Wheatland County lies in the southwest corner of the Central Montana RC&D Area. Bountiful farmland carpets the basins between several island mountain ranges in this county consisting of 1,423,178 acres. Wheatland County has a population of  2,259, according to the 2000 Census. The base industries are agriculture, services, retail trade, construction, transportation and utilities. Harlowton is the County Seat and has a population of 1,062.

     The per capita income according to 1999 estimates was $15,819; with a median household income of $21,334 according to the 1990 Census..

     The largest industry in 1999 was services, followed by retail trade, with manufacturing a distant third. Major employers in Wheatland County include Harlowton School, followed by Wheatland County, Wheatland Memorial Hospital, Judith Gap School and Continental National Bank.

     There is no commercial air service in the county, but the county maintains an airport for private planes. BNSF provides mainline rail service.

     Utilities providers are Montana Power in urban areas and Fergus Electric in rural areas. Telecommunication providers include those for phone, long distance, Internet, DSL, wireless communication and cell phone. Postal carriers include USPS, UPS and Fed Ex.

     Wheatland Memorial Hospital provides healthcare services, and there are also rural ambulance and rural fire district services in the county for emergency services. Wheatlland County Sheriff's Department has a staff of five. Montana Highway Patrol also has a patrolman stationed in Harlowton.

     Harlowton has a public swimming pool, a library and tennis court.

     The average rainfall in Wheatland County is 15.08 inches; and the average snowfall is 18.2 inches. The length of the average growing season is 116 days; and the annual average temperature is 47.1 degrees Fahrenheit.