Jobs, pay and daily life in Miles City, 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.
Miles City is a city in Montana with 8,407 residents. The median household earns $67,727 a year and the median rent is $926 a month, which is 16.4% 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 Miles City compares. Among the 30 largest places in Montana, Miles City is #15 by population, #26 for remote work (#1 = most), #7 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #22 for college degrees (#1 = most). Its county, Custer County, is #24 of 56 counties for average pay ($50,339).
Miles City has 8,407 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.8% of the population of Montana. It covers 3 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 2,501 people per square mile. The median age is 42.6, 5% older than the state median (42.6 against 40.4).
The median gross rent is $926 a month (rent plus utilities), 14% below the state median ($926 against $1,081). Over a year that is 16.4% 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 $200,200, which is 3.0 times the median household income ($67,727); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 63.9% of households own their home, 8% below the state average (63.9% against 69.2%).
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Custer County was 2.1%. 67.1% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Custer County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 73.5% drive alone, 0.4% use public transit, 6.7% walk, 3.9% work from home. 3.6% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 56% below the state average (3.6% against 8.2%).
25.4% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 28% below the state share (25.4% against 35.2%). 1.5% of residents were born outside the United States, 35% below the state share (1.5% against 2.3%). The poverty rate is 11.4%, about the same as the state rate (11.4% against 11.5%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 77°F (24.8°C), and the coolest is Jan at 24°F (-4.3°C). About 383 mm (15 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (84 mm) and Jan the driest (9 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: Glendive (72 miles, rent 9% lower); Sidney (120 miles, similar rent); Sheridan (124 miles, similar rent); Lockwood (129 miles, rent 23% higher). Rent differences are against Miles City; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Montana (253) →State guide: MontanaCountry guideCuster 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 | 28.1% |
| Retail trade | 22.2% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 7.5% |
| Public administration | 7.2% |
| Construction | 6.6% |
| Other services | 5.4% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 5.3% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 5.3% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 5.0% |
| Manufacturing | 2.8% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 2.5% |
| Information | 1.1% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.0% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Miles City 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Custer County | 11,961 | $696 million | $58,157 | 5,400 | 556 | $50,339 | +0.7% | 2.1% | 6,387 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 837 | 29.6% | $38,179 | 1.55 |
| Accommodation and food services | 622 | 22.0% | $22,375 | 1.27 |
| Finance and insurance | 329 | 11.7% | $78,757 | 1.50 |
| Administrative and waste services | 238 | 8.4% | $48,820 | 0.75 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 186 | 6.6% | $34,396 | 1.14 |
| Construction | 175 | 6.2% | $59,860 | 0.62 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 143 | 5.1% | $17,385 | 1.58 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 116 | 4.1% | $45,806 | 2.65 |
| Manufacturing | 68 | 2.4% | $49,044 | 0.15 |
| Information | 45 | 1.6% | $55,361 | 0.44 |
| Real estate and rental | 43 | 1.5% | $33,291 | 0.51 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 21 | 0.7% | $71,821 | 1.03 |
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 | 73.5% |
| Public transit | 0.4% |
| Walk | 6.7% |
| Work from home | 3.9% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 3.6% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $67,727 |
| Income per person | $35,220 |
| Median gross rent per month | $926 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 16.4% |
| Median home value | $200,200 |
| Homeowners | 63.9% |
| Poverty rate | 11.4% |
| 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 | 42.6 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 95.4% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 25.4% |
| Born abroad | 1.5% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 67.1% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -4.3 | 24 | 9 |
| Feb | -3.7 | 25 | 11 |
| Mar | 2.3 | 36 | 18 |
| Apr | 7.7 | 46 | 40 |
| May | 13.6 | 56 | 84 |
| Jun | 19.6 | 67 | 66 |
| Jul | 24.8 | 77 | 40 |
| Aug | 23.1 | 74 | 33 |
| Sep | 16.9 | 62 | 34 |
| Oct | 8.1 | 47 | 27 |
| Nov | 1.5 | 35 | 10 |
| Dec | -3.9 | 25 | 11 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glendive | MT | 72 mi | 4,810 | $72,670 | $842 |
| Sidney | MT | 120 mi | 6,171 | $62,538 | $931 |
| Sheridan | WY | 124 mi | 19,285 | $62,867 | $936 |
| Lockwood | MT | 129 mi | 7,181 | $75,700 | $1,138 |
| Billings | MT | 137 mi | 119,434 | $73,712 | $1,138 |
| Dickinson | ND | 148 mi | 25,357 | $82,696 | $957 |
| Gillette | WY | 148 mi | 33,431 | $81,316 | $976 |
| Buffalo | WY | 149 mi | 4,572 | $62,629 | $1,019 |
| Laurel | MT | 150 mi | 7,215 | $68,474 | $974 |
| Belle Fourche | SD | 154 mi | 5,804 | $65,071 | $983 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
8,407 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$926 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 16.4% of the median household income.
$67,727 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
2.1% (BLS county, Custer County (latest month 2026M09)).
Montana. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.