Jobs, pay and daily life in Polson, 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.
Polson is a city in Montana with 5,428 residents. The median household earns $53,418 a year and the median rent is $912 a month, which is 20.5% 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 Polson compares. Among the 30 largest places in Montana, Polson is #25 by population, #27 for household income (#1 = highest), #27 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #27 for long commutes (#1 = fewest). Its county, Lake County, is #25 of 56 counties for average pay ($50,280).
Polson has 5,428 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.5% of the population of Montana. It covers 4 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,208 people per square mile. The median age is 43.0, 6% older than the state median (43.0 against 40.4).
The median gross rent is $912 a month (rent plus utilities), 16% below the state median ($912 against $1,081). Over a year that is 20.5% 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 $356,300, which is 6.7 times the median household income ($53,418); a ratio above 5 usually means buying is out of reach without savings or a second income. 54.6% of households own their home, 21% below the state average (54.6% against 69.2%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Lake County was 2.8%. 54.8% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Lake County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 82.0% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 3.3% walk, 4.9% work from home. 13.3% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 62% above the state average (13.3% against 8.2%).
29.6% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 16% below the state share (29.6% against 35.2%). 2.4% of residents were born outside the United States, 4% above the state share (2.4% against 2.3%). The poverty rate is 17.5%, 52% above the state rate (17.5% against 11.5%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 67°F (19.7°C), and the coolest is Dec at 20°F (-6.9°C). About 730 mm (29 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jun is the wettest month (80 mm) and Jul 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: Bigfork (28 miles, rent 11% higher); Kalispell (37 miles, rent 18% higher); Evergreen (38 miles, rent 28% higher); Columbia Falls (47 miles, rent 11% higher). Rent differences are against Polson; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Montana (253) →State guide: MontanaCountry guideLake 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 | 27.1% |
| Retail trade | 17.7% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 12.2% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 11.3% |
| Public administration | 6.4% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 5.8% |
| Manufacturing | 4.9% |
| Information | 4.6% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 3.2% |
| Other services | 3.1% |
| Construction | 2.3% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.1% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 0.5% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Polson 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake County | 32,561 | $1,355 million | $41,611 | 9,768 | 1,300 | $50,280 | +1.1% | 2.8% | 14,715 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 1,252 | 19.6% | $56,383 | 0.89 |
| Retail trade | 1,182 | 18.5% | $36,519 | 1.21 |
| Accommodation and food services | 805 | 12.6% | $20,572 | 0.91 |
| Manufacturing | 748 | 11.7% | $45,631 | 0.93 |
| Construction | 611 | 9.6% | $46,649 | 1.19 |
| Professional and technical services | 304 | 4.8% | $75,465 | 0.45 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 292 | 4.6% | $34,053 | 0.99 |
| Finance and insurance | 179 | 2.8% | $59,720 | 0.45 |
| Wholesale trade | 173 | 2.7% | $50,404 | 0.45 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 155 | 2.4% | $20,026 | 0.94 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 153 | 2.4% | $41,118 | 1.94 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 123 | 1.9% | $44,490 | 0.30 |
| Information | 102 | 1.6% | $72,898 | 0.56 |
| Real estate and rental | 95 | 1.5% | $44,342 | 0.63 |
| Educational services | 85 | 1.3% | $36,981 | 0.42 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 84 | 1.3% | $71,509 | 2.27 |
| Utilities | 45 | 0.7% | $304,839 | 1.21 |
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 | 82.0% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 3.3% |
| Work from home | 4.9% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 13.3% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $53,418 |
| Income per person | $31,661 |
| Median gross rent per month | $912 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 20.5% |
| Median home value | $356,300 |
| Homeowners | 54.6% |
| Poverty rate | 17.5% |
| 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 | 43.0 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 91.5% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 29.6% |
| Born abroad | 2.4% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 54.8% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -6.7 | 20 | 75 |
| Feb | -6.0 | 21 | 64 |
| Mar | -0.9 | 30 | 72 |
| Apr | 4.1 | 39 | 66 |
| May | 10.1 | 50 | 72 |
| Jun | 14.2 | 58 | 80 |
| Jul | 19.7 | 67 | 24 |
| Aug | 18.9 | 66 | 29 |
| Sep | 13.4 | 56 | 39 |
| Oct | 5.4 | 42 | 62 |
| Nov | -1.4 | 29 | 71 |
| Dec | -6.9 | 20 | 76 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bigfork | MT | 28 mi | 5,565 | $85,307 | $1,016 |
| Kalispell | MT | 37 mi | 28,504 | $63,415 | $1,078 |
| Evergreen | MT | 38 mi | 9,611 | $76,446 | $1,166 |
| Columbia Falls | MT | 47 mi | 5,615 | $75,766 | $1,016 |
| Whitefish | MT | 53 mi | 8,749 | $73,811 | $1,354 |
| Missoula | MT | 56 mi | 76,514 | $70,392 | $1,189 |
| Orchard Homes | MT | 58 mi | 5,588 | $64,904 | $1,000 |
| Lolo | MT | 63 mi | 4,314 | $86,065 | $1,139 |
| Hamilton | MT | 99 mi | 5,101 | $49,204 | $947 |
| Helena Valley Northwest | MT | 118 mi | 5,183 | $100,605 | $1,603 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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5,428 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$912 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 20.5% of the median household income.
$53,418 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
2.8% (BLS county, Lake County (latest month 2026M09)).
Montana. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.