

The U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for Yellowstone County provides county-level racial categories and Hispanic or Latino (of any race) ethnicity shares, including commonly reported groups such as:

  • White alone
  • Black or African American alone
  • American Indian and Alaska Native alone
  • Asian alone
  • Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone
  • Two or more races
  • Hispanic or Latino (of any race)

Household & Housing Data

The U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts tables for Yellowstone County also report core household and housing indicators commonly used in local profiles, including:

  • Total households
  • Average household size
  • Owner-occupied vs. renter-occupied housing rates
  • Total housing units
  • Median value of owner-occupied housing units
  • Median gross rent

All figures above are published by the U.S. Census Bureau for Yellowstone County and are presented in the QuickFacts profile for the county.

Email Usage

Yellowstone County (Billings and surrounding rural areas) has uneven population density, so digital communication access varies with last‑mile infrastructure and distance from urban broadband hubs.

Direct county-level email usage rates are not typically published; email adoption is commonly inferred from internet/broadband and device access. The most consistent proxies come from the American Community Survey via the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, which reports household broadband subscriptions and computer ownership (key prerequisites for routine email use).

Age distribution influences email use because older cohorts are less likely to be online; Yellowstone County’s age structure (available in ACS demographic tables) is therefore a primary proxy for likely email adoption. Gender composition is generally close to balanced in county population profiles and is not a primary driver compared with age and access measures.

Connectivity constraints are shaped by rural service economics and terrain; availability and provider coverage are tracked through the FCC National Broadband Map. County context and planning documents are available from Yellowstone County government, and statewide infrastructure initiatives are summarized by the Montana Department of Commerce broadband program.

Mobile Phone Usage

Yellowstone County is in south-central Montana and contains Billings, the state’s largest city. The county has a mix of urban neighborhoods (Billings), suburban development along major corridors, and rural areas extending toward river valleys and open plains. Terrain is generally rolling prairie with the Yellowstone River corridor, and the county’s settlement pattern produces large differences in mobile coverage quality between the urban core and more sparsely populated edges. Population density is substantially higher in Billings than in the surrounding rural portions of the county, which is a primary determinant of where mobile networks are engineered for strongest capacity and fastest upgrades.

County context and factors that affect mobile connectivity

  • Urban–rural split: Billings drives most of the county’s high-capacity cell deployments; rural areas generally have fewer towers and more reliance on low-band spectrum for coverage rather than dense “small cell” infrastructure.
  • Transportation and settlement corridors: Coverage is typically strongest along major roads and developed corridors where towers can serve more users per site.
  • Terrain and land cover: While Yellowstone County lacks high mountain barriers found in western Montana, distance from towers and localized topography (river bluffs, coulees, built-up areas) can still affect signal strength and indoor coverage.
  • Population distribution: Mobile capacity upgrades (including 5G) are usually prioritized where demand is highest (Billings), while rural areas may see wider-area coverage improvements without the same peak speeds.

Network availability (coverage) vs. adoption (use)

Network availability and household adoption are distinct:

  • Availability refers to whether mobile voice/data service is offered in an area and what technologies (4G/5G) are present.
  • Adoption refers to whether residents subscribe to mobile service, own smartphones, and use mobile broadband in daily life.

County-level adoption metrics are often not as granular or current as coverage maps. Coverage information is more frequently available at fine geography via federal broadband datasets, while adoption commonly comes from surveys and census products that may be published at county level but not broken out specifically into “mobile-only” versus “fixed-plus-mobile” households in a way that directly reflects real-world usage.

Mobile penetration or access indicators (where available)

County-level, mobile-specific penetration is limited in public datasets. The most common public indicators are broader measures of broadband subscription and device access rather than carrier-by-carrier mobile penetration.

  • Broadband subscription and computer/smartphone access (household indicators): The U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) provides county-level estimates on household internet subscription and computing devices (including smartphones in many ACS tables and related products). These measures reflect adoption but do not isolate mobile network technology (4G/5G) and do not directly measure coverage. Reference access point: American Community Survey (ACS) on Census.gov.
  • Limitations at county scale: ACS measures are survey estimates with margins of error and may not distinguish primary internet connection type in a way that cleanly separates “mobile broadband as the main home connection” from “smartphone ownership plus fixed home internet.” For county-specific figures, ACS table selection and year choice materially affect comparability.

Mobile internet usage patterns: 4G and 5G availability (coverage)

Public, map-based coverage reporting is the primary way to describe 4G/5G availability in Yellowstone County.

  • FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC): The FCC publishes provider-submitted coverage polygons for mobile broadband, including 4G LTE and 5G, and supports location-based queries via the National Broadband Map. This is the most direct public source for current, technology-specific mobile availability at sub-county geography. Reference: FCC National Broadband Map (Broadband Data Collection).
  • Montana broadband mapping and state context: State broadband offices often publish planning materials and maps that provide context for broadband access and gaps. Montana’s state broadband resources provide statewide framing and, in some cases, local perspectives relevant to counties. Reference: Montana State Broadband Office.
  • Urban vs. rural technology patterns: In Yellowstone County, 4G LTE coverage is generally the baseline mobile broadband layer across both urban and rural areas, while 5G coverage is typically most robust in and around Billings where density supports higher-capacity deployment. The FCC map is the appropriate source for identifying the specific extent of 5G coverage claims and the providers reporting service in specific locations.
  • Practical interpretation of “available 5G”: FCC availability indicates where providers report service meeting certain technical parameters. It does not guarantee consistent indoor performance, lack of congestion, or uniform speeds throughout the reported area. That distinction affects user experience and therefore adoption and usage patterns.

Common device types (smartphones vs. other devices)

County-specific device mix (smartphones vs. feature phones vs. tablets/hotspots) is not commonly published as a dedicated statistic for Yellowstone County. Public sources generally provide broader indicators:

  • Smartphones as the primary personal device: ACS and related Census products track device access at the household level (including smartphones) and can be used to characterize smartphone prevalence as part of overall device access. This reflects adoption and device ownership, not network quality. Reference entry point: data.census.gov (ACS tables and community profiles).
  • Other connected devices: Tablets, mobile hotspots, and fixed wireless receivers may appear in broader broadband and device-access datasets, but county-level breakouts specific to “mobile hotspot use” are generally limited in standard public tables. Where reported, these measures describe household device access rather than real-time usage intensity.

Demographic and geographic factors influencing mobile usage

Publicly documented drivers of adoption and usage in counties like Yellowstone commonly align with urbanization, income, age distribution, and rural distance—though county-specific causal claims require caution without dedicated studies.

  • Urban concentration in Billings (capacity and adoption environment): Urban areas typically show higher smartphone adoption and heavier mobile data use due to higher employment density, more institutions, and more consistent network capacity. This is consistent with general broadband adoption patterns, but Yellowstone-specific behavioral usage statistics are not typically published at a fine level.
  • Rural areas (coverage constraints and reliance patterns): Rural households may experience fewer provider choices and larger coverage gaps. In some rural areas, mobile broadband may function as a substitute or complement to fixed broadband, but county-level measurement of “mobile-only households” is limited and not directly inferable from coverage maps.
  • Income and age: ACS provides county-level demographic and socioeconomic context (income, age distributions, disability status, etc.) that correlates with broadband adoption in many studies, but Yellowstone County-specific attribution (e.g., precise adoption differences by subgroup) requires using ACS cross-tabulations and acknowledging margins of error. Reference: Census income topics and Census age topics.
  • Geography and travel corridors: Mobility patterns along intercity routes and commuting into Billings can influence where carriers invest in coverage and capacity, but public datasets generally document coverage availability rather than observed traffic volumes by area.

Data limitations and what can be stated definitively at county level

  • Definitive for availability: Technology-labeled mobile broadband availability (4G LTE, 5G) and provider-reported coverage footprints can be documented using the FCC National Broadband Map.
  • Definitive for adoption (broad measures): Household internet subscription and device access (including smartphones in ACS device measures) can be documented using data.census.gov and the American Community Survey.
  • Not definitive from public county-level sources: Precise mobile penetration rates by carrier, detailed splits of smartphone vs. feature phone ownership, and measured 4G/5G usage intensity (such as share of traffic on 5G vs 4G) are not typically available as standardized county-level public statistics. Where such figures exist, they are often proprietary (carrier analytics) or published at broader geographies.

Local and administrative reference points

For county context and planning references, the county’s official resources provide geographic and administrative information that can be used alongside federal coverage and adoption datasets:

Social Media Trends

Yellowstone County is Montana’s most populous county and includes Billings (the state’s largest city) along with Laurel and Lockwood. Its role as a regional hub for healthcare, retail, energy, logistics, and service industries, plus a mix of urban and rural communities, tends to produce social media use patterns that track closely with statewide/national norms while showing stronger day‑to‑day reliance in the Billings metro area.

User statistics (penetration / active use)

  • County-specific social media penetration figures are not published as an official, regularly updated statistic by major federal/state statistical programs. The most defensible approach is to use high-quality U.S. benchmarks and apply them as context for the county.
  • Nationally, about 7 in 10 U.S. adults use social media (recent, widely cited benchmark). Source: Pew Research Center: Social Media Fact Sheet.
  • Yellowstone County’s adult social media use is generally expected to be in line with the national benchmark, with local variation driven by age distribution, education, and broadband availability (urban Billings vs. outlying areas).

Age group trends (who uses social media most)

  • Highest use: adults 18–29 and 30–49 show the highest overall adoption and broadest multi‑platform use nationally. Source: Pew Research Center social media demographics.
  • Middle use: adults 50–64 participate heavily on a smaller set of platforms (commonly Facebook and YouTube) and tend to show lower use of newer social‑first apps compared with younger adults. Source: Pew Research Center social media demographics.
  • Lowest use: adults 65+ have the lowest overall adoption and narrower platform repertoires. Source: Pew Research Center social media demographics.
  • Local interpretation for Yellowstone County: a large regional healthcare and trade workforce and the presence of a sizable retiree population typically correspond to strong Facebook/YouTube reach across middle‑older adults, while TikTok/Instagram skew younger.

Gender breakdown

  • Across U.S. adults, women are generally more likely than men to use several major social platforms, with notable female skew on Pinterest and Instagram; men are more likely to use some discussion/community platforms such as Reddit. Source: Pew Research Center: platform-by-platform demographics.
  • For Yellowstone County, platform gender composition is most credibly characterized as similar to national patterns, with differences primarily platform-specific rather than a single countywide split.

Most‑used platforms (percent using each platform, U.S. adult benchmarks)

Pew’s national measures provide the most comparable, methodologically consistent percentages for “percent of U.S. adults who say they use…” each platform:

Local interpretation for Yellowstone County:

  • Facebook and YouTube typically represent the broadest reach across ages (useful for countywide visibility).
  • Instagram and TikTok tend to concentrate among younger adults and are more urban‑leaning in usage intensity.
  • LinkedIn use is most concentrated among college‑educated and higher‑income segments, aligning with professional services, healthcare administration, education, and management roles in the Billings area.

Behavioral trends (engagement patterns and preferences)

  • Platform choice aligns with content type:
    • YouTube supports long‑form video, “how‑to,” and local information seeking; it functions as both social and search behavior. Source: Pew Research Center: platform use.
    • Facebook remains central for local community groups, events, and marketplace behavior, especially among adults 30+ (nationally the broadest cross‑age social network). Source: Pew Research Center.
  • Age-driven engagement differences:
    • Younger adults show higher likelihood of multi‑platform use and higher exposure to short‑form video ecosystems (TikTok/Instagram/Snapchat). Source: Pew Research Center demographic patterns.
    • Older adults show more concentrated use (commonly Facebook + YouTube) and lower adoption of newer platforms. Source: Pew Research Center.
  • News and information behaviors: social platforms play a role in local and national news discovery, with usage varying by platform and demographic group. Source: Pew Research Center: Social Media and News Fact Sheet.
  • Economic and regional context effects (Yellowstone County): a mix of shift-based service work, commuting, and rural connectivity pockets commonly correlates with mobile-first consumption and asynchronous engagement (evening/weekend spikes), while Billings’ metro concentration supports higher participation in location-based groups and event promotion.

Family & Associates Records

Yellowstone County family and associate-related public records include vital records and court filings. Birth and death records are created and held at the state level by the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) Office of Vital Records, with certified copies issued under state eligibility rules; Yellowstone County does not serve as the custodian for certified birth/death certificates. Vital-record ordering and requirements are published by DPHHS (Montana DPHHS Office of Vital Records).

Adoption records are handled through the courts and state vital records; adoption files are generally confidential, with limited access under statute and court order. Marriage dissolution (divorce), parenting, guardianship, and protection order cases are maintained by the Yellowstone County District Court (Montana Thirteenth Judicial District). Court record access is available through the clerk’s office and through statewide electronic case information via Montana courts’ public portal (Montana Judicial Branch – Public Access).

Associate-related public records commonly used for relationship and contact verification include property ownership and recorded documents maintained by the Yellowstone County Clerk and Recorder. Many recordings and property tools are linked through the county’s official site (Yellowstone County, Montana).

Privacy restrictions apply to nonpublic case types, sealed filings, juvenile matters, and protected personal identifiers; access is limited to authorized parties and redacted public versions where required.

Marriage & Divorce Records

Types of records available

Marriage records

  • Marriage licenses and applications: Issued by the Yellowstone County Clerk of District Court for couples applying to marry in Yellowstone County.
  • Marriage certificates/returns: After the ceremony, the officiant completes the license return; the completed record is filed with the Clerk of District Court and becomes the county’s recorded marriage record.

Divorce records

  • Divorce case files (dissolution of marriage): Court records maintained in the Yellowstone County District Court, commonly including the final decree and associated pleadings and orders.
  • Divorce decrees (final judgments): Part of the District Court civil case record.

Annulment records

  • Annulment case files: Civil court records maintained by the Yellowstone County District Court, similar in structure to divorce case files.
  • Annulment orders/judgments: The final court order determining the marriage void/voidable under Montana law, maintained within the court case record.

Where records are filed and how they can be accessed

Yellowstone County filing office (local records)

  • Yellowstone County Clerk of District Court (District Court records)
    • Maintains: marriage license records filed in the county; District Court case records for divorce and annulment (pleadings, orders, and final decrees/judgments).
    • Access: typically available through in-person request at the Clerk of District Court; copies are issued as plain or certified copies depending on request and eligibility under applicable rules. Some basic case information may be available through court record search systems, while documents may require clerk access and applicable fees.

State-level repositories (vital records)

  • Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS), Vital Records
    • Maintains statewide vital records, including marriage and divorce data as reported for vital statistics purposes, subject to Montana’s vital records statutes and administrative rules.
    • Access: requests are handled by the state vital records office under state eligibility, identification, and fee requirements; this is commonly used for certified vital record certificates for legal/identity purposes.

Online access and indexes

  • Montana Judicial Branch: Court case calendars and search tools may provide docket-level information for Yellowstone County District Court cases; availability of document images varies by system and record type.
  • Yellowstone County Clerk of District Court: office location, services, and request procedures.
  • Montana DPHHS Vital Records: statewide marriage/divorce vital record ordering information.

Typical information included in these records

Marriage licenses/certificates (county record)

Common data elements include:

  • Full names of parties to be married (and, where recorded, prior names)
  • Ages and/or dates of birth
  • Residences/addresses at time of application
  • Date and place the license was issued
  • Date and place of marriage ceremony
  • Officiant’s name and title/authority
  • Witness information (where recorded)
  • Clerk’s filing information and document identifiers

Divorce decrees and case records (District Court)

Common data elements include:

  • Names of the parties and case caption
  • Case number, court, and filing date
  • Date of decree/judgment and judge’s signature
  • Findings and orders addressing:
    • Dissolution status and effective date
    • Property and debt distribution
    • Spousal maintenance (alimony), where applicable
    • Parenting plan/child custody and visitation, where applicable
    • Child support obligations, where applicable
    • Name change orders, where applicable

Annulment orders and case records (District Court)

Common data elements include:

  • Names of the parties, case caption, and case number
  • Court and filing information
  • Final order/judgment and date
  • Court findings supporting annulment under Montana law
  • Related orders on property, support, and parenting issues where applicable

Privacy or legal restrictions

Marriage records

  • Public access: County-recorded marriage license/certificate records are generally treated as public records, with statutory and practical limits on disclosure of sensitive information.
  • Redaction: Identifiers and sensitive personal data (for example, Social Security numbers) are typically protected from public disclosure; copies provided to the public may be redacted consistent with law and court/agency policy.

Divorce and annulment records (court records)

  • Presumption of access with limits: Montana court records are generally open to the public, but access to specific documents can be limited by statute, court rule, or court order.
  • Confidential materials: Certain information is commonly restricted, including:
    • Records sealed by court order
    • Protected information in family law matters (such as some financial account numbers, Social Security numbers, and other sensitive identifiers)
    • Confidential case types or specific filings designated confidential by law or rule
  • Sealed records: When a case or portions of the file are sealed, access is limited to parties and others authorized by the court.

State vital records restrictions

  • Certified vital records: The Montana Vital Records office issues certified copies under state law and administrative rules governing eligibility, identification requirements, and permissible uses.
  • Distinction from court files: State-issued vital record certificates serve as proof of the event for legal/administrative purposes, while the District Court maintains the underlying divorce/annulment case record and orders.

Education, Employment and Housing

Yellowstone County is in south-central Montana and contains Billings (the state’s largest city) plus smaller communities such as Laurel, Lockwood, and Shepherd. The county is the primary regional service and employment hub for eastern Montana and north-central Wyoming, with a population a little over 160,000 and a mix of urban neighborhoods in Billings and more rural residential patterns outside the metro core.

Education Indicators

Public schools (counts and names)

Public K–12 education is primarily provided by three main districts in the county: Billings Public Schools (District 2), Laurel Public Schools, and several smaller elementary/high school districts serving rural areas (for example, Lockwood and Shepherd). A single authoritative, countywide “number of public schools” and complete school name list is typically compiled by the state education agency or district directories rather than county government.

Data availability note: A verified, current count of public schools and a complete, countywide name list requires compiling the active-school rosters from OPI and each district; this is not reliably available as a single, always-current county summary table.

Student–teacher ratios and graduation rates

  • Student–teacher ratios: District and school-level ratios are reported in state and federal school profiles; ratios vary by grade level and building (elementary versus secondary) and change year to year with enrollment and staffing. The most consistently comparable ratios are in OPI reporting and federal school profile datasets (school-level).
  • Graduation rates: Four-year cohort graduation rates are reported by Montana OPI and commonly summarized in district-level reports for Billings and Laurel. Countywide graduation rates are not typically reported as a single statistic because graduation is tracked by district/school cohort.

Proxy note: For a countywide “profile” number, the most defensible proxy is aggregating district cohort outcomes reported by OPI; without that aggregation, reporting a single figure risks mixing non-comparable cohorts.

Adult educational attainment

Adult educational attainment is most consistently available from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS). For Yellowstone County, typical reporting categories include:

  • High school diploma or higher (age 25+): County-level ACS estimate (percentage).
  • Bachelor’s degree or higher (age 25+): County-level ACS estimate (percentage).

Primary source for the most recent ACS 5-year estimates:

Notable programs (STEM, CTE, AP)

  • Advanced Placement (AP) / dual credit: Offered in the county’s larger comprehensive high schools (especially within Billings Public Schools) and commonly supported through partnerships with Montana University System institutions and local colleges; program availability varies by campus.
  • Career and Technical Education (CTE): Montana districts participate in state-recognized CTE pathways (trades, health, business/IT, and applied technologies). CTE is a notable feature in regional labor-market alignment due to healthcare, construction, logistics, and energy-related occupations in the Billings area.
  • STEM: STEM coursework is generally offered through standard secondary math/science sequences, elective engineering/technology offerings, and extracurriculars; detailed school-by-school STEM academies or specialty pathways are typically listed on district and school pages rather than in county summaries.

School safety measures and counseling resources

Across Montana districts, commonly documented safety and support components include controlled entry procedures, visitor management, collaboration with school resource officers/law enforcement, emergency operations plans/drills, and student support services. Counseling and student services are typically staffed at the middle and high school levels, with school psychologists and social work supports varying by district and building. District policy manuals and student services pages are the most direct sources:

Data availability note: Comparable countywide counts (e.g., counselors per 1,000 students, SRO counts) are not consistently published as a single county metric; they are usually district staffing tables and school-level allocations.

Employment and Economic Conditions

Unemployment rate (most recent)

The most current official unemployment rates are produced monthly by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS). Yellowstone County’s recent unemployment rate is available directly from:

Data availability note: A single “most recent year” rate is typically represented as an annual average of monthly LAUS values; the BLS table provides both monthly and annual averages.

Major industries and employment sectors

Yellowstone County’s economy is anchored by Billings as a regional service center. The largest employment bases typically include:

  • Health care and social assistance (major hospitals/clinics and associated services)
  • Retail trade and accommodation/food services (regional shopping and visitor services)
  • Government (city/county services, schools, public safety)
  • Construction (population growth, infrastructure, and regional projects)
  • Transportation and warehousing (regional distribution and freight, supported by interstate corridors)
  • Energy-related and industrial activity (regional refining/energy supply chain and associated technical trades)

Authoritative sector detail (employment by NAICS, wages, trends) is available from:

Common occupations and workforce breakdown

Occupational employment in the county generally reflects the service-center role of Billings, with high representation in:

  • Healthcare practitioners and support
  • Office and administrative support
  • Sales and related occupations
  • Transportation and material moving
  • Construction and extraction trades
  • Installation, maintenance, and repair
  • Education and protective services

For occupation-by-occupation estimates and wages, the most defensible sources are state LMI and BLS occupational datasets:

Commuting patterns and mean commute time

County commuting metrics are best sourced from the ACS (commute mode, mean travel time to work, and where workers live versus work). Yellowstone County typically shows:

  • High share of commuting by driving alone (common for Montana metros)
  • Mean commute time reported as an ACS mean (minutes)
  • Smaller shares using carpool, transit (limited), walking, and working from home

Primary source:

Local employment vs out-of-county work

Two standard measures are used:

  • Residence-to-work flows (inflow/outflow): how many county residents work in-county versus outside.
  • OnTheMap/LEHD: detailed origin-destination commuting flows.

Primary sources:

General pattern: As the regional employment center, Yellowstone County typically retains a large share of resident workers and also draws in-commuters from surrounding counties for healthcare, retail, education, and industrial jobs.

Housing and Real Estate

Homeownership and rental share

Homeownership and renter shares are most reliably reported through the ACS (occupied housing units by tenure). Yellowstone County’s tenure mix generally reflects:

  • Higher homeownership in suburban/rural areas and many established Billings neighborhoods
  • Higher renter shares in parts of Billings near major employment centers, campuses, and multifamily corridors

Primary source:

Median property values and recent trends

  • Median home value (owner-occupied): available from the ACS as a county median.
  • Trend context: Recent years across Montana have generally shown elevated home-price growth relative to pre-2020 baselines, followed by moderation as interest rates rose; county-specific trend confirmation is best obtained from a repeat-sales index or local assessor/market reports.

Primary sources:

Data availability note: The ACS provides a consistent median value but is survey-based; month-to-month market shifts are better captured by MLS-based reports or price indexes, which are not standardized as official county statistics.

Typical rent prices

  • Gross rent (median): The ACS reports median gross rent, a widely used benchmark for county profiles.
  • Trend context: Montana counties with growing metros have generally experienced upward pressure on rents since 2020, with variability by unit type and neighborhood.

Primary source:

Housing types

Yellowstone County’s housing stock typically includes:

  • Single-family detached homes (dominant in many Billings neighborhoods and suburban/rural areas)
  • Townhomes/duplexes and small multifamily in established urban areas
  • Apartment complexes concentrated in Billings along major corridors and near employment/retail nodes
  • Rural lots and small-acreage properties outside the Billings urban core

Countywide unit-type shares (single-family vs multifamily, mobile homes, etc.) are available from ACS “units in structure” tables:

Neighborhood characteristics (proximity to schools/amenities)

  • Billings urban neighborhoods: Generally closer to major employers (healthcare, retail, government), higher concentration of multifamily options, and shorter access times to district high schools and middle schools, parks, and commercial services.
  • Laurel/Lockwood/Shepherd and rural areas: More single-family and acreage properties, more reliance on driving for shopping and specialized services, and school proximity varies by attendance boundaries and rural travel distances.

Data availability note: “Proximity to schools or amenities” is not a standard county statistic; it is best represented through GIS measures (travel time/distance to schools, hospitals, grocery) or neighborhood-level planning documents rather than a single county summary figure.

Property tax overview (rate and typical homeowner cost)

Montana property taxes are based on taxable value (assessed value × state-set tax rates/mill levies), with rates varying by location, school levies, and local jurisdictions within the county. County-level homeowner tax burdens are often summarized as:

  • Median real estate taxes paid (dollars): available from the ACS.
  • Effective tax rate proxies: can be approximated by comparing ACS median taxes paid to ACS median home value, but this is a proxy rather than an official rate.

Primary sources:

Data availability note: A single “average tax rate” for the county is not a stable figure because mill levies vary by overlapping jurisdictions (city, county, school, fire, etc.); the most comparable countywide metric is the ACS median taxes paid.

Table of Contents

Other Counties in Montana