Montana

State Office of Rural Health

Montana Office of Rural Health

Phone: 406.994.6001
Email: natalie.claiborne@montana.edu

Works to improve access to quality healthcare for rural Montana residents by providing leadership and resources to healthcare and community organizations. Focuses on recruitment and retention of health professionals into rural areas, provides technical assistance, and coordinates rural health interests and activities across the state.
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Montana Nonmetro Population

1,091,840

Estimated population

488,655 (44.8%)

People living in nonmetro areas

Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-year estimate

Montana Rural Healthcare Facilities

50

Critical Access Hospitals

0

Rural Emergency Hospitals

63

Rural Health Clinics

55

Federally Qualified Health Centers*

3

Short Term/PPS Hospitals*

*Sites according to data.HRSA.gov (July 2024), showing only locations outside of U.S. Census Bureau Urban Areas with a population of 50,000 or more

Selected Social Determinants of Health for Rural Montana

8.1% of Montana residents lack health insurance (Kaiser, 2022). According to the USDA Economic Research Service, the average per capita income for Montanans in 2022 was $56,949, with the rural per capita income at $55,896. The ERS reports, based on 2021 ACS data, that the poverty rate in rural Montana is 12.0%, compared with 12.1% in urban areas. 6.0% of the rural population has not completed high school, and 5.0% of the urban population lacks a high school diploma according to 2017-2021 ACS data reported by ERS. The unemployment rate in rural Montana is 2.7%, while in urban Montana it is 2.5% (USDA-ERS, 2022).