City · Montana
Miles City, Montana
Miles City, city, in Custer County, Montana. Miles City had 8,450 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 1.3% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 8,354 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 8,407 (±22). GEOID 3049525.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
8,450
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 8,354 · ACS 2020-2024: 8,407 ±22
Median household income
$67,727
±$9,159 (90% margin)
Montana: $72,509
Median home value
$200,200
±$14,866 (90% margin)
Montana: $375,800
Median gross rent
$926
±$93 (90% margin)
Montana: $1,081
Where is Miles City and what county is it in?
Miles City is a city in Custer County, Montana. It covers 3.4 square miles of land, 2,485 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Miles City, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 8,450 people lived in Miles City on July 1, 2025, up 1.3% since 2020, slower than Montana (+5.6%). The 2020 Census counted 8,354 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 8,407 (±22).
| Measure | Miles City | Custer County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 8,407 ±22 | 11,961 | −80 |
| Households | 3,608 ±134 | 5,038 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.23 ±0.08 | 2.28 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 4,015 ±112 | 5,784 | no clear change |
Miles City's population since 2000
From 8,487 in 2000 to 8,450 in 2025: down 0.4%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Miles City as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Miles City?
The median resident of Miles City is 42.6 years old; 19.0% are under 18 and 19.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 88.3%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 5.0%. 1.5% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Miles City | Custer County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.6 ±1.6 | 42.7 | +2.6 |
| Under 18 years | 19.0% ±1.2 pts | 19.8% | – |
| 65 years and over | 19.7% ±1.6 pts | 20.8% | – |
| Male | 51.5% ±1.5 pts | 50.3% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 4.2% ±0.4 pts | 3.4% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 88.3% ±1.2 pts | 89.0% | −3.9 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.6% ±0.4 pts | 0.5% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 1.8% ±0.7 pts | 1.8% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.4 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 5.0% ±1.0 pts | 5.1% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.4 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 1.5% ±0.7 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 3.3% ±1.2 pts | 2.8% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 10.2% ±1.9 pts | 9.0% | – |
| With a disability | 22.8% ±2.9 pts | 21.3% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 8.5% ±2.0 pts | 7.7% | +3.4 pts |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 95.4% ±1.4 pts | 95.7% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 25.5% ±3.2 pts | 27.0% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 7.1% ±1.9 pts | 6.6% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 82.0% ±3.3 pts | 84.7% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 3.9% ±1.4 pts | 3.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Miles City earn?
Half of Miles City's 3,608 households earn less than $67,727 a year (±$9,159), against $70,605 in Custer County and $72,509 in Montana. In 2015-2019 it was $62,754 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 11.4% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Miles City | Custer County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $67,727 ±$9,159 | $70,605 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $79,699 ±$5,342 | $85,295 | – |
| Per capita income | $35,220 ±$2,174 | $36,392 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 11.4% ±2.6 pts | 11.3% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 7.2% ±4.7 pts | 5.8% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 9.8% ±3.0 pts | 8.2% | – |
| Households with a computer | 93.9% ±2.5 pts | 94.6% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 88.7% ±3.2 pts | 88.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Miles City?
Owners occupy 63.9% of Miles City's occupied homes and renters 36.1%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $200,200 by its owner (±$14,866). The median renter pays $926 a month including utilities, and 35.9% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Miles City | Custer County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $200,200 ±$14,866 | $219,100 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $926 ±$93 | $893 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 35.9% ±7.9 pts | 35.4% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,422 ±$100 | $1,557 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 63.9% ±4.2 pts | 69.9% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 36.1% ±4.2 pts | 30.1% | – |
| Housing units | 4,015 ±112 | 5,784 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 1.8% ±2.7 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 3.2% ±4.6 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 69.3% ±4.6 pts | 69.7% | – |
| Mobile homes | 7.7% ±3.1 pts | 12.3% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.3% ±0.4 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 4.5% ±1.8 pts | 6.4% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 30.1% ±5.1 pts | 25.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 6.8% ±2.5 pts | 5.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Miles City building?
Builders took permits for 4 new housing units in Miles City in 2025 (1 in single-family houses), 0.5 per 1,000 residents against 4.6 across Montana.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Miles City work and get to work?
73.5% of Miles City's workers drive alone and 3.9% work from home. The average trip to work takes 10.8 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 3.9%.
| Measure | Miles City | Custer County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 67.1% ±2.8 pts | 65.5% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% ±2.0 pts | 3.4% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 73.5% ±4.1 pts | 71.4% | – |
| Carpooled | 14.8% ±2.9 pts | 16.6% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.4% ±0.4 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Walked | 6.6% ±2.3 pts | 6.0% | – |
| Worked from home | 3.9% ±1.8 pts | 5.0% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 10.8 min ±1.4 | 13.0 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Miles City?
5 census tracts lie mostly in Miles City, and 1 more reaches into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $54,653 (Tract 9615) to $88,125 (Tract 9619).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9620Custer County | 2,180 | $59,700 |
| Tract 9616Custer County | 2,455 | $58,182 |
| Tract 9619Custer County | 1,937 | $88,125 |
| Tract 9618Custer County | 1,591 | $71,583 |
| Tract 9615Custer County | 1,839 | $54,653 |
| Tract 9613Custer County | 1,959 | $81,838 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Miles City) · Census block assignment files
How does Miles City compare with other places in Montana?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Miles City is the 3,612th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 13th-most populous of 127 in Montana.
Miles City ranks 39th of 90 places in Montana with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 13th | 127 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 33rd | 53 |
| Residents per square mile | 10th | 93 |
| Median household income | 39th | 90 |
| Per capita income | 55th | 93 |
| Median home value | 69th | 89 |
| Median gross rent | 47th | 82 |
| Poverty rate | 40th | 65 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 47th | 90 |
| Median age | 33rd | 93 |
| Owner-occupied share | 57th | 92 |
| Work from home | 45th | 46 |
| Travel time to work | 85th | 93 |
Miles City's figures with every place in Montana (CSV)
Every place in Montana, sortable · Compare Miles City with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Miles City?
8 of the 57 figures for Miles City on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Miles City are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Miles City.