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Traffic heat map of Hill County, Montana: 143 miles of roads shaded from blue (light) to red (heavy traffic), busiest on 1st Street and 5th Avenue

Hill County, Montana Traffic Counts

Traffic analytics for Hill County, Montana, calculated from real-world mobile and sensor networks on 943 road segments (143 road miles, about 801 ft each). Its busiest road, 1st Street, carries 12,256 vehicles a day, 3.5 times the average road. Use the figures below to move from assumptions to certainty on retail locations, logistics and road planning.
Data sourced from TrafficZoom's proprietary analytics platform.
Data current as of:
Q3 2026
Updated:
September 29, 2026
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total traffic icon

Total Traffic Volume & Performance in Hill County, Montana

Traffic

The average number of vehicles that travel each day over any road in the road network.

vehicles per day3,540
Trucks

The percentage of the total traffic volume composed of heavy vehicles.

12.3%
Average travel time

The average time of travel averaged among all vehicles traveling on the road network.

40.0 min
Congestion ratio

The rate at which the actual travel time exceeds free-flow travel time, averaged among all roads in the network.

10.5%
Drivers’ average age

Average age of residents in the geographic areas where the vehicle trips originated.

46.0 yrs
Drivers’ average income

Average income of residents in the geographic areas where the vehicle trips originated.

$61,147

A typical monitored road in Hill County, Montana sees 3,540 vehicles per day, while its 143 miles of monitored roads together handle 241,985 vehicle-miles traveled per day (≈88.3 million per year). Trucks are 12.3% of traffic, close to the 11.7% across Montana.

Busier roads than 80% of counties in Montana

At 3,540 vehicles per day, the average monitored road in Hill carries 16% less traffic than the state average of 4,202, suggesting less demand on each road - a factor worth weighing in site selection and logistics planning. Across the whole network, that travel is about 0.9% of Montana's statewide total. By volume, Hill's 3,540 vehicles per day outpaces 80% of counties in Montana.

The average trip takes 40.0 minutes, 11% higher than the state level. Its average travel time of 40.0 minutes is longer than 56% of counties in Montana.

The congestion ratio of 10.5% runs slightly lower than the state level (15% lower) - crucial for traffic control improvement and logistics planning.

Highway vs. Non-Highway Traffic Analysis

highway traffic icon

Highway Traffic in Hill County, Montana

Trafficvehicles per day4,759
Trucks10.7%
Average travel time43.1 min
Congestion ratio7.5%
Drivers’ average age46.3 yrs
Drivers’ average income$63,453

Most travel in Hill County, Montana happens on highways, 77% of all vehicle-miles. The average highway carries 4,759 vehicles per day, 130% more than the average non-highway road in the same area, which carries 2,068 vehicles per day.

Highways make up 58% of the monitored road miles (83 miles, 516 segments), so they carry more than their share: 185,413 vehicle-miles traveled per day (≈67.7 million per year).

Lower highway truck share than 87% of counties in Montana

At 10.7%, highway truck share is 28% lower than the state average. Highways here mostly serve passenger trips, so local access matters more than long-haul routing for logistics operators.

87% of counties in Montana see a higher highway truck share than Hill's 10.7%. 76% of counties in Montana see more highway trucks per day than Hill's roughly 511.

non-highway traffic icon

Non-highway Traffic in Hill County, Montana

Trafficvehicles per day2,068
Trucks17.3%
Average travel time36.2 min
Congestion ratio14.1%
Drivers’ average age45.1 yrs
Drivers’ average income$56,017

Local roads carry a smaller share of travel in Hill County, Montana, 23% of vehicle-miles; most driving happens on highways. The average non-highway road carries 2,068 vehicles per day.

Spread over 60 miles and 427 segments, 42% of the road network, local roads carry a lighter load per mile: 56,572 vehicle-miles traveled per day (≈20.6 million per year). About 1 in 6 vehicles on non-highway roads is a truck (17.3%).

Younger drivers than 89% of counties in Montana

Unusually, the concentration of trucks on non-highway roads is 61% higher than on highways.

At 16% higher than the state level, the non-highway congestion ratio of 14.1% signals more friction on local roads.

Hill's average driver income is lower than 73% of counties in Montana. The driver population here skews younger than 89% of counties in Montana.

Time-of-Day & Seasonal Patterns

peak hours icon
Peak Traffic Windows
Weekday peaks:
AM peak 9:00 AM–12:00 PM and PM peak 3:00 PM–6:00 PM, with volumes reaching approximately 59% higher than the daily average.
Weekend traffic:
Weekends are somewhat quieter: volumes run about 12% below weekday levels, the usual weekend dip.
seasonal traffic icon
Seasonal Fluctuation
Busy season:
June–August is the high season, with volumes +40% versus the annual average.
Lowest month:
January is the quietest month, with volumes -31% versus the annual average - the usual winter low.

Data Finding: Hourly & Seasonal Patterns

In Hill County, Montana, the peak hour concentrates about 7% of the day's traffic, and there is a strong seasonal swing of +40% in high season.

Hill County vs. Montana Traffic Comparison

The highway truck share sets Hill County apart: 28% below the Montana average. Its average daily traffic per road is also 16% below.

MetricHill CountyMontana averageDifference
Traffic3,5404,202-15.8%
Truck % (Total Traffic)12.3%11.7%+5.1%
Truck % (Highway)10.7%15.0%-28.4%
Avg. Travel Time40.0 min36.2 min+10.6%

How Hill County compares

Hill County has the busiest roads among its nearby counties

Against the 4 nearest areas, Hill County carries 227.2% more traffic on a typical road and is 158.7% more congested; it has the busiest roads of the five. It is where traffic concentrates in this corner of the map - the local bottleneck, with more vehicles per road AND less room to absorb them.

Hill County and the 4 nearest county-level areas by centroid distance, with the Montana average for scale.
AreaAverage daily trafficTruck shareDaily vehicle-milesAverage travel timeCongestion ratio
Hill County3,54012.3%241,98540.0 min10.5%
Liberty County, Montana95211.5%40,68744.5 min3.9%
Chouteau County, Montana1,17112.8%198,45251.8 min3.5%
Blaine County, Montana1,17911.8%142,15536.5 min3.7%
Toole County, Montana1,02515.1%137,03340.0 min5.1%
Montana average4,20211.7%N/A36.2 min12.3%

Hill County ranked within Montana

Average driver age places Hill County #50 of 56 in Montana - the bottom quarter of the state.

Hill County ranked among 56 county-level areas in Montana (1 = highest); measures without data in every county rank a smaller field, down to 47.
MeasureHill CountyMontana rank
Traffic volume (AADT)3,540#12 of 56
Highway vehicle-miles per day185,413#25 of 47
Truck share on highways10.7%#41 of 47
Highway trucks per day511#36 of 47
Average travel time40.0 min#25 of 56
Average driver income$61,147#41 of 56
Average driver age46.0 yrs#50 of 56

Hill County ranks #12 of 56 on average daily traffic volume but #50 of 56 on average driver age - the two describe the same roads and are worth reading together rather than either on its own.

Busiest roads in Hill County, Montana

Traffic concentrates on a few corridors: the three busiest roads average 7,610 vehicles a day, against 3,540 on the average road in Hill County.

1st Street leads with 12,256 vehicles a day, 906 of them trucks (7.4%). No other road comes close: 5th Avenue, in second place, carries 6,528. Lower Box Elder Road carries the most trucks on the list, 3,367 a day (83.2% of its traffic), although it ranks #3 for all traffic.

Freight stands out on Lower Box Elder Road and Rocky Boy Road: trucks are 83.2% and 53.9% of the traffic there, against 12.3% county-wide.

Trips using Lower Box Elder Road are long: a median of 86.1 minutes against 40.0 county-wide, the mark of a through route.

Drivers on Lower Box Elder Road come from neighborhoods with an average household income of $36,059, 41% below the county average of $61,147.

Ranked by daily traffic (AADT)

Cars and light vehiclesTrucks
11st StreetTrunk road · 12,256vehicles906trucks · 7.4%
Road class
Trunk road
Congestion ratio
13.6%
Median trip time
45.9 min
Drivers’ median age
46.2 yrs
Drivers’ average income
$56,369

The busiest stretch of 1st Street carries 3.5 times the county average; trucks are 7.4% of it, below the county-wide 12.3%.

25th AvenueSecondary road · 6,528vehicles241trucks · 3.7%
Road class
Secondary road
Congestion ratio
29.7%
Median trip time
35.6 min
Drivers’ median age
45.2 yrs
Drivers’ average income
$61,191

Travel on 5th Avenue's busiest stretch runs 30% over free-flow time, against 10% across the county, so expect slower peak hours.

3Lower Box Elder RoadTertiary road · 4,048vehicles3,367trucks · 83.2%
Road class
Tertiary road
Median trip time
86.1 min
Drivers’ median age
40.6 yrs
Drivers’ average income
$36,059

Lower Box Elder Road is busy by local standards, at 14% more than the county average on its busiest stretch; trucks are 83.2% of it, above the county-wide 12.3%.

47th AvenuePrimary road · 3,214vehicles207trucks · 6.5%
Road class
Primary road
Congestion ratio
7.0%
Median trip time
29.8 min
Drivers’ median age
45.5 yrs
Drivers’ average income
$56,360

7th Avenue is a quieter road: its busiest stretch carries 9% less than the county average; trucks are 6.5% of it, below the county-wide 12.3%.

5US 2Trunk road · 3,207vehicles312trucks · 9.7%
Road class
Trunk road
Congestion ratio
6.9%
Median trip time
40.8 min
Drivers’ median age
47.6 yrs
Drivers’ average income
$65,919

Even at its busiest, US 2 carries 9% less than the county average; trucks are 9.7% of it, below the county-wide 12.3%.

Ranked by trucks per day

Only named roads are listed. Some unnamed segments, such as ramps or unlabeled carriageways, may carry as much traffic as the roads shown.

Cars and light vehiclesTrucks
1Lower Box Elder RoadTertiary road · #3 by traffic4,048vehicles3,367trucks · 83.2%
2Agency RoadTertiary road · 2,237vehicles1,055trucks · 47.2%
Road class
Tertiary road
Median trip time
65.8 min
Drivers’ median age
40.6 yrs
Drivers’ average income
$37,881

Agency Road leans on freight: 1,055 trucks a day, 47.2% of its traffic against 12.3% county-wide.

31st StreetTrunk road · #1 by traffic12,256vehicles906trucks · 7.4%
4Rocky Boy RoadTertiary road · 1,530vehicles824trucks · 53.9%
Road class
Tertiary road
Median trip time
79.1 min
Drivers’ median age
40.6 yrs
Drivers’ average income
$37,140

Drivers on Rocky Boy Road are on long journeys, a median 79.1 minutes against 40.0 county-wide: a through route more than a local street.

5US 2Trunk road · #5 by traffic3,207vehicles312trucks · 9.7%
How to read these road counts
  • The first number is AADT, annual average daily traffic: the vehicles passing a point on an average day, both directions combined and trucks included. On a divided highway both carriageways are added together.
  • Traffic changes along a road, with more near interchanges and towns and less in open country. Every figure for a road describes its busiest stretch in the county, so the two rankings show the same numbers for the same road.
  • The second number is the trucks on that stretch, a part of its AADT. The bar splits the AADT into cars and light vehicles (blue) and trucks (amber).
  • See segment-level AADT for any road on TrafficZoom.

Data Sources & Methodology

The data presented on this page is derived from TrafficZoom's proprietary analytics platform, which aggregates and normalizes information from multiple sources, including:

Mobile device location data (anonymized and aggregated)

Road sensor networks and traffic counters

Historical traffic pattern databases

Public traffic count programs published by the

HillDepartment of Transportation

Demographic Baseline for O-D Modeling

U.S. Census Bureau
All metrics represent estimates based on statistical modeling and are intended for strategic planning purposes.
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Data current as of:
Q3 2026

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Counties near Hill County

The same traffic breakdown for the areas closest to Hill County, Montana.

Need segment-level traffic data?

Identify traffic patterns street by street and analyze the exact corridors that matter to your project.