Religion
The religious affiliations of the people of Montana
Christian – 82%
Protestant – 55%
Lutheran – 15%
Methodist – 8%
Baptist – 5%
Presbyterian – 4%
United Church of Christ – 2%
Other Protestant or general Protestant – 21%
Roman Catholic – 24%
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon) – 3%
Other Religions – <1%
Non-Religious – 18%
Economy
A Montana quarter, reverse side, 2007The Bureau of Economic Analysis estimates
that Montana's total state product in 2003 was $26 billion. Per capita personal
income in 2003 was $25,406, 47th in the nation. However, this number is rapidly
increasing. According to the Missoulian, the economy has grown rapidly since
2003; in 2005, Montana ranked 39th in the nation with an average per capita
personal income of $29,387.
The economy is primarily based on agriculture--wheat, barley, sugar beets, oats,
rye, seed potatoes, honey, cherries, cattle and sheep ranching -- and
significant lumber and mineral extraction (gold, coal, silver, talc, and
vermiculite). Tourism is also important to the economy with millions of visitors
a year to Glacier National Park, Flathead Lake, the Missouri River headwaters,
the site of the Battle of Little Bighorn and three of the five entrances to
Yellowstone National Park.
Montana's personal income tax contains 7 brackets, with rates ranging from 1% to
6.9%. Montana has no sales tax. In Montana, household goods are exempt from
property taxes. However, property taxes are assessed on livestock, farm
machinery, heavy equipment, automobiles, trucks, and business equipment. The
amount of property tax owed is not determined solely by the property's value.
The property's value is multiplied by a tax rate, set by the Montana
Legislature, to determine its taxable value. The taxable value is then
multiplied by the mill levy established by various taxing jurisdictions -- city
and county government, school districts and others.
Transportation
Major highways include:
Interstate 15
Interstate 90
Interstate 94
U.S. Highway 2
U.S. Highway 212
U.S. Highway 93
In addition, Amtrak's Empire Builder train runs through the north of the state,
stopping in the following towns: Libby, Whitefish, West Glacier, Essex, East
Glacier Park, Browning, Cut Bank, Shelby, Havre, Malta, Glasgow, and Wolf Point.
