Jefferson County vs Sanders County
A side-by-side comparison of Jefferson County and Sanders County: population, income, housing, and more.
Jefferson County and Sanders County are counties in Montana. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Sanders County has the higher population (12,936 vs 12,501 in Jefferson County). Jefferson County has the higher median household income ($76,576 vs $54,035 in Sanders County). Jefferson County has the higher median home value ($408,000 vs $323,800 in Sanders County).
Population, income & housing
| Jefferson County | Sanders County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,501 | 12,936 |
| Median age | 47.3 yrs | 54.6 yrs |
| Median household income | $76,576 | $54,035 |
| Median home value | $408,000 | $323,800 |
| Median gross rent | $886 | $774 |
| Housing units | 5,388 | 6,789 |
| Homeownership rate | 83.1% | 80.0% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.7% | 21.6% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.8% | 4.2% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Jefferson County | Sanders County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,917 → 12,501 (+4.9%) | 11,681 → 12,936 (+10.7%) |
| Median household income | $69,646 → $76,576 (+10.0%) | $40,823 → $54,035 (+32.4%) |
| Median home value | $282,700 → $408,000 (+44.3%) | $228,200 → $323,800 (+41.9%) |
| Median gross rent | $788 → $886 (+12.4%) | $627 → $774 (+23.4%) |
Jefferson County
11,91712,501
$69,646$76,576
$282,700$408,000
$788$886
Sanders County
11,68112,936
$40,823$54,035
$228,200$323,800
$627$774
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Jefferson County | Sanders County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 4.4% | 3.8% |
| 5 to 17 | 15.8% | 13.4% |
| 18 to 24 | 6.3% | 6.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 9.0% | 6.8% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.9% | 9.9% |
| 45 to 54 | 13.1% | 10.5% |
| 55 to 64 | 16.6% | 17.1% |
| 65 to 74 | 15.8% | 20.1% |
| 75 and over | 7.0% | 12.3% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Jefferson County | Sanders County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 91.3% | 89.0% |
| Black or African American | 0.1% | 0.5% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 1.2% | 2.4% |
| Asian | 0.4% | 0.4% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Some other race | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Two or more races | 4.2% | 4.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 2.7% | 3.3% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Jefferson County | Sanders County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 6.0% | 7.8% |
| High school graduate | 26.2% | 37.7% |
| Some college or associate's | 35.1% | 33.0% |
| Bachelor's degree | 21.2% | 15.5% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 11.5% | 6.1% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Jefferson County | Sanders County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 72.2% | 67.8% |
| Carpooled | 11.7% | 9.6% |
| Public transit | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| Walked | 3.0% | 5.1% |
| Bicycle | 0.1% | 1.5% |
| Worked from home | 11.9% | 14.5% |
| Other means | 1.0% | 1.4% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Jefferson County | Sanders County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 83.7% | 80.2% |
| 1-unit, attached | 2.3% | 0.5% |
| 2 to 4 units | 2.3% | 2.4% |
| 5 to 19 units | 1.2% | 1.3% |
| 20 or more units | 0.3% | 0.4% |
| Mobile home & other | 10.2% | 15.2% |
Poverty & households
| Jefferson County | Sanders County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 6.3% | 15.1% |
| Average household size | 2.50 | 2.33 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 22 | 24 |
| Median year structure built | 1989 | 1989 |
Full profiles
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