Market rankings · Montana
Bakeries and dessert shops in Montana
Every metro area, small-town market and county in Montana, ranked by the Groundwork market score for bakeries and dessert shops, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 364
- 81 chain locations (22%)
- Official establishments
- 441
- All snack bars and retail bakeries · +32.4% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $1.7B
- On food away from home
- Listings per 10k households
- 7.9
- 19% below the U.S.
- Spending per listing
- $4.7M
- 14% above the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #30 of 51
- Market score 48 · Lower middle
A site report maps the bakeries and dessert shops on map listings around any address in Montana by name and distance, and the spending within reach.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
There are 364 bakeries and dessert shops on map listings in Montana as of September 2026. Chain locations make up 22% of them, against 35% across the U.S. That comes to 7.9 for every 10,000 households, 19% below the U.S. rate of 9.8.
At $3,748 per household (8% below the U.S. average), households in Montana spend about $1.7B a year on food away from home. That works out to $4.7M per shop, 14% above the U.S. figure of $4.1M. The spending figure covers all food away from home, not only bakeries and dessert shops.
Official counts show 441 businesses with payroll classed as snack bars and retail bakeries in Montana in 2023, up 32.4% from 2019. That is one for every 1,040 households, against one for every 1,369 across the U.S. Across the U.S., the count rose 24.6% over the same years. That count covers all snack bars and retail bakeries (coffee shops and cafes included), not only bakeries and dessert shops. Since fiscal 2022, 20 SBA-backed loans worth $6.5M have gone to businesses classed as snack bars and retail bakeries in Montana.
Among the 50 states and DC, Montana ranks #30 for bakeries and dessert shops, with a Groundwork market score of 48 (lower middle). Of the 5 scored metro areas in or partly in Montana, the Helena metro area scores highest (70). Of the 2 scored small-town markets in or partly in Montana, the Kalispell area scores highest (50).
Every market in Montana for bakeries and dessert shops
Download the ranking (CSV)Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in Montana, highest first; the U.S. rank compares each market with every other of its kind. A metro area that crosses a state line is listed in each state it reaches, and numbered only in the state its page is under. How the score works.
Metro areas
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Helena, MT | 70 | 23 | 5.9 | $6.7M | +7.7% | #36 of 387 |
| 2Great Falls, MT | 51 | 20 | 5.6 | $6.4M | +0.7% | #186 of 387 |
| 3Bozeman, MT | 51 | 53 | 10.3 | $4.2M | +7.7% | #191 of 387 |
| 4Billings, MT | 48 | 68 | 8.7 | $4.5M | +4.8% | #214 of 387 |
| 5Missoula, MT | 47 | 47 | 8.6 | $4.5M | +4.7% | #222 of 387 |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Kalispell, MT | 50 | 44 | 9.9 | $3.8M | +10.1% | #262 of 507 |
| 2Butte-Silver Bow, MT | 41 | 14 | 9.1 | $3.6M | +2.6% | #351 of 507 |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Ravalli County, MT | 75 | 12 | 6.4 | $5.7M | +9.4% | #171 of 1,889 |
| 2Lewis and Clark County, MT | 66 | 19 | 6.1 | $6.4M | +5.8% | #357 of 1,889 |
| 3Gallatin County, MT | 53 | 53 | 10.3 | $4.2M | +7.7% | #826 of 1,889 |
| 4Cascade County, MT | 52 | 20 | 5.6 | $6.4M | +0.7% | #838 of 1,889 |
| 5Yellowstone County, MT | 51 | 61 | 8.7 | $4.5M | +4.5% | #892 of 1,889 |
| 6Missoula County, MT | 49 | 47 | 8.9 | $4.3M | +4.4% | #962 of 1,889 |
| 7Lincoln County, MT | 47 | 6 | 6.6 | $4.6M | +13.1% | #1,028 of 1,889 |
| 8Lake County, MT | 45 | 11 | 8.7 | $4M | +6.9% | #1,118 of 1,889 |
| 9Flathead County, MT | 45 | 44 | 9.9 | $3.8M | +10.1% | #1,119 of 1,889 |
| 10Park County, MT | 43 | 8 | 9.6 | $3.9M | +5.7% | #1,183 of 1,889 |
| 11Silver Bow County, MT | 38 | 14 | 9.1 | $3.6M | +2.6% | #1,363 of 1,889 |
| 12Carbon County, MT | 37 | 7 | 15.0 | $2.6M | +9.1% | #1,419 of 1,889 |
| 13Sanders County, MT | 28 | 6 | 11.0 | $2.9M | +12.9% | #1,681 of 1,889 |
| 14Hill County, MT | 26 | 8 | 12.9 | $2.5M | −0.5% | #1,726 of 1,889 |
| 15Glacier County, MT | 15 | 5 | 11.7 | $2.6M | −2.0% | #1,855 of 1,889 |
| Big Horn County, MT | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −2.5% | |
| Jefferson County, MT | Not scored | 2 | 4.0 | $10.9M | +9.8% | |
| Custer County, MT | Not scored | 2 | 4.0 | $8.9M | +1.5% | |
| Fergus County, MT | Not scored | 3 | 5.7 | $5.9M | +3.1% | |
| Richland County, MT | Not scored | 4 | 9.0 | $4.3M | −1.3% | |
| Roosevelt County, MT | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −5.2% | |
| Beaverhead County, MT | Not scored | 5 | 11.9 | $2.8M | +7.1% | |
| Deer Lodge County, MT | Not scored | 2 | 4.5 | $7.2M | +3.0% | |
| Madison County, MT | Not scored | 6 | 16.0 | $2.3M | +15.8% | |
| Stillwater County, MT | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +5.0% |
Show all 56 counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dawson County, MT | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −2.6% | |
| Rosebud County, MT | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −0.7% | |
| Broadwater County, MT | Not scored | 2 | 7.1 | $5.4M | +23.8% | |
| Valley County, MT | Not scored | 2 | 6.8 | $5.2M | −2.4% | |
| Powell County, MT | Not scored | 3 | 12.3 | $2.8M | +3.1% | |
| Blaine County, MT | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −2.1% | |
| Teton County, MT | Not scored | 1 | 4.1 | $8.5M | +3.9% | |
| Pondera County, MT | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +3.2% | |
| Chouteau County, MT | Not scored | 2 | 9.3 | $3.6M | −0.8% | |
| Musselshell County, MT | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +17.6% | |
| Toole County, MT | Not scored | 1 | 5.4 | $6.3M | +4.9% | |
| Mineral County, MT | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +13.5% | |
| Phillips County, MT | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −0.1% | |
| Sweet Grass County, MT | Not scored | 2 | 12.9 | $2.9M | +2.4% | |
| Sheridan County, MT | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −2.9% | |
| Granite County, MT | Not scored | 2 | 13.2 | $2.6M | +10.6% | |
| Fallon County, MT | Not scored | 1 | 8.5 | $4.6M | −2.3% | |
| Judith Basin County, MT | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +6.8% | |
| Wheatland County, MT | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +1.2% | |
| Meagher County, MT | Not scored | 1 | 10.8 | $3.3M | +11.2% | |
| Liberty County, MT | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +0.1% | |
| Powder River County, MT | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +5.1% | |
| McCone County, MT | Not scored | 1 | 12.5 | $2.8M | −0.6% | |
| Daniels County, MT | Not scored | 1 | 13.6 | $2.3M | −2.3% | |
| Carter County, MT | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −1.6% | |
| Prairie County, MT | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +1.7% | |
| Wibaux County, MT | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −5.4% | |
| Garfield County, MT | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −1.9% | |
| Golden Valley County, MT | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +2.7% | |
| Treasure County, MT | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −4.0% | |
| Petroleum County, MT | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +9.2% |
Markets with fewer than 5 bakeries and dessert shops on map listings, and counties under 10,000 people, aren’t scored; they’re listed last in each table.
Questions
How many bakeries and dessert shops are in Montana?
As of September 2026, map listings count 364 bakeries and dessert shops in Montana. 81 of them (22%) are chain locations. The listings count bakeries, ice cream, donut and dessert shops, candy stores. Official counts show 441 businesses with payroll classed as snack bars and retail bakeries in 2023, up 32.4% from 2019. The official count takes in all snack bars and retail bakeries, not only bakeries and dessert shops: coffee shops and cafes are counted too. Official counts also show 49 one-person businesses without payroll.
How much do households in Montana spend on food away from home?
About $1.7B a year, or $3,748 per household. That is 8% below the U.S. average (an index of 92, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 364 bakeries and dessert shops on map listings, it comes to $4.7M per shop. That spending covers all food away from home, which bakeries and dessert shops share with other businesses in the trade. It is estimated from the incomes of the 458,859 households in Montana and national spending patterns by income.
How does Montana compare with the U.S. for bakeries and dessert shops?
Montana has 7.9 bakeries and dessert shops per 10,000 households, 19% below the U.S. rate of 9.8. Spending per shop is $4.7M, 14% above the U.S. figure of $4.1M. At the U.S. ratio of bakeries and dessert shops to household spending, Montana would have about 415, against 364 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 1,040 households, against one for every 1,369 across the U.S. The official count rose 32.4% from 2019 to 2023, against +24.6% for the U.S.
Which market in Montana has the highest market score for bakeries and dessert shops?
Among 5 scored metro areas in or partly in Montana, the Helena metro area scores highest, at 70 (upper middle). Among 2 scored small-town markets in or partly in Montana, the Kalispell area scores highest, at 50 (upper middle). Among 15 scored counties in Montana, Ravalli County scores highest, at 75 (high). Scores compare each market with others of its kind across the U.S.
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. Montana scores 48 for bakeries and dessert shops (lower middle), #30 of the 50 states and DC.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in Montana. It maps the bakeries and dessert shops on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
Bakeries and dessert shops in other states
All 51 states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
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- Montana
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- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Top markets for bakeries and dessert shops across the U.S. · All business types in Montana
Related business types in Montana
- Restaurants and cafes5,233 listings
- Sit-down restaurants2,403 listings
- Fast food and sandwich shops539 listings
- Pizza343 listings
- Coffee shops and cafes883 listings
Screening a site or an acquisition in Montana?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.