What is the median household income in Big Sky, MT?
The median household income in Big Sky, MT is $138,805 (±$22,893) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Paying the median gross rent of $877 a month would take about $35,100 a year at the common guideline of spending no more than 30% of income on rent.
In Big Sky, the median household income went from $75,586 in 2015–2019 to $138,805 in 2020–2024 (+83.6%).
Prices (CPI-U) rose 22.7% over the same years, so it rose faster than prices: a measurable increase after inflation.
Figures last updated on .
- Median household income
- $138,805 (±$22,893)
- Income to afford median rent
- about $35,100
Income in Big Sky against Gallatin County, its state and the nation
| Big Sky | Gallatin County | Montana | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $138,805 (±$22,893) | $93,528 (±$3,326) | $72,509 (±$761) | $80,734 |
| Median renter household income | — | $68,740 (±$4,174) | $48,192 (±$1,103) | $52,966 |
| Median owner household income | $141,194 (±$26,020) | $114,831 (±$4,523) | $85,804 (±$1,088) | $100,009 |
| Median gross rent | $877 (±$689) | $1,694 (±$60) | $1,081 (±$14) | $1,413 |
In Big Sky, median household income is higher than in Gallatin County ($93,528).
It is also higher than in Montana ($72,509).
It is higher than the national figure ($80,734).
In Gallatin County, Big Sky ranks 1 of 9 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest median household income.
Statewide, it ranks 2 of 164.
Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.
How much you need to earn to rent in Big Sky
Many landlords and housing programs use 30% of gross income as the most a household should spend on rent.
At that guideline, the median gross rent of $877 a month ($10,524 a year) needs an income of about $35,100 a year.
This is arithmetic on the published medians, not a rule any landlord must follow; screening criteria vary and some places limit how income may be weighed.
Income against housing costs since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $75,586 (±$17,591) | $138,805 (±$22,893) | +83.6% | Up after inflation |
| Median gross rent | $1,405 (±$136) | $877 (±$689) | −37.6% | Down after inflation |
| Median home value | $564,000 (±$68,870) | $1,137,900 (±$254,170) | +101.8% | Up after inflation |
The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.
Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.
The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.
Median household income in places near Big Sky
| Place | Distance | Median household income | Compared with this place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big Sky | — | $138,805 (±$22,893) | — |
| Ennis | 20 mi | $69,650 (±$11,464) | Lower |
| Four Corners | 30 mi | $100,917 (±$26,846) | Lower |
| Virginia City | 30 mi | $61,875 (±$51,484) | Lower |
| King Arthur Park | 30 mi | $109,106 (±$17,284) | Lower |
| Bozeman | 32 mi | $85,747 (±$4,604) | Lower |
| Churchill | 34 mi | $108,281 (±$48,542) | Not measurably different |
| Pray | 35 mi | $96,250 (±$12,061) | Lower |
| Belgrade | 37 mi | $97,328 (±$13,143) | Lower |
Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Ennis, MT ($69,650), Four Corners, MT ($100,917), Virginia City, MT ($61,875).
Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.
Median household income across Gallatin County, place by place
| Rank | Place | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big Sky | $138,805 (±$22,893) |
| 2 | King Arthur Park | $109,106 (±$17,284) |
| 3 | Churchill | $108,281 (±$48,542) |
| 4 | Four Corners | $100,917 (±$26,846) |
| 5 | Belgrade | $97,328 (±$13,143) |
| 6 | Manhattan | $87,865 (±$36,842) |
| 7 | Bozeman | $85,747 (±$4,604) |
Showing 7 of 9 places in Gallatin County, ranked from highest to lowest.
Big Sky is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for statistics, with no municipal government of its own.
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
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Questions about Big Sky
What is the median household income in Big Sky?
The median household income in Big Sky is $138,805 (±$22,893) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
How much do you need to make to afford rent in Big Sky?
About $35,100 a year, if rent is to stay at or below 30% of income at the median gross rent of $877 a month.
Have incomes in Big Sky kept up with inflation?
In Big Sky, the median household income went from $75,586 in 2015–2019 to $138,805 in 2020–2024 (+83.6%).
Prices (CPI-U) rose 22.7% over the same years, so it rose faster than prices: a measurable increase after inflation.
Sources
- Selected Economic Characteristics (DP03), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Big Sky CDP, Montana
- Median Household Income by Tenure (B25119), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Big Sky CDP, Montana
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Big Sky CDP, Montana
- Median Household Income (B19013), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Big Sky CDP, Montana
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Big Sky CDP, Montana
- Median Value (B25077), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Big Sky CDP, Montana
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) and detailed tables (acs/acs5) for Big Sky CDP, Montana (place:06325, in state:30).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are B19013_001E, B19013_001M, B25064_001E, B25064_001M, B25077_001E, B25077_001M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP03_0062E, DP03_0062M, B25119_003E, B25119_003M, B25119_002E, B25119_002M, DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.
Figures last updated on .
Related
- Housing in Big Sky at a glance
- Home values in Big Sky
- Homeowner costs in Big Sky
- Property taxes in Big Sky
- Types of homes in Big Sky
- Bedrooms in Big Sky
- Age of homes in Big Sky
- Heating fuel in Big Sky
- Commute and cars in Big Sky
- Population growth in Big Sky
- How long people stay in Big Sky
- Crowding and facilities in Big Sky
- Montana landlord and tenant rules
- Housing across Gallatin County
- Montana places ranked by median household income
- Housing data for every place in Montana