Great Falls, MT Business Funding: Cascade County, MT Facts and Contacts

ZIP 59401: the businesses around 7th St S

The listed office address sits in ZIP 59401. In 2023 that ZIP held 621 employer establishments with 6,576 employees in the March pay period and $313.3 million in annual payroll (Census ZIP Code Business Patterns 2023). Just over half, 50.2%, had fewer than five employees.

By land area, ZIP 59401 lies entirely inside Great Falls city limits (2020 Census ZCTA-to-place relationship file), so these are city businesses. They are not every city business, though: the city has other ZIP codes, and we do not have figures for those here.

The county around 7th St S: Cascade County, MT figures

Across Cascade County, MT there were 2,472 employer establishments in 2023, employing 30,050 people with $1.46 billion in annual payroll (County Business Patterns 2023). Of those establishments, 1,252 had fewer than five employees and another 539 had five to nine. Just 35 establishments in the county had a payroll of 100 people or more.

The county also counted 5,799 nonemployer businesses in 2024, with receipts but no payroll (Nonemployer Statistics 2024). That count comes from a different program and year, so it is shown beside the employer figure, never added to it.

By employer establishments, the three largest sectors in 2023 were health care and social assistance (347), retail trade (321) and construction (290). Health care also had the largest payroll, $467.8 million.

Owners working for themselves in Great Falls, MT and Cascade County, MT

In the 2020-2024 American Community Survey, 9.3% (+/- 1.2) of employed Great Falls, MT residents were self-employed: 5.8% (+/- 1.0) in businesses they had not incorporated and 3.4% (+/- 0.7) in incorporated ones. For Cascade County the self-employed share was 11.5% (+/- 1.1), below Montana's 15.2% (+/- 0.4).

Unincorporated owners matter for funding. Partners lend to the business entity, so a sole proprietor's request rests heavily on the owner's own credit and records. Owners who incorporate should keep the state filing current; our annual report guide explains why partners check it.

Building permits as a construction signal

Cascade County, MT authorized 253 new privately owned housing units by building permit in 2025, after 223 in 2024 and 151 in 2023 (Census Building Permits Survey). Single-family homes made up 153 of the 2025 units; buildings of five or more units added 76. Residential permits are only one slice of construction demand, but a rising count often means more work for framers, electricians and plumbers, and more equipment and payroll to fund. The construction page covers that sector.

What these figures suggest for a funding request

• Small payrolls dominate. With half of employers under five people, most requests are for wage gaps and single machines, which point toward working capital and equipment financing.
• Sector mix matters. Retail and construction are both large here, and partners fund both; the industries overview pairs each with structures.
• Records come first. Unincorporated and incorporated owners alike benefit from checking state records before applying.

All six structures sit side by side in one Fieldcroft table.

Local resources and contacts

The City of Great Falls publishes its official website at greatfallsmt.net (address from Wikidata, checked as reachable on 2026-10-16). Start there for city departments, licensing and planning. Our license and zoning guide lists the questions to put to the city before you sign a lease, and the resource directory covers free advising.

Notes from the blog

Four posts apply these figures to specific decisions: the downtown business improvement district, leasing retail space, funding payroll and buying equipment. The blog page lists them all.

Around the city and reaching us

Owners in Black Eagle, Vaughn, Belt, Cascade and the rest of the county work with us by phone and online; the service-area page describes each place. About Fieldcroft explains how we work, and the contact page has the phone number and address.

Great Falls, MT businesses we help

Our lending partners have confirmed they fund contractors and construction trades, restaurants and food service, medical and dental practices and retailers and wholesalers that carry stock, and Fieldcroft Business Capital works with businesses like these in Great Falls, MT. Each partner still decides case by case.

What to gather before you call

• Last year's filed tax return for the business
• Current financial statements: profit and loss plus a balance sheet
• A driver's license or passport for each owner
• Your articles of organization or incorporation and the EIN letter
• Details of any loans, leases or advances the business already carries
• For equipment, the seller's quote with make, model and price

Partners differ in what they request; this list covers the usual ground.

How a request moves forward

1. It starts with a call to (406) 313-8082 or the short contact form. On the phone we cover the purpose of the funds, time in business and approximate monthly revenue.
2. We explain which funding types fit that use and what partners usually need to see. Nothing is submitted without your go-ahead.
3. Once you agree, the request goes to partners that provide that type of funding. The credit decision belongs to each partner.
4. If a partner makes an offer, you compare the total cost, payment schedule and terms. You are never obligated to accept.

Our office is at 20 7th St S, Great Falls, MT 59401.

By Fieldcroft Business Capital · Updated 2026-10-16