Population Statistics

GENERAL
2008 Resident Population Estimate: 967,440
2000 Resident Population Census: 902,195
Population percent change, 2000-2008: 7.2%

The following statistics are from the 2007 census estimates:

GENDER
Male Population: 49.9%
Female Population: 50.1%

AGE
Under 18 years old: 21.9%
Age 18 years and over: 78.1%
65 years old and over: 13.8%
Median Age: 39.9

HOUSING
Total housing units: 428,357
Total households: 368,530
Average Family Size: 3.03

RACE
White: 91.1%
Black/African American: 0.4%
Native American (American Indian/Alaska Native): 6.5%
Hispanic or Latino: 2.4%
Asian: 0.5%
Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: 0.1%
Two or more races: 1.5%

ANCESTRY
Ancestry is a broad concept that can mean different things to different people; it can be described alternately as where their ancestors are from, where they or their parents originated, or simply how they see themselves ethnically. Some people may have one distinct ancestry, while others are descendants of several ancestry groups, and still others may know only that their ancestors were from a particular region of the world or may not know their ethnic origins at all.

Montana's population reflects its colorful history. According to the Census Bureau, the following are Montana's largest ancestries as presented in the population data collected by Census 2000:

German: 27%
Irish: 14.8%
English: 12.6%
Norwegian: 10.6%
American Indian: 7.4%

Many Montanans also claim French, Swedish, Scottish, Dutch, and Scotch-Irish ancestry, but these are not among top five.

EDUCATION
High school graduates, 2005: 92.1%
College graduates, 2005: 25.4%

LABOR FORCE
Unemployment Rate: 4.0%
Civilian Labor Force: 493,407
Employed: 473,636
Unemployed: 19,771

ECONOMIC
Per capita personal income, 2005: $28,906
Median household income, $36,200
Median family income, $47,959
People below poverty 14%

All data compiled by the Census and Economic Information Center and Census Bureau.