Big Sky vs West Yellowstone
A side-by-side comparison of Big Sky and West Yellowstone: population, income, housing, and more.
Big Sky and West Yellowstone are places in Montana. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Big Sky has the higher population (2,388 vs 1,457 in West Yellowstone). Big Sky has the higher median household income ($103,625 vs $57,167 in West Yellowstone). Big Sky has the higher median home value ($884,700 vs $402,600 in West Yellowstone).
Population, income & housing
| Big Sky | West Yellowstone | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 2,388 | 1,457 |
| Median age | 38.5 yrs | 33.3 yrs |
| Median household income | $103,625 | $57,167 |
| Median home value | $884,700 | $402,600 |
| Median gross rent | $1,712 | $1,035 |
| Housing units | 3,118 | 956 |
| Homeownership rate | 85.5% | 50.4% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 58.3% | 26.7% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.1% | 0.9% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Big Sky | West Yellowstone | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 3,058 → 2,388 (-21.9%) | 936 → 1,457 (+55.7%) |
| Median household income | $75,586 → $103,625 (+37.1%) | $38,306 → $57,167 (+49.2%) |
| Median home value | $564,000 → $884,700 (+56.9%) | $275,000 → $402,600 (+46.4%) |
| Median gross rent | $1,405 → $1,712 (+21.9%) | $645 → $1,035 (+60.5%) |
Big Sky
3,0582,388
$75,586$103,625
$564,000$884,700
$1,405$1,712
West Yellowstone
9361,457
$38,306$57,167
$275,000$402,600
$645$1,035
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Big Sky | West Yellowstone | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 6.1% | 7.5% |
| 5 to 17 | 8.2% | 19.8% |
| 18 to 24 | 3.5% | 11.8% |
| 25 to 34 | 19.9% | 14.3% |
| 35 to 44 | 25.2% | 13.3% |
| 45 to 54 | 8.0% | 11.1% |
| 55 to 64 | 17.6% | 10.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 9.2% | 5.5% |
| 75 and over | 2.3% | 6.0% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Big Sky | West Yellowstone | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 93.6% | 54.7% |
| Black or African American | 0.2% | 0.0% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Asian | 0.0% | 1.1% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.6% | 0.0% |
| Two or more races | 1.7% | 3.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 3.8% | 41.2% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Big Sky | West Yellowstone | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 3.3% | 15.2% |
| High school graduate | 7.6% | 14.8% |
| Some college or associate's | 30.7% | 43.4% |
| Bachelor's degree | 38.7% | 16.4% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 19.6% | 10.2% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Big Sky | West Yellowstone | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 58.7% | 46.4% |
| Carpooled | 2.9% | 27.0% |
| Public transit | 3.3% | 0.0% |
| Walked | 6.6% | 15.7% |
| Bicycle | 0.0% | 9.3% |
| Worked from home | 27.9% | 1.5% |
| Other means | 0.7% | 0.0% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Big Sky | West Yellowstone | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 50.7% | 37.9% |
| 1-unit, attached | 20.5% | 3.1% |
| 2 to 4 units | 16.7% | 16.0% |
| 5 to 19 units | 5.5% | 26.8% |
| 20 or more units | 6.0% | 0.0% |
| Mobile home & other | 0.5% | 16.2% |
Poverty & households
| Big Sky | West Yellowstone | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 6.9% | 12.1% |
| Average household size | 2.01 | 2.64 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 22 | 7 |
| Median year structure built | 2000 | 1984 |
Full profiles
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