AnswerIn Montana, a middle-class household earns roughly $50,500 to $150,600 per year — bracketing the state median household income of $75,300.
Middle-class range: $50,500 – $150,600 · State median: $75,300
Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-Year Estimates · Pew Research Center methodology (0.67× to 2× median)
Middle Class Income in Montana (2026)
What it takes to count as middle class in Montana— anchored to the state's ACS 2024 median household income and the Pew Research Center's 0.67×-to-2× framework. Most populous city: Billings.
In Montana, a household is middle class in 2026 if it earns between $50,500 and $150,600 per year, bracketing the state median of $75,300. That is the Pew Research Center's 0.67×-to-2× window applied to US Census Bureau ACS 2024 data — 7.7% below the national median.
Montana middle-class bounds
Following Pew Research Center methodology, middle-income households earn two-thirds to double the median. For Montana, that means anywhere from $50,500 on the low end up to $150,600 on the high end. Below $50,500 is classified as lower-income; above $150,600 is upper-income.
Local context: Billings
Montana's economy rests on cattle ranching and wheat farming on the eastern plains, oil and gas extraction in the Bakken formation along the North Dakota border, mining in the southwest, tourism centered on Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks, and a small but growing tech and outdoor-industry cluster around Bozeman. Native American reservations cover roughly 9 percent of the state's land area and host distinct economies with persistent poverty challenges. Bozeman's growth, fueled by Montana State University, remote workers, and outdoor-industry firms, has produced some of the country's most acute small-city housing inflation, with median home prices roughly tripling between 2015 and 2023. Big Sky and Whitefish second-home markets compound the affordability crisis. Most of the state remains rural, low-density, and economically dependent on commodity-cycle volatility.
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Frequently asked questions
What income is considered middle class in Montana in 2026?
In Montana, a household is considered middle class if it earns roughly $50,500 to $150,600 per year, using the Pew Research definition (two-thirds to double the state median household income of $75,300).
How is the middle class defined?
We use the Pew Research Center definition: middle-income households earn between two-thirds (0.67×) and double (2.00×) the relevant median household income.
Is $75,300 a middle-class income in Montana?
Yes. $75,300 is the ACS 2024 median household income for Montana, so it sits at the center of this page's $50,500 to $150,600 middle-class range.
Related tools and guides
- What Is Middle Class Income in 2026? — full guidedefinition, methodology, history of the term
- Am I Middle Class? — interactive calculatorplug in your income, household size, state
- Middle Class Income by State — huball 50 states + DC compared
Methodology & data sources
Calculations on this page use published benchmarks from US federal statistical agencies. Percentile breakpoints are interpolated linearly between published cells. Figures are in current-year USD unless noted. Numbers are educational estimates, not personalized financial advice.