County valuation drops 9%

An annual report produced by the Big Horn County Assessor’s office shows a slight decline in the combined value of all property compared to 2023 when it topped $300 million.

The county’s 2024 valuation was set at $276.7 million, a decrease of nearly 10% from last year’s $303.4 million. In dollars, it amounts to about $26.708 million.

Even though it dropped, the $276.7 million figure is still the seventh-highest total of the past 20 years for Big Horn County, which saw it top out at $307.7 million in 2009, sit between $277.6 and $294.6 million between 2012-2015 and soar past $303.4 million in 2023.

Assessor Gina Anderson said the main reason for the decline in valuation this year is the value of minerals.

“Oil and natural gas are really down, and the railroad also dropped,” she said.

Oil declined from $91.7 million to $69.5 million, natural gas from $4.1 million to $1.7 million and railroad from $14.2 million to $10.7 million.

“These declines have a significant effect on the school districts, but not the towns,” said Anderson.

In total, the state-assessed value fell from $151.6 million to $123.7 million.

The value of all residential properties, meanwhile, showed a slight increase, climbing from $151.8 million to $153 million. In dollars, it amounted to about $113,000.

As noted by Anderson, the school districts saw the most significant declines. District 1’s valuation dropped by 13%, District 4’s by 10%, District 3’s by 9% and District 2’s by 5%.

Six of the nine municipalities in the county, including Burlington, Cowley, Deaver, Frannie, Greybull and Lovell, experienced valuation increases. Burlington, Cowley and Frannie saw jumps of 6% or more; the others were less than 3%.

Manderson experienced the sharpest decline, at 6%. Basin and Byron saw drops of 5%.