Sanders County, Montana: commercial real estate data.
Sanders County, Montana had an estimated 13,895 residents on July 1, 2024, up 12.1 percent since the 2020 census base of 12,400, across 2,761 square miles. County output reached $552.2 m in 2024, 394 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 13 7(a) approvals worth $3.6 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Sanders County
How many people live in Sanders County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202413,285
- Households5,451
- Average household size2.44
- Median household income$57,476
- Median age54.6
- Median gross rent$820 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$359,000
- Home value to household income6.2 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income17.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher21.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree6.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over10,073
- Population under 182,265
- Share under 1817.0 percent
- Population 65 and over4,384
- Share 65 and over33.0 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 646,636
- Civilian labor force4,756
- Unemployment rate6.0 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over43.2 percent
- Rank by population among Montana counties14th of 56
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included2269th of 3,222
Sanders County is the 14th largest of 56 Montana counties by population. A median home costs 6.2 times median household income, which is severely unaffordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 33.0 percent against 17.0 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.
Sanders County
Is Sanders County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202413,895
- Census 2020 base population12,400
- Population change since the 2020 census base12.06 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024169
- Births, 2024126
- Deaths, 2024180
- Natural change, 2024-54
- Net domestic migration, 2024222
- Net international migration, 20241
- Total net migration, 2024223
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20241,779
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents109th of 3,144
The county has grown 12.06 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.
Sanders County
Where are people moving to Sanders County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving535
- People arriving, from those returns1,054
- Tax returns filed by households leaving296
- Net household movement239
- Adjusted gross income arriving$48.7 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$32.5 m
- Average income of an arriving household$91,054
- Average income of a leaving household$54,608
- Largest single originMissoula County (45 households)
- Largest single destinationMissoula County (30 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Missoula County | 45 | 87 | $2.6 m |
| Flathead County | 36 | 61 | $2.0 m |
| Lake County | 25 | 43 | $861,000 |
Households arriving report $36,446 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 Missoula 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.
Sanders County
What is the Sanders County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$552.2 m
- County GDP, 2023$530.5 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 20244.1 percent
- GDP change over five years40.2 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Montana areas BEA publishes22nd of 56
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes2344th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$41,563
Output grew 4.1 percent in the latest year and 40.2 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.
Sanders County
Employment by industry in Sanders County
- Covered employment, annual average3,306
- Establishments reporting574
- Average annual pay$45,909
- Average weekly wage$883
- Retail trade, employment475
- Retail trade, average annual pay$29,725
- Accommodation and food services, employment475
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$25,948
- Manufacturing, employment273
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$54,926
- Construction, employment203
- Construction, average annual pay$61,313
- Professional, scientific and technical services, employment102
- Other services, except public administration, employment100
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 475 | 58 | $29,725 |
| Accommodation and food services | 475 | 48 | $25,948 |
| Manufacturing | 273 | 31 | $54,926 |
| Construction | 203 | 88 | $61,313 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 102 | 68 | $79,613 |
| Other services, except public administration | 100 | 34 | $32,723 |
| Finance and insurance | 78 | 15 | $50,868 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 63 | 18 | $42,093 |
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 475 jobs, 14.4 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Sanders County
How many businesses are in Sanders County?
- Establishments, all industries394
- Employment at those establishments2,585
- Annual payroll$99.7 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents29.7
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.
Sanders County
SBA loans in Sanders County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded13
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$3.6 m
- Average 7(a) approval$275,285
- Median 7(a) approval$110,000
- Largest single approval$886,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)56
- Jobs per approval4.3
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active6
- Distinct industries receiving approvals10
- Median 7(a) term60 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer30.8 percent
- Loans on real estate terms4
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter9
- Franchise loans0
- Franchise share of approvals0.0 percent
- Most active lenderValley Bank of Ronan (7)
- 504 approvals recorded1
- 504 gross approval dollars$846,000
- Average 504 approval$846,000
- Median 504 approval$846,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval11.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved13.0
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$4.4 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.
Sanders County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Sanders County
Do SBA loans in Sanders County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded5
- Paid in full5
- Charged off0
- Status: Cancelled2
- Status: Paid in full5
- Status: Exempt from disclosure6
Only 5 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.
Sanders County
SBA lending by place in Sanders County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending5
- Dixon, approvals5
- Plains, approvals4
- Hot Springs, approvals2
- Thompson Falls, approvals1
- Lonepine, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Dixon | 5 | $623,400 |
| Plains | 4 | $2,168,300 |
| Hot Springs | 2 | $35,000 |
| Thompson Falls | 1 | $617,000 |
| Lonepine | 1 | $135,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Sanders County
How large is Sanders County?
- Land area2,761 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Montana counties20th of 56
- Width, east to west86.7 mi
- Height, north to south78.9 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary7
- Residents per square mile of land5
- Establishments per square mile0.14
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.
Sanders County
Flood risk in Sanders County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Sanders County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 300072
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book4
- Of those, participating in the NFIP3
- NFIP participation rate75.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Sanders 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 Sanders County (community 300072), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Sanders 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. 75.0 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 Sanders 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 Sanders County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202413,285
- Households5,451
- Average household size2.44
- Median household income$57,476
- Median age54.6
Common questions
Sanders County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Sanders County, Montana?
The Census Bureau estimates 13,895 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 13,285, in 5,451 households, ranking 14th of 56 Montana counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Sanders County's population growing?
The population has grown 12.06 percent since the 2020 census base of 12,400, to 13,895 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 126 births against 180 deaths, with net migration of 223. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Sanders County?
$57,476. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $359,000, which is 6.2 times income, and median gross rent is $820 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Sanders County?
394 establishments, employing 2,585 people with an annual payroll of $99.7 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 Sanders County?
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 475 jobs, 14.4 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 3,306 jobs at an average annual pay of $45,909, or $883 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Sanders County?
13 7(a) approvals totaling $3.6 m since FY2020, across 6 lenders, with a median approval of $110,000, plus 1 504 approvals worth $846,000 since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
What is the radon zone for Sanders 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 Sanders County come from?
The largest single origin is Missoula County, with 45 households. Arriving households report an average income of $91,054 against $54,608 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Sanders 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 Sanders 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.
Sanders County
Cities and places in Sanders.
14 Census places lie wholly or partly in Sanders County. All 14 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thompson Falls | city | 1,500 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Plains | town | 1,195 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Hot Springs | town | 557 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Heron | CDP | 328 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Dixon | CDP | 281 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Trout Creek | CDP | 252 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Noxon | CDP | 209 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Weeksville | CDP | 147 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Old Agency | CDP | 129 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Lonepine | CDP | 122 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Niarada | CDP | 79 | None recorded | 20.8 percent here, 78.1 percent Flathead County |
| Paradise | CDP | 76 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Camas | CDP | 34 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Belknap | CDP | 32 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |