Stillwater County, Montana

Last updated

Stillwater County, Montana
I-90 Park City MT.jpg
Beartooth Mountains from Park City
Map of Montana highlighting Stillwater County.svg
Location within the U.S. state of Montana
Montana in United States.svg
Montana's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 45°40′N109°23′W / 45.67°N 109.39°W / 45.67; -109.39
CountryFlag of the United States.svg United States
StateFlag of Montana.svg Montana
Founded1913
Named after Stillwater River
Seat Columbus
Largest townColumbus
Area
  Total
1,805 sq mi (4,670 km2)
  Land1,795 sq mi (4,650 km2)
  Water9.2 sq mi (24 km2)  0.5%
Population
 (2020)
  Total
8,963
  Estimate 
(2024)
9,450 Increase2.svg
  Density4.993/sq mi (1.928/km2)
Time zone UTC−7 (Mountain)
  Summer (DST) UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district 2nd
Website www.stillwater.mt.gov
  • Montana county number 32
Mouat chromite mine and mill, 1942 Mouat mine.jpg
Mouat chromite mine and mill, 1942

Stillwater County is a county in the U.S. state of Montana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 8,963. [1] Its county seat is Columbus. [2]

Contents

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,805 square miles (4,670 km2), of which 1,795 square miles (4,650 km2) is land and 9.2 square miles (24 km2) (0.5%) is water. [3]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

National protected areas

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
1920 7,630
1930 6,253−18.0%
1940 5,694−8.9%
1950 5,416−4.9%
1960 5,5262.0%
1970 4,632−16.2%
1980 5,59820.9%
1990 6,53616.8%
2000 8,19525.4%
2010 9,11711.3%
2020 8,963−1.7%
2024 (est.)9,450 [4] 5.4%
U.S. Decennial Census [5]
1790–1960, [6] 1900–1990, [7]
1990–2000, [8] 2010–2020 [1]

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 8,963 people living in the county. [9] Of the residents, 20.8% were under the age of 18 and 24.4% were 65 years of age or older; the median age was 48.6 years. For every 100 females there were 103.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 103.5 males. 0.0% of residents lived in urban areas and 100.0% lived in rural areas. [10]

The racial makeup of the county was 91.7% White, 0.2% Black or African American, 1.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% Asian, 0.9% from some other race, and 5.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 3.0% of the population. [9]

There were 3,777 households in the county, of which 24.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 17.2% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 26.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. [11]

There were 4,659 housing units, of which 18.9% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 81.0% were owner-occupied and 19.0% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.8% and the rental vacancy rate was 7.7%. [11]

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 9,117 people, 3,796 households, and 2,657 families in the county. The population density was 5.1 inhabitants per square mile (2.0/km2). There were 4,803 housing units at an average density of 2.7 units per square mile (1.0 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 96.8% white, 0.8% American Indian, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% black or African American, 0.4% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 2.3% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 34.7% were German, 14.1% were Irish, 14.0% were English, 10.8% were Norwegian, and 6.9% were American.

Of the 3,796 households, 28.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.6% were married couples living together, 6.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 30.0% were non-families, and 25.8% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.84. The median age was 45.7 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $57,227 and the median income for a family was $65,438. Males had a median income of $51,830 versus $26,909 for females. The per capita income for the county was $27,168. About 6.0% of families and 9.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.9% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Stillwater County is a heavily Republican county in presidential elections. It has not voted for a Democratic presidential candidate since Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1936.

United States presidential election results for Stillwater County, Montana [12]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
%%%
1916 91842.01%1,19754.78%703.20%
1920 1,72170.50%66427.20%562.29%
1924 1,41259.88%37515.90%57124.22%
1928 1,68770.06%71129.53%100.42%
1932 1,08544.23%1,28152.22%873.55%
1936 1,03442.69%1,29253.34%963.96%
1940 1,25550.71%1,20148.53%190.77%
1944 1,20156.07%93443.60%70.33%
1948 1,13754.48%89042.64%602.87%
1952 1,68967.02%81632.38%150.60%
1956 1,54060.32%1,01339.68%00.00%
1960 1,45558.41%1,03641.59%00.00%
1964 1,14050.20%1,13049.76%10.04%
1968 1,34761.20%67630.71%1788.09%
1972 1,69867.95%71628.65%853.40%
1976 1,44654.88%1,14343.38%461.75%
1980 1,82861.26%91930.80%2377.94%
1984 2,11865.01%1,10033.76%401.23%
1988 1,92056.82%1,40741.64%521.54%
1992 1,39038.19%1,17832.36%1,07229.45%
1996 1,87149.24%1,28233.74%64717.03%
2000 2,76570.57%92523.61%2285.82%
2004 3,09073.34%1,02524.33%982.33%
2008 2,99164.09%1,51232.40%1643.51%
2012 3,33770.97%1,24826.54%1172.49%
2016 3,66175.13%90818.63%3046.24%
2020 4,46277.72%1,15620.14%1232.14%
2024 4,69979.56%1,05617.88%1512.56%

Communities

Town

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Ghost towns

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on December 5, 2014. Retrieved November 30, 2014.
  4. "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 3, 2025.
  5. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 30, 2014.
  6. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved November 30, 2014.
  7. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 30, 2014.
  8. "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 30, 2014.
  9. 1 2 "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved 2025-12-07.
  10. "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved 2025-12-07.
  11. 1 2 "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved 2025-12-07.
  12. Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
  13. Meyers Creek MT Google Maps (accessed January 7, 2019)
  14. Reed Point MT Google Maps (accessed January 7, 2019)

Further reading

45°40′N109°23′W / 45.67°N 109.39°W / 45.67; -109.39