Jobs, pay and daily life in Lewistown, 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.
Lewistown is a city in Montana with 6,087 residents. The median household earns $48,750 a year and the median rent is $1,007 a month, which is 24.8% of the median household income. We could not match it to a metropolitan area in the BLS wage tables, so metro pay data is not shown.
How Lewistown compares. Among the 30 largest places in Montana, Lewistown is #20 by population, #30 for household income (#1 = highest), #29 for college degrees (#1 = most), #22 for homeownership (#1 = highest). Its county, Fergus County, is #32 of 56 counties for average pay ($48,764).
Lewistown has 6,087 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.5% of the population of Montana. It covers 6 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,064 people per square mile. The median age is 44.7, 11% older than the state median (44.7 against 40.4).
The median gross rent is $1,007 a month (rent plus utilities), 7% below the state median ($1,007 against $1,081). Over a year that is 24.8% 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 $198,400, which is 4.1 times the median household income ($48,750). 56.1% of households own their home, 19% below the state average (56.1% against 69.2%).
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Fergus County was 2.1%. 62.5% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Fergus County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 73.3% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 13.8% walk, 7.2% work from home. 4.0% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 51% below the state average (4.0% against 8.2%).
17.7% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 50% below the state share (17.7% against 35.2%). 3.4% of residents were born outside the United States, 49% above the state share (3.4% against 2.3%). The poverty rate is 20.9%, 82% above the state rate (20.9% against 11.5%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 69°F (20.3°C), and the coolest is Dec at 22°F (-5.5°C). About 515 mm (20 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (89 mm) and Jan the driest (21 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: Great Falls (92 miles, rent 11% lower); Billings (97 miles, rent 13% higher); Lockwood (98 miles, rent 13% higher); Laurel (100 miles, rent 3% lower). Rent differences are against Lewistown; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Montana (253) →State guide: MontanaCountry guideFergus 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.
No metropolitan wage table is matched to this city. Employment shares of residents by industry (ACS):
| Industry ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 29.4% |
| Retail trade | 14.5% |
| Construction | 10.4% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 9.6% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 8.6% |
| Other services | 7.8% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 6.0% |
| Manufacturing | 4.4% |
| Public administration | 3.7% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 2.3% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 2.0% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.0% |
| Information | 0.2% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Lewistown 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fergus County | 11,687 | $777 million | $66,462 | 4,664 | 580 | $48,764 | +2.1% | 2.1% | 6,020 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 768 | 22.2% | $54,121 | 1.15 |
| Retail trade | 533 | 15.4% | $34,652 | 1.14 |
| Accommodation and food services | 477 | 13.8% | $19,670 | 1.12 |
| Manufacturing | 440 | 12.7% | $58,753 | 1.15 |
| Construction | 402 | 11.6% | $67,996 | 1.64 |
| Wholesale trade | 242 | 7.0% | $55,944 | 1.32 |
| Finance and insurance | 156 | 4.5% | $72,599 | 0.82 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 135 | 3.9% | $23,668 | 0.96 |
| Professional and technical services | 116 | 3.4% | $56,277 | 0.36 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 92 | 2.7% | $13,476 | 1.17 |
| Information | 58 | 1.7% | $33,364 | 0.66 |
| Real estate and rental | 37 | 1.1% | $33,342 | 0.51 |
| Educational services | 5 | 0.1% | $43,683 | 0.05 |
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 | 73.3% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 13.8% |
| Work from home | 7.2% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 4.0% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $48,750 |
| Income per person | $30,049 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,007 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 24.8% |
| Median home value | $198,400 |
| Homeowners | 56.1% |
| Poverty rate | 20.9% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | n/a |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | n/a |
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 | 44.7 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 94.1% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 17.7% |
| Born abroad | 3.4% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 62.5% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -5.3 | 22 | 21 |
| Feb | -5.4 | 22 | 23 |
| Mar | -0.3 | 31 | 28 |
| Apr | 3.8 | 39 | 56 |
| May | 9.3 | 49 | 89 |
| Jun | 14.8 | 59 | 84 |
| Jul | 20.3 | 69 | 40 |
| Aug | 18.6 | 65 | 43 |
| Sep | 12.6 | 55 | 43 |
| Oct | 4.9 | 41 | 44 |
| Nov | -0.7 | 31 | 22 |
| Dec | -5.5 | 22 | 22 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great Falls | MT | 92 mi | 60,329 | $63,373 | $900 |
| Billings | MT | 97 mi | 119,434 | $73,712 | $1,138 |
| Lockwood | MT | 98 mi | 7,181 | $75,700 | $1,138 |
| Laurel | MT | 100 mi | 7,215 | $68,474 | $974 |
| Havre | MT | 104 mi | 9,258 | $50,329 | $844 |
| Livingston | MT | 109 mi | 8,780 | $65,861 | $1,046 |
| Helena Valley Southeast | MT | 119 mi | 9,108 | $74,075 | $1,106 |
| Helena Valley Northeast | MT | 120 mi | 4,659 | $140,517 | n/a |
| Belgrade | MT | 120 mi | 11,872 | $97,328 | $1,877 |
| Bozeman | MT | 122 mi | 56,114 | $85,747 | $1,717 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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vs
6,087 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,007 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 24.8% of the median household income.
$48,750 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
2.1% (BLS county, Fergus County (latest month 2026M09)).
Montana. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.