THE DIRTBID REGIONAL MODEL · MONTANA

Montana Sitework Costs, Region by Region

Sitework in Montana on the same Richmond Metro = 1.00 scale as the rest of DirtBid: 6 cost regions and 56 counties, each with a soil-risk rating from USDA and USGS data. Bozeman Metro runs highest at 1.03×; Billings Metro lowest at 0.90×.

Montana multipliers and county ratings are planning-level: built from federal price and soil data, and not yet checked against local bids or a local estimator.

Cost regions
6
Counties in the model
56
Richmond Metro baseline
1.00×

Rest of Montana

0.92×Cost multiplier

Dominant ground: Cabbart, Cambeth, Zahill

46 counties in this region. 23 of 46 rate high for shallow rock. 4 of 46 rate high for shrink-swell clay. USGS maps karst-prone rock across much of 1 of the 46. Highest risk score: Carter County (5 of 10).

Counties: Beaverhead County, Big Horn County, Blaine County, Carter County, Chouteau County, Custer County, Daniels County, Dawson County, Deer Lodge County, Fallon County, Fergus County, Flathead County, Garfield County, Glacier County, Golden Valley County, Granite County, Hill County, Judith Basin County, Lake County, Liberty County, Lincoln County, McCone County, Madison County, Meagher County, Musselshell County, Park County, Petroleum County, Phillips County, Pondera County, Powder River County, Powell County, Prairie County, Ravalli County, Richland County, Roosevelt County, Rosebud County, Sanders County, Sheridan County, Silver Bow County, Sweet Grass County, Teton County, Toole County, Treasure County, Valley County, Wheatland County, Wibaux County

Billings Metro

0.90×Cost multiplier

Dominant ground: Travessilla, Midway, Heath

3 counties in this region. 3 of 3 rate high for shallow rock. Highest risk score: Stillwater County (5 of 10).

Counties: Carbon County, Stillwater County, Yellowstone County

Missoula Metro

0.94×Cost multiplier

Dominant ground: Mitten, McCay, Broadmoor

2 counties in this region. Highest risk score: Mineral County (4 of 10).

Counties: Mineral County, Missoula County

Bozeman Metro

1.03×Cost multiplier

Dominant ground: Typic Cryochrepts, Mollic Cryoboralfs, Typic Cryoboralfs

1 county in this region. Highest risk score: Gallatin County (4 of 10).

Counties: Gallatin County

Helena Metro

0.93×Cost multiplier

Dominant ground: Typic Cryoboralfs, Typic Ustochrepts, Typic Cryochrepts

3 counties in this region. 3 of 3 rate high for shallow rock. Highest risk score: Lewis and Clark County (5 of 10).

Counties: Broadwater County, Jefferson County, Lewis and Clark County

Great Falls Metro

0.95×Cost multiplier

Dominant ground: Hilger, Castner, Absarokee

1 county in this region. 1 of 1 rate high for shallow rock. Highest risk score: Cascade County (4 of 10).

Counties: Cascade County

FAQ

Montana Cost Questions

Which soil problems drive sitework cost in Montana?

From USDA soil survey data, the most common across the state: shallow rock (30 of 56 counties rate high), shrink-swell clay (4 of 56 counties rate high). A parcel can differ from its county, so read the survey for your exact site.

Where do the Montana multipliers come from?

From the Commerce Department's Regional Price Parities, on the same Richmond Metro = 1.00 scale as Virginia. Across 29 reviewed regions that method missed by about 0.03 on average. They have not been checked against executed bids in Montana, so use them for planning, not a final bid.

How reliable are the Montana county ratings?

They are screening ratings from federal soil and geology data, not a local estimator's review and not a geotechnical report. Tested against 511 reviewed counties, they land within one level most of the time, and exact matches are less common. Get borings before you price a real site.

Soil Report

See what's under your Montana parcel

A $350 DirtBid AI Soil Report reads the official USDA survey for your exact parcel, flags the hazards above, and prices the risk — before you buy land or sign a contract.

Get a Soil Report — $350 See pricing