NAICS 51

Information in Great Falls, MT

Metro Market Score 20.1 (Favorable), ranked #21 of 294 metros. 36 establishments, 197 jobs.

Metro Market Score 20.1

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Favorable

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national information average.

📈Rapid Growth✓Favorable Market🌱Emerging Market

Employment in Great Falls's information sector grew faster than most metros last year, pushing its growth trend index to 87.8. Combined with a 20.1 market score, this metro sits in the top 10% for overall conditions.

Industry Concentration

17.7

LQ: 0.29

Rank #52 of 294 metros

Wage Competitiveness

28.6

$66,512 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 87.8

Employment growth index

Rank #37 of 294 metros

Wage Pressure

24.2

YoY wage change index

36 Information Firms in Great Falls

Establishments

-2.7% YoY

197

Total Employment

+4.8% YoY

$66,512

Average Annual Wage

+7.6% YoY

0.29

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within Montana

#1 of 2

information metros in state

Montana state rank

#7 of 51

for information entry risk

vs State Median

-29.4

better than median (49.5)

Great Falls vs Montana Statewide

How this metro's information market compares to Montana overall. The state ranks #7/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Great Falls	MT Statewide
Overall Score	20.1 Favorable	33.2 Moderate
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#21 of 294 metros	#7 of 51 states

Metro and state scores use different methodologies (metro has 4 QCEW-based metrics; state adds BDS survival and momentum data). Direct score comparisons are approximate.

Other Industries in Great Falls

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 24.5 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 29.8 Finance and Insurance 49.9 Administrative and Support Services 52.5 Accommodation and Food Services 53.7 Other Services 62.2 Healthcare and Social Assistance 68.1 Construction 73.0 Retail Trade 78.9

Information in Other Montana Metros

Bozeman 49.5 #187/294

Information Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Great Falls's 20.1 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Mansfield, OH 20.0 #20/294 Wausau, WI 19.9 #19/294 Niles, MI 20.3 #22/294 Cleveland, TN 20.5 #23/294 Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI 19.7 #18/294 Manhattan, KS 20.5 #24/294 Muncie, IN 20.7 #25/294 Yuma, AZ 19.3 #17/294 Sandusky, OH 22.0 #26/294 Farmington, NM 22.1 #27/294

Information in States Bordering Montana

State-level entry risk for information in adjacent states. Use this to weigh cross-border options.

North Dakota 28.8 #1/51 South Dakota 33.6 #8/51 Wyoming 42.2 #21/51 Idaho 43.8 #24/51

Browse Information in Other States

State-level entry risk reports for information across all 51 markets, sorted by rank.

About Metro Market Score: A weighted composite of industry concentration (25%), wage competitiveness (25%), wage pressure (20%), and employment growth trend (30%). Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. For Great Falls's information sector, the wage competitiveness component (28.6) has the strongest pull on the composite. Metro scores use QCEW data only (no BDS survival data at metro level). Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), Bureau of Labor Statistics. MSA-level establishment counts, employment, wages, and location quotients for the Great Falls, MT MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment