Jobs, pay and daily life in Great Falls, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Great Falls is a city in Montana with 60,329 residents. The median household earns $63,373 a year and the median rent is $900 a month, which is 17.0% of the median household income. It is part of the Great Falls, MT metropolitan area, where BLS counts 36,510 jobs.
How Great Falls compares. Among the 30 largest places in Montana, Great Falls is #3 by population, #5 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #23 for household income (#1 = highest), #22 for remote work (#1 = most). Its county, Cascade County, is #16 of 56 counties for average pay ($55,412).
Great Falls has 60,329 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 5.4% of the population of Montana. It covers 23 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 2,608 people per square mile. The median age is 39.0, 3% younger than the state median (39.0 against 40.4).
The median gross rent is $900 a month (rent plus utilities), 17% below the state median ($900 against $1,081). Over a year that is 17.0% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $257,000, which is 4.1 times the median household income ($63,373). 66.1% of households own their home, 4% below the state average (66.1% against 69.2%).
The Great Falls, MT metropolitan area has 36,510 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $46,510 a year, 9% below the national median ($46,510 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (4,410 jobs, median $45,090); food preparation and serving related (4,060 jobs, median $29,760); sales and related (3,270 jobs, median $36,640). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Cascade County was 2.6%. 60.3% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Cascade County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 79.3% drive alone, 0.8% use public transit, 2.0% walk, 6.8% work from home. 4.2% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 48% below the state average (4.2% against 8.2%).
27.8% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 21% below the state share (27.8% against 35.2%). 2.2% of residents were born outside the United States, 6% below the state share (2.2% against 2.3%). The poverty rate is 14.5%, 26% above the state rate (14.5% against 11.5%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 71°F (21.6°C), and the coolest is Dec at 24°F (-4.4°C). About 473 mm (19 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jun is the wettest month (80 mm) and Jan the driest (24 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Helena Valley Northeast (63 miles); Helena Valley Northwest (64 miles, rent 78% higher); Helena Valley Southeast (67 miles, rent 23% higher); Helena Valley West Central (68 miles, rent 47% higher). Rent differences are against Great Falls; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Montana (253) →State guide: MontanaCountry guideCascade CountyMontana rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 253 federal postings open in Montana (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Montana →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,340 | 1.48 | $28,200 | $22,590 | $35,200 | -10% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,130 | 1.23 | $35,000 | $27,260 | $47,070 | -1% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 990 | 0.98 | $34,540 | $27,460 | $43,660 | -4% |
| Registered Nurses | 880 | 1.11 | $78,290 | $68,290 | $98,250 | -20% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 790 | 1.19 | $36,760 | $31,820 | $45,470 | -2% |
| Cashiers | 760 | 1.05 | $31,320 | $22,780 | $39,160 | -5% |
| Office Clerks, General | 720 | 1.24 | $44,400 | $32,480 | $61,500 | -1% |
| General and Operations Managers | 690 | 0.84 | $88,780 | $47,010 | $172,670 | -16% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 590 | 1.14 | $35,920 | $28,390 | $46,150 | -2% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 510 | 1.05 | $54,460 | $44,280 | $63,790 | -7% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 490 | 1.47 | $36,610 | $28,700 | $46,140 | -2% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 450 | 0.84 | $22,270 | $21,940 | $43,980 | -37% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 440 | 1.37 | $45,890 | $30,750 | $60,320 | -9% |
| Bartenders | 400 | 2.27 | $25,310 | $21,940 | $29,310 | -26% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | 390 | 1.35 | $42,320 | $30,160 | $61,080 | -4% |
| Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 370 | 1.81 | $36,130 | $27,440 | $47,840 | +2% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 370 | 1.02 | $48,250 | $33,050 | $74,050 | -3% |
| Carpenters | 370 | 2.35 | $58,790 | $44,320 | $74,590 | -3% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 360 | 0.60 | $42,270 | $34,550 | $56,870 | -6% |
| Nursing Assistants | 360 | 1.05 | $39,330 | $36,920 | $47,520 | -7% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations Managers | 690 | 0.84 | $88,780 | $47,010 | $172,670 | -16% |
| Registered Nurses | 880 | 1.11 | $78,290 | $68,290 | $98,250 | -20% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 510 | 1.05 | $54,460 | $44,280 | $63,790 | -7% |
| Office Clerks, General | 720 | 1.24 | $44,400 | $32,480 | $61,500 | -1% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 790 | 1.19 | $36,760 | $31,820 | $45,470 | -2% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 590 | 1.14 | $35,920 | $28,390 | $46,150 | -2% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,130 | 1.23 | $35,000 | $27,260 | $47,070 | -1% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 990 | 0.98 | $34,540 | $27,460 | $43,660 | -4% |
| Cashiers | 760 | 1.05 | $31,320 | $22,780 | $39,160 | -5% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,340 | 1.48 | $28,200 | $22,590 | $35,200 | -10% |
These figures are for the whole Great Falls, MT metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $46,510 (US $50,980); unemployment 2.6% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 27.6% |
| Retail trade | 12.6% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 10.8% |
| Construction | 8.4% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 7.8% |
| Manufacturing | 6.2% |
| Other services | 6.2% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 6.0% |
| Public administration | 4.9% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 4.4% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 2.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 2.2% |
| Information | 0.4% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Great Falls lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cascade County | 84,606 | $5,712 million | $67,507 | 36,513 | 3,200 | $55,412 | +0.6% | 2.6% | 38,556 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 7,130 | 22.9% | $62,468 | 1.36 |
| Retail trade | 4,830 | 15.5% | $38,658 | 1.32 |
| Accommodation and food services | 4,248 | 13.6% | $23,602 | 1.28 |
| Construction | 2,607 | 8.4% | $75,152 | 1.36 |
| Administrative and waste services | 1,749 | 5.6% | $50,503 | 0.81 |
| Finance and insurance | 1,584 | 5.1% | $85,292 | 1.07 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,499 | 4.8% | $71,559 | 1.04 |
| Manufacturing | 1,299 | 4.2% | $73,673 | 0.43 |
| Professional and technical services | 1,291 | 4.1% | $79,007 | 0.51 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 1,249 | 4.0% | $40,106 | 1.14 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 1,075 | 3.4% | $55,070 | 0.70 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 860 | 2.8% | $21,826 | 1.40 |
| Educational services | 467 | 1.5% | $36,816 | 0.62 |
| Management of companies | 360 | 1.2% | $84,912 | 0.58 |
| Real estate and rental | 356 | 1.1% | $44,958 | 0.63 |
| Information | 197 | 0.6% | $66,512 | 0.29 |
| Utilities | 185 | 0.6% | $95,311 | 1.33 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 178 | 0.6% | $49,024 | 0.60 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 18 | 0.1% | $34,863 | 0.13 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 79.3% |
| Public transit | 0.8% |
| Walk | 2.0% |
| Work from home | 6.8% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 4.2% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $63,373 |
| Income per person | $38,231 |
| Median gross rent per month | $900 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 17.0% |
| Median home value | $257,000 |
| Homeowners | 66.1% |
| Poverty rate | 14.5% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 96.8 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $46,510 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 5.65%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 39.0 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 94.8% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 27.8% |
| Born abroad | 2.2% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 60.3% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -4.3 | 24 | 24 |
| Feb | -4.1 | 25 | 25 |
| Mar | 1.1 | 34 | 28 |
| Apr | 5.6 | 42 | 54 |
| May | 11.3 | 52 | 69 |
| Jun | 16.2 | 61 | 80 |
| Jul | 21.6 | 71 | 32 |
| Aug | 19.9 | 68 | 35 |
| Sep | 14.0 | 57 | 41 |
| Oct | 6.4 | 44 | 36 |
| Nov | 0.5 | 33 | 25 |
| Dec | -4.4 | 24 | 24 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Helena Valley Northeast | MT | 63 mi | 4,659 | $140,517 | n/a |
| Helena Valley Northwest | MT | 64 mi | 5,183 | $100,605 | $1,603 |
| Helena Valley Southeast | MT | 67 mi | 9,108 | $74,075 | $1,106 |
| Helena Valley West Central | MT | 68 mi | 8,056 | $90,082 | $1,327 |
| Helena | MT | 71 mi | 33,639 | $71,036 | $1,092 |
| Lewistown | MT | 92 mi | 6,087 | $48,750 | $1,007 |
| Havre | MT | 104 mi | 9,258 | $50,329 | $844 |
| Belgrade | MT | 119 mi | 11,872 | $97,328 | $1,877 |
| Bozeman | MT | 126 mi | 56,114 | $85,747 | $1,717 |
| Four Corners | MT | 127 mi | 5,791 | $100,917 | $1,338 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
60,329 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$900 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 17.0% of the median household income.
$63,373 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
2.6% (BLS county, Cascade County (latest month 2026M09)).
Montana. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.