1st Advantage MortgagePowell County households have a median income of $66,923 and median rent of $820 a month (ACS 2020 to 2024). A loan makes sense only if its total cost beats your alternatives and the payment fits your budget. Check the lender's Montana license first.
On this page
- Powell County by the numbers
- Household income in Powell County
- Jobs and commutes in Powell County
- Rent, home values and ownership in Powell County
- Powell County and the counties next door
- Places inside Powell County
- A Powell County household budget, worked through
- Who lives in Powell County, in numbers
- What the numbers mean for Powell County borrowers
- Checklist for Powell County applicants
- Checking a lender's license in Montana
- More guides for Powell County
- Frequently asked questions
Powell County by the numbers
Roughly 7,053 residents live in Powell County, Montana, 30th by population among the state's 56 counties and county equivalents. Spread over 2,326 square miles, that works out to roughly 3.0 residents per square mile. It sits outside every metropolitan statistical area in the July 2023 OMB delineation. Of the 8 Census places inside Powell County, Deer Lodge leads by population with about 3,021; 1 of the 8 are incorporated. With so few households sampled, Powell County estimates can move a lot between releases.
Household income in Powell County
At $66,923, the typical Powell County household income is 2% above the median U.S. county ($65,681). Only 27 Montana counties post a higher median.
| Yearly household income | Powell County | Gap to Montana |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 21.1% | -1.4 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 49.9% | +7.1 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 26.1% | +0.4 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 3.0% | -6.1 pts |
Some 21% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 29% have six-figure incomes. Census counts 5.6% of Powell County residents in poverty, against 11.5% across Montana. The Gini index of income inequality is 0.431 (0 is perfect equality). A household earning below the $66,923 median should test any payment carefully; one earning above it should still pick the shortest term it can manage.
Jobs and commutes in Powell County
Education and health care employs 20% of working residents, the largest share; public administration is next with 18%. Compared with Montana, the county leans toward public administration (18% against 6%). ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 2.3% in Powell County. About 75% drive to work alone and 7% have trips of 45 minutes or more. 2.4% of households have no vehicle.
| Industry (employed residents 16+) | Powell County | Gap to Montana |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 20.5% | -2.7 pts |
| Public administration | 18.2% | +12.5 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 13.5% | +3.0 pts |
| Retail trade | 11.0% | -0.7 pts |
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 10.3% | +4.3 pts |
| Construction | 7.6% | -1.6 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
Rent, home values and ownership in Powell County
Median gross rent, utilities included, comes to $820 in Powell County versus $1,081 statewide. 17% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 5% spend half or more. With a median value of $306,500, a typical Powell County house costs 4.6 times what the median household earns in a year. The ownership rate is 73%. Median construction year: 1966.
| Home costs | Powell County | Montana | U.S. middle county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $820/mo | $1,081/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $306,500 | $375,800 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 73% | 69% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 17% | 45% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 19% | 30% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 19% | 13% | n/a |
Because most Powell County households own, home repairs are a frequent reason to borrow. An unsecured personal loan leaves the house out of the deal, while a HELOC uses it as collateral.
Powell County and the counties next door
Six nearby counties, 32 to 67 miles away by the straight-line distance between their centers. 3 of the six report a higher median household income than Powell County; Jefferson County is highest at $95,490 and Deer Lodge County lowest at $57,527.
| County | Distance | Median income | Median rent | Owners |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powell County | - | $66,923 | $820/mo | 73% |
| Lewis and Clark County, MT | 32 mi | $78,237 | $1,102/mo | 70% |
| Granite County, MT | 39 mi | $59,265 | $675/mo | 78% |
| Missoula County, MT | 47 mi | $75,598 | $1,190/mo | 59% |
| Deer Lodge County, MT | 53 mi | $57,527 | $696/mo | 73% |
| Jefferson County, MT | 65 mi | $95,490 | $925/mo | 84% |
| Silver Bow County, MT | 67 mi | $61,754 | $863/mo | 71% |
Places inside Powell 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 51% of Powell County residents live in one of the 8. No Powell County place has a separate guide yet; this county page serves all 8.
| Name | Kind | Pop. | Income | Rent | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer Lodge | city | 3,021 | $60,302 | $852 | 32 mi |
| Elliston | CDP | 182 | $53,125 | $850 | 30 mi |
| Avon | CDP | 173 | $100,250 | $878 | 22 mi |
| Garrison | CDP | 106 | $93,625 | n/a | 22 mi |
| Helmville | CDP | 55 | $152,969 | n/a | 2 mi |
| Ovando | CDP | 49 | $52,679 | n/a | 17 mi |
| Goldcreek | CDP | 3 | n/a | n/a | 18 mi |
| Racetrack | CDP | 0 | n/a | n/a | 40 mi |
A Powell County household budget, worked through
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a Powell County household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- Median income divided by twelve: $5,577 before taxes
- Rent at the median, $820, takes 15% of that
- 40% debt-to-income limit: $1,411 left for all other debt payments
Car, student loan and card payments come out of that room first. Try your own numbers in the calculator.
Who lives in Powell County, in numbers
College graduates make up 19% of the adult population. 6.4% of residents have no health coverage.
| Indicator | Powell County | All of Montana | U.S. county median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.8 | 40.4 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 19.3% | 35.2% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 6.4% | 5.4% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 6.4% | 8.6% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 2.4% | 4.7% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 9.4% | 12.5% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 5.6% | 11.5% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 2.3% | 3.6% | 4.4% |
| Minutes to work | Powell County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 61.9% |
| 15 to 29 min | 12.1% |
| 30 to 44 min | 18.9% |
| 45 to 59 min | 3.5% |
| 60+ min | 3.6% |
What the numbers mean for Powell County borrowers
Where the Powell County numbers stand out, and why it matters for a loan:
- Retirees. At a median age of 45.8, many borrowers here rely on award letters as proof of income; favor no prepayment penalty.
- Scams. A fee demanded before funding is a red flag; report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov (spotting scams).
- Getting ready. Gather pay stubs or benefit letters before you apply (checklist).
Checklist for Powell County applicants
Four checks before you sign anything:
- Size the loan to the bill, not to the most a lender offers.
- Collect three written offers and compare APR and total repaid.
- Check the license, then the reviews, then the offer.
- Pick the shortest term whose payment still fits.
Checking a lender's license in Montana
Consumer lenders serving Powell County are licensed by the state, not the county; in Montana that is the Montana Division of Banking and Financial Institutions. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. More on Montana: Montana personal loans.
More guides for Powell County
The Montana guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in Powell County earn?
The median is $66,923; 29% earn $100,000 or more and 21% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
How does Powell County rent compare with Montana?
$820 locally versus $1,081 for the state, 24% below.
Which towns does the Powell County guide cover?
Every community in the county, unincorporated areas included. The largest of its 8 Census places: Deer Lodge, Elliston, Avon, Garrison, Helmville.
Will a Powell County address affect my match?
Beyond confirming Montana as your state, no. Your answers about amount, credit, income and payments are all that count.
Who regulates personal lenders for Powell County residents?
The Montana Division of Banking and Financial Institutions licenses consumer lenders in Montana; the CFPB takes complaints about any lender, and the FTC wants to hear about fee-first offers.