Jobs, pay and daily life in Sidney, 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.
Sidney is a city in Montana with 6,171 residents. The median household earns $62,538 a year and the median rent is $931 a month, which is 17.9% 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 Sidney compares. Among the 30 largest places in Montana, Sidney is #19 by population, #30 for remote work (#1 = most), #29 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #27 for college degrees (#1 = most). Its county, Richland County, is #5 of 56 counties for average pay ($63,143).
Sidney has 6,171 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.6% of the population of Montana. It covers 3 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,877 people per square mile. The median age is 37.3, 8% younger than the state median (37.3 against 40.4).
The median gross rent is $931 a month (rent plus utilities), 14% below the state median ($931 against $1,081). Over a year that is 17.9% 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 $236,900, which is 3.8 times the median household income ($62,538); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 57.6% of households own their home, 17% below the state average (57.6% against 69.2%).
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Richland County was 2.0%. 73.2% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Richland County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 79.5% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 6.3% walk, 1.9% work from home. 14.8% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 81% above the state average (14.8% against 8.2%).
22.0% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 37% below the state share (22.0% against 35.2%). 3.2% of residents were born outside the United States, 39% above the state share (3.2% against 2.3%). The poverty rate is 7.7%, 33% below the state rate (7.7% against 11.5%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 74°F (23.6°C), and the coolest is Jan at 19°F (-7.0°C). About 407 mm (16 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (74 mm) and Jan the driest (11 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: Williston (41 miles, rent 21% higher); Watford City (42 miles, rent 44% higher); Glendive (49 miles, rent 10% lower); New Town (80 miles, rent 9% lower). Rent differences are against Sidney; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Montana (253) →State guide: MontanaCountry guideRichland 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 12.6% |
| Education and health care | 12.6% |
| Construction | 11.5% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 10.8% |
| Retail trade | 10.4% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 8.6% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 8.0% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 6.6% |
| Manufacturing | 5.6% |
| Wholesale trade | 5.6% |
| Other services | 3.9% |
| Public administration | 3.0% |
| Information | 0.8% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Sidney 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richland County | 11,235 | $1,188 million | $105,727 | 5,235 | 648 | $63,143 | +2.8% | 2.0% | 5,674 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 603 | 16.2% | $39,749 | 1.15 |
| Construction | 559 | 15.0% | $71,874 | 2.03 |
| Accommodation and food services | 483 | 13.0% | $21,070 | 1.01 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 436 | 11.7% | $105,105 | 22.02 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 332 | 8.9% | $108,789 | 1.50 |
| Wholesale trade | 273 | 7.3% | $94,062 | 1.32 |
| Manufacturing | 220 | 5.9% | $48,067 | 0.51 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 152 | 4.1% | $43,545 | 0.96 |
| Professional and technical services | 135 | 3.6% | $77,830 | 0.37 |
| Finance and insurance | 124 | 3.3% | $79,415 | 0.58 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 107 | 2.9% | $19,140 | 1.22 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 93 | 2.5% | $48,353 | 2.20 |
| Administrative and waste services | 74 | 2.0% | $50,972 | 0.24 |
| Real estate and rental | 55 | 1.5% | $64,298 | 0.68 |
| Utilities | 51 | 1.4% | $117,502 | 2.56 |
| Information | 16 | 0.4% | $60,651 | 0.16 |
| Management of companies | 16 | 0.4% | $111,191 | 0.18 |
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 | 79.5% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 6.3% |
| Work from home | 1.9% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 14.8% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $62,538 |
| Income per person | $45,385 |
| Median gross rent per month | $931 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 17.9% |
| Median home value | $236,900 |
| Homeowners | 57.6% |
| Poverty rate | 7.7% |
| 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 | 37.3 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 94.7% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 22.0% |
| Born abroad | 3.2% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 73.2% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -7.0 | 19 | 11 |
| Feb | -6.2 | 21 | 11 |
| Mar | 0.6 | 33 | 18 |
| Apr | 6.6 | 44 | 36 |
| May | 13.1 | 56 | 74 |
| Jun | 19.0 | 66 | 70 |
| Jul | 23.6 | 74 | 52 |
| Aug | 21.7 | 71 | 39 |
| Sep | 15.6 | 60 | 42 |
| Oct | 6.9 | 44 | 27 |
| Nov | 0.2 | 32 | 13 |
| Dec | -5.7 | 22 | 14 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Williston | ND | 41 mi | 28,056 | $79,381 | $1,122 |
| Watford City | ND | 42 mi | 6,039 | $102,260 | $1,336 |
| Glendive | MT | 49 mi | 4,810 | $72,670 | $842 |
| New Town | ND | 80 mi | 2,721 | $52,500 | $851 |
| Dickinson | ND | 86 mi | 25,357 | $82,696 | $957 |
| Stanley | ND | 92 mi | 2,097 | $109,573 | $1,144 |
| Beulah | ND | 116 mi | 3,040 | $76,848 | $1,075 |
| Miles City | MT | 120 mi | 8,407 | $67,727 | $926 |
| Hazen | ND | 122 mi | 2,453 | $79,609 | $918 |
| Minot | ND | 138 mi | 47,791 | $73,219 | $973 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
6,171 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$931 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 17.9% of the median household income.
$62,538 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
2.0% (BLS county, Richland County (latest month 2026M09)).
Montana. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.