CallataGuidesBusiness phone system for coin-operated laundries and drycleaners in Montana
30 coin-operated laundries and drycleaners operated in Montana in 2023. Where they are, how big their teams are, and what phone service costs them.
- Establishments
- 30CBP 2023
- Employees
- 162mid-March 2023
- Per 100k residents
- 2.6U.S. 3.2
- State rank
- 44th of 51by count
The laundromat industry in Montana
Montana had 30 coin-operated laundries and drycleaners in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns (NAICS 812310, Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners). They employed 162 people in mid-March and reported $3,962,000 in annual payroll. That is the 44th highest count among the 51 states and DC with published figures. Coin-operated laundries and drycleaners make up 0.07% of the 42,566 business establishments in the state.
Per 100,000 residents (2024 estimate) Montana has 2.6 coin-operated laundries and drycleaners, 17.6% below the national rate of 3.2. The average establishment has 5.4 employees against 3.8 nationally. Payroll per employee is $24,457, 7.2% below the U.S. figure of $26,359.
| Measure | Montana | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Establishments | 30 | 10,890 |
| Mid-March employees | 162 (moderate noise) | 41,351 |
| Annual payroll | $3,962,000 (moderate noise) | $1,089,970,000 |
| Employees per establishment | 5.4 | 3.8 |
| Payroll per employee | $24,457 | $26,359 |
| Establishments per 100,000 residents | 2.6 | 3.2 |
Census County Business Patterns 2023 (mid-March employment; annual payroll). Employees and payroll flagged high-noise are shown but not used in the text. Residents: Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Coin-operated laundries and drycleaners by metro area in Montana
Census published laundromat counts for 4 metro or micropolitan areas that include part of Montana. The largest is Missoula, MT, with 4 establishments. Single-state metro and micropolitan areas account for 43% of the statewide total; the rest are outside any published area or in areas Census suppressed.
| Area | Establishments | Employees | Per 100k residents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Missoula, MT | 4 | 24 | 3.1 |
| Billings, MT | 3 | 20 | 1.6 |
| Bozeman, MT | 3 | 22 | 2.4 |
| Butte, MT | 3 | 17 | 8.3 |
Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023; population from Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Team sizes at coin-operated laundries and drycleaners in Montana
53.3% of Montana's coin-operated laundries and drycleaners with employees had fewer than five people in March 2023, compared with 75.4% nationally. 80.0% had fewer than ten. At that size the phone is shared, so routing (who rings, when, and what happens after hours) matters more than the number of desk phones.
| Employment size | Establishments | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 employees | 16 | 53.3% | 75.4% |
| 5–9 employees | 8 | 26.7% | 18.7% |
| 10–19 employees | 6 | 20.0% | 4.7% |
| 20–49 employees | not published | — | 1.0% |
| 50 or more employees | 0 | 0.0% | 0.3% |
Employment-size classes count establishments by mid-March 2023 employment. Establishments with no March employees are excluded from the size classes, so shares are of establishments with employees. Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023.
Calls a laundromat in Montana has to catch
Laundromats take calls about hours, machine availability and wash-and-fold service. Wash-and-fold and pickup services rely on phone and text. That holds for coin-operated laundries and drycleaners in Montana as much as anywhere.
A few of the calls that come in to coin-operated laundries and drycleaners in Montana:
- The laundromat calls a customer when an order is ready.
- A customer calls about wash-and-fold turnaround.
- A customer calls about a machine that took money.
Business texting for coin-operated laundries and drycleaners
Laundromats text order-ready notices.
Texting from a local number in Montana requires carrier registration (10DLC), a one-time $49 fee on Callata.
Callata vs. per-seat pricing for coin-operated laundries and drycleaners in Montana
Coin-operated laundries and drycleaners in Montana average 5.4 employees, so the comparison uses a 5-person team. Per-seat business phone plans bill every one of those people. At month-to-month list prices checked September 28, 2026, 5 users on RingCentral RingEX Core cost $150.00 a month and 5 on Ooma Office Pro cost $124.75. Callata comes to $99.00 a month for 5 users ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user), below both.
Over a year, that is $612 less than RingCentral for a laundromat in Montana of that size. Annual contracts lower some competitors' prices, so compare the plan you would actually sign.
| Provider (plan) | Pricing basis | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Callata (Callata Office) | $99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user | $99.00 | $1,188.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $95.00 | $1,140.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $115.00 | $1,380.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $124.75 | $1,497.00 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $135.00 | $1,620.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $150.00 | $1,800.00 |
Competitor prices are each vendor's published month-to-month list price per user for its lowest plan that includes business calling and texting, checked September 28, 2026: Quo Starter $19, Nextiva Core $23, Ooma Office Pro $24.95 (Essentials excludes texting; one-time $29.95 activation not included), Dialpad Standard $27, RingCentral RingEX Core $30 ($20 billed annually). Prices exclude taxes and fees and may change; annual contracts lower some competitors' prices.
Area codes in Montana
Montana has 1 geographic area code in service according to NANPA. Callata includes up to 3 local numbers, so a laundromat can hold a number in more than one of them.
| Area code | Exchanges | Time zone | In service since | Overlay with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 406 | 754 | Mountain | 1947 | none |
Exchanges are NANPA-assigned central office codes (NPA-NXX) in the rate centers matched to the area's named places. Source: NANPA utilized code and NPA reports.
How Callata works for coin-operated laundries and drycleaners in Montana
For $99 a month, Callata puts a team of up to 5 on one plan ($20 for each person after that): up to 3 local numbers, unlimited inbound calls, a pooled allowance of 1,500 outbound US and Canada minutes per user, browser and cell calling, voicemail transcription with urgency triage, recorded calls with AI summaries and business-hours routing, with E911 on every number.
Porting a number you already use in Montana is free, and business texting is available once the carrier registration (10DLC) is approved; the registration carries a one-time $49 fee. Which specific numbers are open in a given area code depends on carrier inventory at the time you sign up.
AI agents are optional: an AI receptionist or scheduler can pick up when the team is busy or closed, take a message, send a text or email, or transfer the call. They draw on prepaid AI minutes ($0.25/minute), disclose that they are AI, and outbound AI calls require prior consent and are limited to 8am–9pm.
Frequently asked questions
How many coin-operated laundries and drycleaners are in Montana?
30 in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns. They employed 162 people in mid-March.
Which Montana metro area has the most coin-operated laundries and drycleaners?
Missoula, MT, with 4 establishments in 2023.
What does a phone system cost a 5-person laundromat?
$150.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core or $124.75 on Ooma Office Pro at month-to-month list prices (checked September 28, 2026); $99.00 on Callata ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user).
Do I need to register to text customers from a Montana number?
Yes. US carriers require business texting from local numbers to be registered (10DLC). On Callata the registration is a one-time $49 fee, and texting turns on once it is approved.