Rosebud County, Montana: commercial real estate data.
Rosebud County, Montana had an estimated 8,194 residents on July 1, 2024, down 1.6 percent since the 2020 census base of 8,331, across 5,010 square miles. County output reached $1.08 bn in 2024, 178 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 6 7(a) approvals worth $2.9 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Rosebud County
How many people live in Rosebud County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-20248,165
- Households3,070
- Average household size2.66
- Median household income$49,914
- Median age38.0
- Median gross rent$672 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$182,400
- Home value to household income3.7 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income16.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher20.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree6.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over5,195
- Population under 182,308
- Share under 1828.3 percent
- Population 65 and over1,433
- Share 65 and over17.6 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 644,424
- Civilian labor force3,568
- Unemployment rate10.6 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over60.9 percent
- Rank by population among Montana counties27th of 56
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included2639th of 3,222
Rosebud County is the 27th largest of 56 Montana counties by population. A median home costs 3.7 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 28.3 percent against 17.6 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Rosebud County
Is Rosebud County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 20248,194
- Census 2020 base population8,331
- Population change since the 2020 census base-1.64 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 202471
- Births, 2024119
- Deaths, 2024104
- Natural change, 202415
- Net domestic migration, 202436
- Net international migration, 202420
- Total net migration, 202456
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-149
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2404th of 3,144
The county has lost 1.64 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. The population grew in 2024 from both sources: births exceeded deaths and more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Rosebud County
Where are people moving to Rosebud County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving187
- People arriving, from those returns376
- Tax returns filed by households leaving170
- Net household movement17
- Adjusted gross income arriving$10.2 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$2.0 m
- Average income of an arriving household$54,802
- Average income of a leaving household$48,647
- Largest single originYellowstone County (28 households)
- Largest single destinationYellowstone County (67 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellowstone County | 28 | 58 | $1.3 m |
Households arriving report $6,155 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 Yellowstone 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.
Rosebud County
What is the Rosebud County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$1.08 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.08 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20240.1 percent
- GDP change over five years46.2 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Montana areas BEA publishes12th of 56
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1784th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$131,981
Output grew 0.1 percent in the latest year and 46.2 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.
Rosebud County
Employment by industry in Rosebud County
- Covered employment, annual average3,607
- Establishments reporting263
- Average annual pay$63,780
- Average weekly wage$1,227
- Utilities, employment319
- Utilities, average annual pay$126,970
- Retail trade, employment209
- Retail trade, average annual pay$24,799
- Accommodation and food services, employment166
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$15,609
- Other services, except public administration, employment82
- Other services, except public administration, average annual pay$45,220
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment68
- Arts, entertainment and recreation, employment46
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Utilities | 319 | 6 | $126,970 |
| Retail trade | 209 | 20 | $24,799 |
| Accommodation and food services | 166 | 24 | $15,609 |
| Other services, except public administration | 82 | 24 | $45,220 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 68 | 15 | $42,346 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 46 | 9 | $25,821 |
| Finance and insurance | 43 | 10 | $51,726 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 29 | 20 | $79,691 |
Utilities is the largest private sector at 319 jobs, 8.8 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Rosebud County
How many businesses are in Rosebud County?
- Establishments, all industries178
- Employment at those establishments2,214
- Annual payroll$138.2 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents21.8
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.
Rosebud County
Building permits in Rosebud County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 20240
- Declared construction value permitted$0
- Single family units authorized0
- Multifamily units authorized0
No residential units were authorized by permit in 2024. In a small county this is common and is not by itself a sign of distress, but it does mean there is no recent residential pipeline to read demand from.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Rosebud County
SBA loans in Rosebud County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded6
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$2.9 m
- Average 7(a) approval$486,100
- Median 7(a) approval$333,300
- Largest single approval$990,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)27
- Jobs per approval4.5
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active5
- Distinct industries receiving approvals5
- Median 7(a) term240 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer66.7 percent
- Loans on real estate terms4
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter2
- Franchise loans0
- Franchise share of approvals0.0 percent
- 504 approvals recorded1
- 504 gross approval dollars$484,000
- Average 504 approval$484,000
- Median 504 approval$484,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval7.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved14.5
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$3.4 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.
Rosebud County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Rosebud County
Do SBA loans in Rosebud County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded0
- Paid in full0
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure5
- Status: Cancelled1
Only 0 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.
Rosebud County
SBA lending by place in Rosebud County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending3
- Forsyth, approvals4
- Lame Deer, approvals1
- Ashland, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Forsyth | 4 | $2,596,600 |
| Lame Deer | 1 | $200,000 |
| Ashland | 1 | $120,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Rosebud County
How large is Rosebud County?
- Land area5,010 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Montana counties4th of 56
- Width, east to west86.4 mi
- Height, north to south116.1 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary8
- Residents per square mile of land2
- Establishments per square mile0.04
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.
Rosebud County
Flood risk in Rosebud County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Rosebud County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 300069
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book2
- Of those, participating in the NFIP2
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Rosebud 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 Rosebud County (community 300069), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Rosebud 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 Rosebud 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 Rosebud County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-20248,165
- Households3,070
- Average household size2.66
- Median household income$49,914
- Median age38.0
Common questions
Rosebud County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Rosebud County, Montana?
The Census Bureau estimates 8,194 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 8,165, in 3,070 households, ranking 27th of 56 Montana counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Rosebud County's population growing?
The population has fallen 1.64 percent since the 2020 census base of 8,331, to 8,194 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 119 births against 104 deaths, with net migration of 56. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Rosebud County?
$49,914. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $182,400, which is 3.7 times income, and median gross rent is $672 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Rosebud County?
178 establishments, employing 2,214 people with an annual payroll of $138.2 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 Rosebud County?
Utilities is the largest private sector at 319 jobs, 8.8 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 3,607 jobs at an average annual pay of $63,780, or $1,227 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Rosebud County?
6 7(a) approvals totaling $2.9 m since FY2020, across 5 lenders, with a median approval of $333,300, plus 1 504 approvals worth $484,000 since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Rosebud County?
No residential units were authorized by permit in 2024. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Rosebud 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 Rosebud County come from?
The largest single origin is Yellowstone County, with 28 households. Arriving households report an average income of $54,802 against $48,647 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Rosebud 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 Rosebud 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.
Rosebud County
Cities and places in Rosebud.
6 Census places lie wholly or partly in Rosebud County. All 6 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colstrip | city | 2,101 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Lame Deer | CDP | 1,872 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Forsyth | city | 1,728 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Ashland | CDP | 959 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Rosebud | CDP | 45 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Birney | CDP | 17 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |