Jobs, pay and daily life in Whitefish, 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.
Whitefish is a city in Montana with 8,749 residents. The median household earns $73,811 a year and the median rent is $1,354 a month, which is 22.0% 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 Whitefish compares. Among the 30 largest places in Montana, Whitefish is #14 by population, #1 for remote work (#1 = most), #3 for college degrees (#1 = most), #26 for rent (#1 = cheapest). Its county, Flathead County, is #12 of 56 counties for average pay ($58,339).
Whitefish has 8,749 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.8% of the population of Montana. It covers 7 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,194 people per square mile. The median age is 44.4, 10% older than the state median (44.4 against 40.4).
The median gross rent is $1,354 a month (rent plus utilities), 25% above the state median ($1,354 against $1,081). Over a year that is 22.0% 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 $684,300, which is 9.3 times the median household income ($73,811); a ratio above 5 usually means buying is out of reach without savings or a second income. 61.7% of households own their home, 11% below the state average (61.7% against 69.2%).
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Flathead County was 2.4%. 66.5% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Flathead County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 62.2% drive alone, 0.3% use public transit, 7.0% walk, 24.4% work from home. 3.8% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 53% below the state average (3.8% against 8.2%). Remote work is more common than in the state as a whole, which widens the set of employers a resident can work for without moving.
56.8% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 61% above the state share (56.8% against 35.2%). 3.5% of residents were born outside the United States, 51% above the state share (3.5% against 2.3%). The poverty rate is 9.4%, 19% below the state rate (9.4% against 11.5%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 65°F (18.2°C), and the coolest is Dec at 17°F (-8.5°C). About 774 mm (30 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jun is the wettest month (92 mm) and Jul the driest (29 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: Columbia Falls (9 miles, rent 25% lower); Evergreen (15 miles, rent 14% lower); Kalispell (15 miles, rent 20% lower); Bigfork (28 miles, rent 25% lower). Rent differences are against Whitefish; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Montana (253) →State guide: MontanaCountry guideFlathead 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 | 23.7% |
| Retail trade | 15.8% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 12.8% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 10.8% |
| Construction | 10.3% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 7.9% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 4.5% |
| Manufacturing | 4.5% |
| Other services | 3.2% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 2.6% |
| Information | 2.0% |
| Public administration | 1.6% |
| Wholesale trade | 0.3% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Whitefish 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flathead County | 110,695 | $7,210 million | $65,135 | 50,611 | 6,994 | $58,339 | +2.1% | 2.4% | 60,933 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 7,842 | 17.8% | $72,253 | 1.08 |
| Retail trade | 7,323 | 16.6% | $44,356 | 1.45 |
| Accommodation and food services | 6,970 | 15.8% | $28,528 | 1.51 |
| Construction | 4,793 | 10.9% | $64,714 | 1.80 |
| Manufacturing | 3,288 | 7.4% | $73,035 | 0.79 |
| Professional and technical services | 2,629 | 6.0% | $97,227 | 0.75 |
| Administrative and waste services | 2,296 | 5.2% | $54,872 | 0.77 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 1,883 | 4.3% | $43,537 | 1.24 |
| Finance and insurance | 1,830 | 4.1% | $99,450 | 0.89 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 1,795 | 4.1% | $25,298 | 2.11 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,186 | 2.7% | $76,584 | 0.59 |
| Real estate and rental | 945 | 2.1% | $49,876 | 1.20 |
| Educational services | 478 | 1.1% | $37,150 | 0.46 |
| Information | 397 | 0.9% | $78,211 | 0.42 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 345 | 0.8% | $50,955 | 0.84 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 116 | 0.3% | $88,960 | 0.61 |
| Management of companies | 56 | 0.1% | $100,145 | 0.07 |
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 | 62.2% |
| Public transit | 0.3% |
| Walk | 7.0% |
| Work from home | 24.4% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 3.8% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $73,811 |
| Income per person | $56,782 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,354 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 22.0% |
| Median home value | $684,300 |
| Homeowners | 61.7% |
| Poverty rate | 9.4% |
| 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 | 44.4 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 97.2% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 56.8% |
| Born abroad | 3.5% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 66.5% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -8.2 | 17 | 79 |
| Feb | -8.0 | 18 | 64 |
| Mar | -3.2 | 26 | 75 |
| Apr | 2.2 | 36 | 64 |
| May | 8.5 | 47 | 71 |
| Jun | 12.5 | 54 | 92 |
| Jul | 18.2 | 65 | 29 |
| Aug | 17.8 | 64 | 31 |
| Sep | 12.0 | 54 | 44 |
| Oct | 4.0 | 39 | 65 |
| Nov | -2.9 | 27 | 81 |
| Dec | -8.5 | 17 | 79 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia Falls | MT | 9 mi | 5,615 | $75,766 | $1,016 |
| Evergreen | MT | 15 mi | 9,611 | $76,446 | $1,166 |
| Kalispell | MT | 15 mi | 28,504 | $63,415 | $1,078 |
| Bigfork | MT | 28 mi | 5,565 | $85,307 | $1,016 |
| Polson | MT | 53 mi | 5,428 | $53,418 | $912 |
| Sandpoint | ID | 102 mi | 9,637 | $72,289 | $1,125 |
| Missoula | MT | 109 mi | 76,514 | $70,392 | $1,189 |
| Orchard Homes | MT | 110 mi | 5,588 | $64,904 | $1,000 |
| Lolo | MT | 116 mi | 4,314 | $86,065 | $1,139 |
| Hayden | ID | 122 mi | 16,338 | $82,958 | $1,733 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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vs
8,749 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,354 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 22.0% of the median household income.
$73,811 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
2.4% (BLS county, Flathead County (latest month 2026M09)).
Montana. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.