www.MontanasTrailhead.com

 For those interested in the Average Annual Real Wages Per Job, MSU has an interesting graph that you might want to take a look at comparing Montana to the rest of the United States. Here’s the link for the whole report but the graph was a little telling.  The Document has 3 volumes that give an overview of the past decade of Montana, it’s resources, wages and how the State ranks compared to the United States in general. 

Volume 1:

Volume I presents and analyzes economic data by county for Montana including income and poverty data from the U.S. Census Bureau, employment, earnings and income data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, and labor force statistics from the Montana Department of Labor and Industry and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

In 2001, Montana’s per capita personal income (PCPI) was $24,044, ranked 46^{th in the United States, and was 79% of the national average of $30,413. Per capita personal income is total income divided by total population. The 2001 PCPI reflected an increase of 4.7% from 2000, compared to the national increase of 2.2%. Preliminary statistics for 2002 show a PCPI for Montana of $24,906, a 3.6% increase over 2001. For the United States in 2002, PCPI is estimated at $30,832, a 1.4% increase over 2001. Back in 1969, Montana’s PCPI ranked 35th in the U.S.; it has been below 40th since 1984.}

Based on earnings by industry, the largest industries in 2001 were services (27.7% of total earnings), state and local government (14.9% of total earnings) and retail trade (11.3% of total earnings). Of the industries that accounted for 5% or more of total earnings in 2001, the slowest growing from 2000 to 2001 was federal (civilian) government (0.6% average annual growth rate) and the fastest growing was state and local government (11% average annual growth rate). For the period from 1991 to 2001, the slowest growing industry was transportation, information and public utilities (3.5% average annual growth rate) and the fastest growing was finance, insurance and real estate (8.6% average annual growth rate).

Overall, the Montana economy has become more diversified over the past decade, shifting toward the agriculture, forestry and fishery, construction, retail trade, and service industries and away from mining. These shifts in the economy may cause Montana to respond more rapidly in the future to the changing economic conditions nationwide. The chart on the next page shows the rate of growth of the different industry sectors in Montana versus nationwide. The chart was prepared using data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA).

Volume 2:

Volume II presents an analysis of demographic data by County for Montana. These statistics include 1990 and 2000 Census population data as well as current population estimates. Certain social characteristics are also examined such as gender, age and race, population living in group quarters, marital status, veteran status, and school enrollment. Detailed data on the disabled population in Montana is also presented in the Appendix.

Over the past 10 years, Montana’s population density and growth was centered around the western part of the state. The eastern part of the state has seen a decrease in total population and an increase

Table of Contents and Overview 4 December 2003

in the elderly population as a percentage of total population. Unincorporated areas have grown 3 times faster than the incorporated cities and towns.

Volume 3:

Volume III presents housing statistics by county for Montana using 1990 and 2000 Census data, including (a) the year the structure was built, (b) the number of units in structure, (c) the number of rooms per structure, (d) the occupants per room, and (e) number of structures lacking complete plumbing or kitchen facilities. Census 2000 homeownership rates are analyzed as well. The Census forecast of 2001 and 2002 housing units is also presented as well as historical new construction permit data and 2002 permit valuations. Current year data on total monthly housing costs are calculated including mortgage payment or rental payment, property taxes, insurance cost and utility costs. These costs are compared to median family income to determine affordability. Historical information on housing prices is presented as well.

Although one-unit detached homes (single-family, mobile, or modular home) still represent over two-thirds of the total housing units in the state, the largest increase in housing units from 1990 to 2000 was in the 1-unit attached category (townhouse or duplex with one common wall). Units lacking either complete plumbing or kitchen facilities decreased significantly over the same period, while units with more than 1.5 occupants per room (defined as extreme overcrowding) increased

Table of Contents and Overview 6 December 2003

49.3%, or by 1,214 units from 1990 to 2000. Almost one-half of Montana’s housing units were 31 years or older as of March 2000, and the median number of room were 5.3 per structure. Over the past 10 years, single family building permits were at a low in 1997, but have shown a high rate of increase since 2000; permits were at a high in 2002.

Although Montana’s housing costs were below the national average in 2002, they are above the national average when calculated as a percentage of monthly household income. The rate of increase in housing costs as a percentage of monthly household income was three times the national increase between 1990 and 2000.

Other websites to reference are below:

http://commerce.state.mt.us/Housing/Hous_ConsPlanappls.html

MSU Real Estate link