BHC valuation increases by 25%

The value of state-assessed land in Big Horn County increased by 50% in the last year, driving the county’s total assessed valuation to its highest point since 2015.

Big Horn County Assessor Gina Anderson set the county’s total valuation at $248,468,601 in a report released by her office last week.

The total represents an increase of $51.042 million, or 25%, from the county’s 2021 total valuation of $197,426,831.  

The last time the county valuation topped $248.46 million was 2015, when it was $279.25 million. It was $230.99 million in 2020, $227.83 million in 2019, $215.84 million in 2018, $201.51 million in 2017 and $215.15 million in 2016. 

“The increase in our county valuation is mainly due to natural gas and oil values,” said Anderson. 

Natural gas increased from $601,367 to $2.5 million, oil from $31.02 million to $65.15 million. Rural telecommunication valuation soared as well, increasing 70% from $568,273 to $967,304.

The most significant decreases were seen in the following categories: gas pipeline companies from $716,510 to $588,120 and gypsum from $1.58 million to $953,090.

Every Big Horn County district but two experienced valuation increases that will in turn provide them with more taxpayer support in the coming year than they had 2021.

The two that experienced decreases were Hyattville Cemetery ($6.75 million to $6.2 million) and South Central Cemetery in Greybull ($25.40 million to $23.71 million).

Residential property values rose from $117,481,724 to $129,002,411. 

“Market value and cost tables were a huge factor in the increase in residential property values,” said Anderson. “There were less sales in 2021, but the sales amounts were way up.”