Lincoln County, Montana: commercial real estate data.
Lincoln County, Montana had an estimated 22,184 residents on July 1, 2024, up 12.7 percent since the 2020 census base of 19,680, across 3,613 square miles. County output reached $880.5 m in 2024, 671 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 10 7(a) approvals worth $5.1 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Lincoln County
How many people live in Lincoln County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202421,175
- Households9,082
- Average household size2.33
- Median household income$47,143
- Median age52.8
- Median gross rent$762 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$296,500
- Home value to household income6.3 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income19.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher18.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree5.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over16,303
- Population under 183,823
- Share under 1818.1 percent
- Population 65 and over6,382
- Share 65 and over30.1 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6410,970
- Civilian labor force7,790
- Unemployment rate5.1 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over44.9 percent
- Rank by population among Montana counties10th of 56
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1810th of 3,222
Lincoln County is the 10th largest of 56 Montana counties by population. A median home costs 6.3 times median household income, which is severely unaffordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 30.1 percent against 18.1 percent, which points demand at health care, services and single story product rather than schools.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Lincoln County
Is Lincoln County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202422,184
- Census 2020 base population19,680
- Population change since the 2020 census base12.72 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024317
- Births, 2024198
- Deaths, 2024305
- Natural change, 2024-107
- Net domestic migration, 2024425
- Net international migration, 20242
- Total net migration, 2024427
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20242,946
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents95th of 3,144
The county has grown 12.72 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Lincoln County
Where are people moving to Lincoln County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving858
- People arriving, from those returns1,623
- Tax returns filed by households leaving471
- Net household movement387
- Adjusted gross income arriving$73.0 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$45.9 m
- Average income of an arriving household$85,024
- Average income of a leaving household$57,507
- Largest single originFlathead County (143 households)
- Largest single destinationFlathead County (87 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flathead County | 143 | 250 | $10.3 m |
| Spokane County | 25 | 55 | $1.9 m |
| Gallatin County | 23 | 45 | $2.3 m |
| Missoula County | 23 | 34 | $957,000 |
Households arriving report $27,517 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Flathead County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Lincoln County
What is the Lincoln County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$880.5 m
- County GDP, 2023$803.9 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 20249.5 percent
- GDP change over five years39.8 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Montana areas BEA publishes15th of 56
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1950th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$41,580
Output grew 9.5 percent in the latest year and 39.8 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Lincoln County
Employment by industry in Lincoln County
- Covered employment, annual average6,260
- Establishments reporting960
- Average annual pay$47,582
- Average weekly wage$915
- Health care and social assistance, employment1,105
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$50,586
- Retail trade, employment898
- Retail trade, average annual pay$32,445
- Accommodation and food services, employment647
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$20,111
- Construction, employment534
- Construction, average annual pay$55,258
- Transportation and warehousing, employment262
- Other services, except public administration, employment243
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 1,105 | 96 | $50,586 |
| Retail trade | 898 | 93 | $32,445 |
| Accommodation and food services | 647 | 62 | $20,111 |
| Construction | 534 | 146 | $55,258 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 262 | 36 | $41,197 |
| Other services, except public administration | 243 | 71 | $25,035 |
| Manufacturing | 189 | 33 | $35,192 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 183 | 26 | $21,770 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 1,105 jobs, 17.7 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Lincoln County
How many businesses are in Lincoln County?
- Establishments, all industries671
- Employment at those establishments4,520
- Annual payroll$170.7 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents31.7
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Lincoln County
Building permits in Lincoln County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202417
- Declared construction value permitted$2.0 m
- Single family units authorized11
- Multifamily units authorized6
- Multifamily share of units35.3 percent
- Average declared value per unit$117,381
- Units authorized per 1,000 households1.9
Single-family homes are 64.7 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Lincoln County
SBA loans in Lincoln County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded10
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$5.1 m
- Average 7(a) approval$508,610
- Median 7(a) approval$335,000
- Largest single approval$2,145,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)24
- Jobs per approval2.4
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active7
- Distinct industries receiving approvals7
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer40.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms4
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter6
- Franchise loans0
- Franchise share of approvals0.0 percent
- 504 approvals recorded2
- 504 gross approval dollars$2.3 m
- Average 504 approval$1,128,500
- Median 504 approval$1,128,500
- Distinct CDCs active2
- 504 jobs per approval0.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved0.0
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$7.3 m
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Lincoln County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Lincoln County
Do SBA loans in Lincoln County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded2
- Paid in full2
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure7
- Status: Paid in full2
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed1
Only 2 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Lincoln County
SBA lending by place in Lincoln County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending3
- Libby, approvals5
- Eureka, approvals4
- Rexford, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Libby | 5 | $3,646,100 |
| Eureka | 4 | $1,035,000 |
| Rexford | 1 | $405,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Lincoln County
How large is Lincoln County?
- Land area3,613 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Montana counties12th of 56
- Width, east to west66 mi
- Height, north to south76.7 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary4
- Residents per square mile of land6
- Establishments per square mile0.19
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Lincoln County
Flood risk in Lincoln County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Lincoln County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 300157
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book4
- Of those, participating in the NFIP4
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Lincoln County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/LZone 1
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Lincoln County (community 300157), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Lincoln County in radon zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Lincoln County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Lincoln County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202421,175
- Households9,082
- Average household size2.33
- Median household income$47,143
- Median age52.8
Common questions
Lincoln County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Lincoln County, Montana?
The Census Bureau estimates 22,184 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 21,175, in 9,082 households, ranking 10th of 56 Montana counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Lincoln County's population growing?
The population has grown 12.72 percent since the 2020 census base of 19,680, to 22,184 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 198 births against 305 deaths, with net migration of 427. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Lincoln County?
$47,143. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $296,500, which is 6.3 times income, and median gross rent is $762 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Lincoln County?
671 establishments, employing 4,520 people with an annual payroll of $170.7 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Lincoln County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 1,105 jobs, 17.7 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 6,260 jobs at an average annual pay of $47,582, or $915 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Lincoln County?
10 7(a) approvals totaling $5.1 m since FY2020, across 7 lenders, with a median approval of $335,000, plus 2 504 approvals worth $2.3 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Lincoln County?
17 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $2.0 m. Multifamily was 35.3 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Lincoln County?
Zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Lincoln County come from?
The largest single origin is Flathead County, with 143 households. Arriving households report an average income of $85,024 against $57,507 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Lincoln County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Lincoln County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Lincoln County
Cities and places in Lincoln.
15 Census places lie wholly or partly in Lincoln County. 14 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked. The rest are named here and not linked, because the American Community Survey and the SBA record between them do not carry enough about them to write an honest page. A place existing is itself worth knowing, so nothing in the county is left out.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Libby | city | 3,042 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Eureka | town | 1,840 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| White Haven | CDP | 978 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Troy | city | 871 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Pioneer Junction | CDP | 798 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Trego | CDP | 692 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| West Kootenai | CDP | 494 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Fortine | CDP | 351 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Yaak | CDP | 293 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Bull Lake | CDP | 247 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Happys Inn | CDP | 229 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Sylvanite | CDP | 145 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Rexford | town | 134 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Indian Springs | CDP | 0 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Stryker | CDP | 0 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
Nearby