Stillwater County, Montana: commercial real estate data.
Stillwater County, Montana has a population of 9,182 across 1,795 square miles, up 5.4 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $725.1 m in 2024, 263 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 12 7(a) approvals worth $3.2 m.
115 sourced county values · tier FULL · 11 sections
Stillwater County
How many people live in Stillwater County
- Population9,182
- Households3,810
- Average household size2.41
- Median household income$84,732
- Median age46.7
- Median gross rent$961 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$405,800
- Home value to household income4.8 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income13.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher32.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree8.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over6,675
- Population under 181,925
- Share under 1821.0 percent
- Population 65 and over2,314
- Share 65 and over25.2 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 644,943
- Civilian labor force4,622
- Unemployment rate3.1 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over63.7 percent
- Rank by population among Montana counties25th of 56
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents2551st
Stillwater County is the 25th largest of 56 Montana counties by population. A median home costs 4.8 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 25.2 percent against 21.0 percent, which points demand at health care, services and single storey product rather than schools.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Stillwater County
Is Stillwater County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base5.43 percent
- Census 2020 base population8,963
- Births, 202491
- Deaths, 202478
- Natural change, 202413
- Net domestic migration, 2024204
- Net international migration, 2024-1
- Total net migration, 2024203
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024500
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents480th
The county has grown 5.43 percent since the 2020 census base. Migration contributed more to 2024 change than births over deaths, so demand here follows people arriving rather than families forming.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Stillwater County
Where people moving to Stillwater County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving376
- People arriving, from those returns703
- Adjusted gross income arriving$33.8 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$90,008
- Largest single originStillwater County Non-migrants (3,682 households)
- Largest single destination (3,682 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stillwater County Non-migrants | 3,682 | 7,592 | $321.2 m |
| Other flows - Different State | 182 | 354 | $20.6 m |
| Other flows - West | 130 | 252 | $16.0 m |
| Yellowstone County | 114 | 225 | $8.7 m |
| Other flows - Same State | 80 | 124 | $4.6 m |
| Other flows - South | 31 | 66 | $2.7 m |
| Other flows - Midwest | 21 | 36 | $1.9 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Stillwater County Non-migrants, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Stillwater County
What the Stillwater County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$725.1 m
- County GDP, 2023$751.6 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 2024-3.5 percent
- GDP change over five years-4.1 percent
- Rank by GDP among Montana counties17th
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents2111th
- GDP per resident$78,968
Output grew -3.5 percent in the latest year and -4.1 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Stillwater County
Who employs people in Stillwater County
- Covered employment, annual average3,401
- Establishments reporting401
- Average annual pay$75,084
- Average weekly wage$1,444
- Sector 44-45, employment337
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$34,636
- Sector 72, employment283
- Sector 72, average annual pay$18,491
- Sector 31-33, employment232
- Sector 31-33, average annual pay$49,152
- Sector 81, employment87
- Sector 81, average annual pay$36,853
- Sector 54, employment86
- Sector 71, employment61
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 44-45 | 337 | 32 | $34,636 |
| Sector 72 | 283 | 34 | $18,491 |
| Sector 31-33 | 232 | 13 | $49,152 |
| Sector 81 | 87 | 29 | $36,853 |
| Sector 54 | 86 | 40 | $79,116 |
| Sector 71 | 61 | 13 | $47,553 |
| Sector 42 | 42 | 19 | $106,038 |
| Sector 52 | 28 | 13 | $57,137 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 337 jobs, 9.9 percent of covered employment. Average pay per job sits below median household income, so households here typically need more than one earner.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Stillwater County
What businesses operate in Stillwater County
- Establishments, all industries263
- Employment at those establishments3,021
- Annual payroll$239.8 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents28.6
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Stillwater County
What is being built in Stillwater County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 20240
- Declared construction value permitted$0
- Single family units authorised0
- Multifamily units authorised0
No residential units were authorised by permit in 2024. In a small county this is common and is not by itself a sign of distress, but it does mean there is no recent residential pipeline to read demand from.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Stillwater County
How much SBA lending happens in Stillwater County
- 7(a) approvals recorded12
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$3.2 m
- Average 7(a) approval$265,350
- Median 7(a) approval$225,200
- 10th percentile approval$150,000
- 90th percentile approval$416,200
- Largest single approval$871,300
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)73
- Jobs per approval6.1
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active6
- Distinct industries receiving approvals9
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer25.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms3
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter8
- Franchise loans0
- Franchise share of approvals0.0 percent
- Leading industry by approval countAll Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (2)
- Most active lenderThe Yellowstone Bank (3)
- 504 approvals recorded2
- 504 gross approval dollars$812,000
- Average 504 approval$406,000
- Median 504 approval$692,000
- Distinct CDCs active2
- 504 jobs per approval16.5
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved40.6
- Most active CDCMountain West Small Business Finance (1)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals85.7 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$4.0 m
The average approval of $265,350 sits close to the median of $225,200, so lending here is fairly evenly sized rather than driven by a few large deals. Only 25.0 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Stillwater County
Do SBA loans in Stillwater County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded4
- Paid in full4
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full4
- Status: Exempt from disclosure7
- Status: Cancelled1
Too few loans have reached a final outcome to publish a charge off rate. only 4 resolved loans, too few to publish a rate. A rate computed on a handful of loans is noise, so none is shown.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Stillwater County
Which parts of Stillwater County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending4
- ABSAROKEE, approvals4
- REED POINT, approvals4
- COLUMBUS, approvals3
- Park City, approvals1
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| ABSAROKEE | 4 | $1,546,200 |
| REED POINT | 4 | $905,000 |
| COLUMBUS | 3 | $580,000 |
| Park City | 1 | $153,000 |
ABSAROKEE accounts for 4 approvals against 4 in REED POINT. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Stillwater County
How big is Stillwater County
- Land area1,795 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Montana counties38th of 56
- Width, east to west59.1 mi
- Height, north to south66.6 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land5
- Establishments per square mile0.15
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Every item below could be filled with a plausible figure. None of them is. On a page a lender may read, a number that cannot be traced is worse than an absence, so the absences are named.
- No NFIP communities are listed for this county in the FEMA Community Status Book.
- Flood zone record counts are not held. The flood coverage export has not landed, so no count is shown rather than an estimated one.
- Traffic counts resolve in the platform, not in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here.
- Zoning is in build. Parcel level zoning is not published on this page.
Feasibility studies
When a Stillwater County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Stillwater County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population9,182
- Households3,810
- Average household size2.41
- Median household income$84,732
- Median age46.7
Common questions
Stillwater County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Stillwater County, Montana?
9,182, in 3,810 households, ranking 25th of 56 Montana counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Stillwater County growing?
The population has grown 5.43 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 91 births against 78 deaths, with net migration of 203. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Stillwater County?
$84,732. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $405,800, which is 4.8 times income, and median gross rent is $961 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Stillwater County?
263 establishments, employing 3,021 people with an annual payroll of $239.8 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is the average wage in Stillwater County?
Average annual pay is $75,084, or $1,444 a week, across 3,401 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Stillwater County?
12 7(a) approvals totalling $3.2 m since FY2020, across 6 lenders, with a median approval of $225,200, plus 2 504 approvals worth $812,000. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
What is being built in Stillwater County?
No residential units were authorised by permit in 2024. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Stillwater County?
Zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Stillwater County come from?
The largest single origin is Stillwater County Non-migrants, with 3,682 households. Arriving households report an average income of $90,008 against null for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Stillwater County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Stillwater County?
Not yet. The zoning layer is in build. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame with confirm locally attached.