1st Advantage MortgageThe median Mineral County household earns $63,450, and 14% of residents live below the poverty line. Whatever your own numbers, compare written offers on APR, fees and total cost, and verify the lender is licensed in Montana before sharing details.
On this page
- 4,959 residents: Mineral County basics
- Mineral County income bands
- Where Mineral County households live
- Where Mineral County differs from the rest of Montana
- Mineral County industries and commutes
- Neighboring counties at a glance
- Superior and the rest of Mineral County
- Who lives in Mineral County, in numbers
- Borrowing situations common in Mineral County
- A Mineral County household budget, worked through
- Verifying a lender from Mineral County
- Four steps for Mineral County borrowers
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
4,959 residents: Mineral County basics
Mineral County is home to about 4,959 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 37th most populous of 56 county-level areas in Montana. Density: about 4.1 residents per square mile across 1,220 square miles of land. The federal metro definitions (OMB, July 2023) place it in the Missoula, MT metropolitan area. Superior (896 people) heads the county's list of 8 Census places, 2 incorporated and 6 census-designated. Because Mineral County is small, the survey's margins of error are wide; treat the numbers as approximate.
Mineral County income bands
Mineral County households have a median income of $63,450 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 31st of 56 in Montana.
| Yearly household income | Mineral County | Gap to Montana |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 24.9% | +2.4 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 45.9% | +3.1 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 26.1% | +0.5 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 3.1% | -5.9 pts |
The spread is wide: 29% of Mineral County households make $100,000 or more, and 25% make less than $35,000. Poverty rate, Mineral County: 13.5%; Montana: 11.5%. Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.454 here. For a borrower in Mineral County, the county median is only context: a lender looks at the income you can document, so pay stubs, benefit letters or tax returns matter more than any average.
Where Mineral County households live
Median gross rent, utilities included, comes to $801 in Mineral County versus $1,081 statewide. About 5 in 10 Mineral County renters pay 30% or more of income for rent. Median value $364,300; median income $63,450; ratio 5.7. In Mineral County, 81% of occupied homes are owned by the people living in them. The median year built is 1983. Against the median U.S. county, Mineral County rent is 9% below.
| Housing | Mineral County | Montana statewide | Mineral County vs state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Owners | 81% | 69% | +11.9 pts |
| Burdened owners | 36% | 30% | +6.5 pts |
| Vacant units | 16% | 13% | +3.2 pts |
| Rent-burdened renters | 48% | 45% | +2.8 pts |
| Median gross rent | $801/mo | $1,081/mo | 26% lower |
| Median home value | $364,300 | $375,800 | 3% lower |
In an owner-heavy county like Mineral County, many borrowers can also choose a home equity loan or line of credit. Those can price lower but put the house on the line, so compare the two in writing; our personal loan vs. HELOC guide walks through it.
Where Mineral County differs from the rest of Montana
The 3 Mineral County numbers that rank furthest from typical in Montana, and what each means for a borrower:
- Few Montana counties match Mineral County on the share of commutes over 45 minutes: 21% here, 8% for the state, ranking 8th highest of 56. With long commutes, a reliable car is part of keeping the job.
- On homeownership, Mineral County sits near the top of Montana at 81%, 10th highest of 56. An owner-heavy county means repairs are a common reason to borrow.
- Mineral County ranks 10th highest of 55 Montana counties for the share of renters paying 30% or more of income for rent: 48%, against 45% statewide. Make sure a consolidation loan lowers what you pay each month.
Mineral County industries and commutes
The biggest employer of Mineral County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 18% of workers, followed by construction (11%). Mineral County over-indexes on transportation, warehousing and utilities: 9% versus 5% in Montana. ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 3.1% in Mineral County. Long commutes are common here: 21% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. Only 2.7% of homes here go without a vehicle.
| Where residents work | Mineral County | Difference from Montana |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 18.2% | -5.0 pts |
| Construction | 11.3% | +2.1 pts |
| Retail trade | 11.1% | -0.6 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 9.2% | -1.3 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 9.1% | +4.1 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 8.3% | -1.5 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
Neighboring counties at a glance
The six counties whose centers lie closest to Mineral County's, from 40 to 73 miles away. Income ranges from $55,527 in Shoshone County to $75,598 in Missoula County; 1 of these neighbors top Mineral County's median. Some neighbors are in Idaho. Lender licensing is state by state, so a loan for a Mineral County resident follows Montana rules.
| Neighbor | Distance | Income | Rent | Own |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mineral County | - | $63,450 | $801/mo | 81% |
| Shoshone County, ID | 40 mi | $55,527 | $943/mo | 74% |
| Clearwater County, ID | 41 mi | $60,000 | $875/mo | 83% |
| Sanders County, MT | 44 mi | $57,476 | $820/mo | 81% |
| Missoula County, MT | 57 mi | $75,598 | $1,190/mo | 59% |
| Lake County, MT | 59 mi | $63,360 | $901/mo | 75% |
| Benewah County, ID | 73 mi | $59,794 | $875/mo | 73% |
Superior and the rest of Mineral County
Here are the 8 most populous of the county's 8 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 54% of Mineral County residents live in one of the 8. Riverbend ($60,766) and Superior ($45,250) mark the top and bottom of Mineral County's income range among larger places. None of the 8 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Town or CDP | Type | People | Median household income | Median gross rent | Miles from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Superior | town | 896 | $45,250 | $722 | 10 mi |
| Riverbend | CDP | 592 | $60,766 | $939 | 12 mi |
| Alberton | town | 573 | $60,000 | $1,344 | 30 mi |
| St. Regis | CDP | 406 | $61,000 | $775 | 12 mi |
| Cyr | CDP | 108 | n/a | n/a | 25 mi |
| De Borgia | CDP | 40 | n/a | n/a | 20 mi |
| Haugan | CDP | 26 | n/a | n/a | 23 mi |
| Saltese | CDP | 17 | n/a | n/a | 28 mi |
CDP: census-designated place, an unincorporated community mapped for statistics.
Who lives in Mineral County, in numbers
Bachelor's degree or higher: 26% of Mineral County adults. About 9% go without health insurance.
| Residents | Mineral County | Difference from Montana | Difference from middle U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 50.0 | +9.6 yrs | +8.5 yrs |
| Bachelor's or higher | 26.1% | -9.1 pts | +3.9 pts |
| Work from home | 9.9% | -2.6 pts | +1.3 pts |
| Poverty rate | 13.5% | +2.0 pts | +0.3 pts |
| No vehicle | 2.7% | -1.9 pts | -2.7 pts |
| No high school diploma | 7.3% | +1.9 pts | n/a |
| No health insurance | 9.1% | +0.5 pts | +1.3 pts |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 3.1% | -0.5 pts | -1.3 pts |
| Commute length | Mineral County |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 38.4% |
| 15 to 29 min | 21.3% |
| 30 to 44 min | 19.3% |
| 45 to 59 min | 10.9% |
| 60+ min | 10.0% |
Borrowing situations common in Mineral County
Based on the Mineral County data above, these borrowing questions are most likely to matter locally.
- Long drives. With 21% of commutes over 45 minutes, tires and repairs are fixed costs in many Mineral County budgets.
- Manufactured homes. 16% of Mineral County housing units are mobile homes, and their repairs are often paid with unsecured loans. Get the quote in writing.
- Retirees. At a median age of 50.0, many borrowers here rely on award letters as proof of income; favor no prepayment penalty.
- Tight rental budgets. With 48% of Mineral County renters cost-burdened, test a new payment against a lean month.
A Mineral County household budget, worked through
How much room does a median Mineral County budget have? Take median income, subtract median rent, and check what is left under a few common debt-to-income limits.
- Monthly gross at the median, Mineral County: $5,288
- Median rent: $801, or 15 cents of every gross dollar
- With a 36% ceiling, about $1,102 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
If your rent is above $801, the room shrinks dollar for dollar.
Verifying a lender from Mineral County
Consumer lenders serving Mineral County are licensed by the state, not the county; in Montana that is the Montana Division of Banking and Financial Institutions. If a Mineral County lender ignores a dispute, the CFPB complaint portal is the federal backstop. More on Montana: Montana personal loans.
Four steps for Mineral County borrowers
Steps that save money for Mineral County residents:
- Know the exact dollar figure you need before talking to a lender.
- Compare the total repaid on every offer, not just the payment.
- Look the lender up with the state regulator first.
- Ask a Mineral County credit union about member loans.
Related local guides
No city in Mineral County has its own guide yet; the state page is next up.
Frequently asked questions
Is $63,450 a good income in Mineral County?
It is the county median, so half of Mineral County households earn more and half less; 29% earn $100,000 or more.
Can a Mineral County renter afford a loan payment?
At the $801 median rent and $5,288 median monthly income, rent alone uses 15%; add other debts before a new payment.
Should Mineral County homeowners use home equity instead?
Maybe, but weigh the risk: 81% of Mineral County homes are owner-occupied, and a home-equity loan or line is secured by the house while a personal loan usually is not.
Does this page cover Superior?
Yes, along with the other 7 Census places in Mineral County, such as Riverbend, Alberton, St. Regis.
Is the fit check different in Mineral County?
No. It is identical everywhere, and it never looks at your neighborhood.