Lincoln County, Montana

Last updated

Lincoln County
County
Lincoln County Courthouse July 2020.jpg
Lincoln County Courthouse
Map of Montana highlighting Lincoln County.svg
Location within the U.S. state of Montana
Montana in United States.svg
Montana's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 48°32′N115°25′W / 48.54°N 115.41°W / 48.54; -115.41
CountryFlag of the United States.svg United States
StateFlag of Montana.svg Montana
FoundedMarch 9, 1909 [1]
Named after Abraham Lincoln
Seat Libby
Largest cityLibby
Area
 • Total
3,675 sq mi (9,520 km2)
 • Land3,613 sq mi (9,360 km2)
 • Water62 sq mi (160 km2)  1.7%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
19,677
 • Estimate 
(2024)
22,184 Increase2.svg
 • Density5.4/sq mi (2.1/km2)
Time zone UTC−7 (Mountain)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district 1st
Website www.lincolncountymt.us
  • Montana county number 56,
    the highest county number

Lincoln County is a county located in the U.S. state of Montana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 19,677. [2] Its county seat is Libby. [3] The county was founded in 1909 and named for President Abraham Lincoln. The county lies on Montana's north border and thus shares the US-Canadian border with the Canadian province of British Columbia.

Contents

This heavily wooded and mountainous county once was part of Flathead County until residents of Libby and Eureka petitioned the state legislature for separation. Libby won an election over Eureka to host the county seat.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 3,675 square miles (9,520 km2), of which 3,615 square miles (9,360 km2) is land and 62 square miles (160 km2) (1.7%) is water. [4] The county borders the Canadian province of British Columbia to the north. The lowest point in the state of Montana is located on the Kootenai River in Lincoln County, where it flows out of Montana and into Idaho. Upstream, Libby Dam backs up huge Lake Koocanusa (combination name of Kootenai, Canada, USA) into Canada's British Columbia.

Adjacent counties and county-equivalents

National protected areas

Economics

Top employers

In 2003, the top employers are listed in the table below. [5]

#Employer# of Employees
1 Kootenai National Forest 276
2Libby Public School District203
3St John's Lutheran Hospital182
4Lincoln County Government135
5Owens & Hurst Lumber120

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1910 3,638—
1920 7,797114.3%
1930 7,089−9.1%
1940 7,88211.2%
1950 8,69310.3%
1960 12,53744.2%
1970 18,06344.1%
1980 17,752−1.7%
1990 17,481−1.5%
2000 18,8377.8%
2010 19,6874.5%
2020 19,677−0.1%
2024 (est.)22,184 [6] 12.7%
U.S. Decennial Census [7]
1790–1960 [8] 1900–1990 [9]
1990–2000 [10] 2010–2020 [2]

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 19,677 people living in the county.[ citation needed ]

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 19,687 people, 8,843 households, and 5,608 families living in the county. The population density was 5.4 inhabitants per square mile (2.1/km2). There were 11,413 housing units at an average density of 3.2 units per square mile (1.2 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 95.9% white, 0.9% American Indian, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% black or African American, 0.4% from other races, and 2.3% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 2.3% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 31.5% were German, 15.7% were Irish, 15.3% were English, 10.2% were Norwegian, and 3.3% were American.

Of the 8,843 households, 23.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.0% were married couples living together, 7.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 36.6% were non-families, and 30.6% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.72. The median age was 48.9 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,823 and the median income for a family was $39,600. Males had a median income of $40,944 versus $24,965 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,626. About 13.7% of families and 18.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.2% of those under age 18 and 12.1% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Welcome sign for Lincoln County on U.S. Route 93 Lincoln County Montana Sign US93.jpg
Welcome sign for Lincoln County on U.S. Route 93

Cities

Towns

Census-designated places

Other unincorporated communities

Politics

For its first eighty years, Lincoln County was a Democratic-leaning area that would vote Republican only during large GOP landslides. Only four Republicans were to win the county in the seventeen Presidential elections between its inaugural election in 1912 and 1976. However, like many timber-dependent counties, it has become overwhelmingly Republican since that time. The last Democrat to carry Lincoln County was Michael Dukakis during the drought-influenced 1988 election. Since then, no Democrat has reached 35 percent of the county's vote.

United States presidential election results for Lincoln County, Montana [16]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No. %No. %No. %
1912 21821.69%34634.43%44143.88%
1916 80735.35%1,18651.95%29012.70%
1920 1,18757.54%68333.11%1939.36%
1924 97640.89%37415.67%1,03743.44%
1928 1,21752.30%1,06745.85%431.85%
1932 83328.66%1,86764.25%2067.09%
1936 74524.43%2,11769.41%1886.16%
1940 1,25036.25%2,15062.35%481.39%
1944 1,10942.84%1,44555.81%351.35%
1948 1,07937.30%1,68958.38%1254.32%
1952 1,88149.23%1,90749.91%330.86%
1956 2,32150.38%2,28649.62%00.00%
1960 1,90241.84%2,62357.70%210.46%
1964 1,55433.00%3,14066.68%150.32%
1968 2,35540.55%2,67746.10%77513.35%
1972 3,27652.77%2,40238.69%5308.54%
1976 3,01748.02%3,14650.07%1201.91%
1980 4,20257.19%2,42232.96%7249.85%
1984 4,08056.79%2,95941.19%1452.02%
1988 3,50047.98%3,60149.37%1932.65%
1992 2,79933.41%2,76533.00%2,81433.59%
1996 3,55245.16%2,70534.39%1,60920.46%
2000 5,57871.09%1,62920.76%6398.14%
2004 5,88969.70%2,32027.46%2402.84%
2008 5,70461.82%3,02532.78%4985.40%
2012 6,05768.13%2,55228.71%2813.16%
2016 6,72972.12%2,04121.88%5606.00%
2020 8,67273.81%2,83524.13%2422.06%
2024 8,90975.57%2,61522.18%2652.25%

See also

Notes

    References

    1. ↑ "Montana County Formation Table". genealogytrails.com. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
    2. 1 2 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
    3. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
    4. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". U.S. Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on December 5, 2014. Retrieved November 28, 2014.
    5. ↑ "Community Information - Employment by Industry Chart - Lincoln County, Montana". libbymt.com. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
    6. ↑ "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 3, 2025.
    7. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 28, 2014.
    8. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved November 28, 2014.
    9. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 28, 2014.
    10. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved November 28, 2014.
    11. ↑ Dodge Summit MT Google Maps (accessed January 3, 2019)
    12. ↑ Jennings MT Google Maps (accessed January 3, 2019)
    13. ↑ Kootenai Falls MT Google Maps (accessed January 3, 2019)
    14. ↑ Tobacco MT Google Maps (accessed January 3, 2019)
    15. ↑ Yarnell MT Google Maps (accessed January 3, 2019)
    16. ↑ Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 3, 2018.

    48°32′N115°25′W / 48.54°N 115.41°W / 48.54; -115.41

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