Sweet Grass County, Montana

For the town in the same state, see Sweet Grass, Montana.

Sweet Grass County
County
Carnegie library designed by Link & Haire in Big Timber, Montana
Location within the U.S. state of Montana
Montana's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 45°49′N109°56′W / 45.81°N 109.94°W / 45.81; -109.94
Country	United States
State	Montana
Founded	1895
Named for	Sweet grass
Seat	Big Timber
Largest city	Big Timber
Area
• Total	1,862 sq mi (4,820 km2)
• Land	1,855 sq mi (4,800 km2)
• Water	6.8 sq mi (18 km2)  0.4%
Population  (2020)
• Total	3,678
• Estimate  (2022)	3,715
• Density	2.0/sq mi (0.76/km2)
Time zone	UTC−7 (Mountain)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district	2nd
Website	sweetgrasscountygov.com
Montana county number 40

Sweet Grass County is a county located in the U.S. state of Montana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,678. ^[1] Its county seat is Big Timber. ^[2] The county was founded in 1895. ^[3]

History

The Montana Legislature authorized Sweet Grass County in 1895, taking parts of Park, Meagher, and Yellowstone counties. That boundary was altered in 1913 when Stillwater County was formed from a portion of Sweet Grass; again in 1917 with the formation of Wheatland County, and in 1920 with the formation of Golden Valley County. ^[4]

Climate

Sweet Grass County's climate is generally dry and cool, specified as Dfc in the Köppen-Geiger climate classification (subarctic or boreal). ^[5] Average annual precipitation of 15 inches (380 mm) comes in rain and snow. The summer precipitation accumulation (April through September) averages 10.5 inches (270 mm). The average summer high temperature is 75.3 °F (24.1 °C) and the average minimum temperature during that period is 44.2 °F (6.8 °C). July and August are the hottest months. The annual average high temperature is 60.6 °F (15.9 °C) and the annual average minimum temperature is 33.6 °F (0.9 °C). The coldest temperature recorded in the county in recent times was −47 °F (−44 °C) in February 1936, and the warmest was 107 °F (42 °C) in July 2002. Big Timber receives 286 sunny days on average. ^[4]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,862 square miles (4,820 km²), of which 1,855 square miles (4,800 km²) is land and 6.8 square miles (18 km²) (0.4%) is water. ^[6]

Major highways

• Interstate 90
• U.S. Highway 191
• U.S. Highway 10 (Former)

Transit

• Jefferson Lines

Adjacent counties

• Wheatland County - north
• Golden Valley County - northeast
• Stillwater County - east
• Park County - west
• Meagher County - northwest

National protected areas

• Custer National Forest (part)
• Gallatin National Forest (part)
• Lewis and Clark National Forest (part)

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1900	3,086		—
1910	4,029		30.6%
1920	4,926		22.3%
1930	3,944		−19.9%
1940	3,719		−5.7%
1950	3,621		−2.6%
1960	3,290		−9.1%
1970	2,980		−9.4%
1980	3,216		7.9%
1990	3,154		−1.9%
2000	3,609		14.4%
2010	3,651		1.2%
2020	3,678		0.7%
2022 (est.)	3,715	[7]	1.0%
U.S. Decennial Census [8] 1790–1960, [9] 1900–1990, [10] 1990–2000, [11] 2010–2020 [1]

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 3,678 people living in the county.^{[ citation needed ]}

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 3,651 people, 1,590 households, and 1,045 families in the county. The population density was 2.0 people per square mile (0.77 people/km²). There were 2,148 housing units at an average density of 1.2 units per square mile (0.46/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.6% white, 0.7% Asian, 0.4% American Indian, 0.1% black or African American, 0.6% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.4% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 25.3% were German, 22.6% were Norwegian, 13.0% were American, 12.8% were Irish, 10.8% were English, and 7.3% were Scottish.

Of the 1,590 households, 28.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.2% were married couples living together, 6.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 34.3% were non-families, and 30.4% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.82. The median age was 46.6 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $43,723 and the median income for a family was $56,552. Males had a median income of $35,385 versus $25,000 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,785. About 10% of the families and 12.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.8% of those under age 18 and 9.9% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

In presidential elections, Sweet Grass County is among the most consistently Republican counties in the state and the nation. The last, and one of the only, times the Democratic candidate carried the county was in 1936 when Franklin D. Roosevelt won every county in Montana. In both the 1916 and 1932 Presidential elections, Sweet Grass County was the only county in Montana to be won by the Republican. ^[12]

Sweet Grass County is also Republican at a local level. Democratic governor Brian Schweitzer has never won a majority of the county's vote and no Democratic gubernatorial candidate has carried the county in decades. ^[13] In the Montana Senate it is represented by Republican Nels Swandal and in the Montana House of Representatives it is represented by Republican Alan Redfield. ^[14]

United States presidential election results for Sweet Grass County, Montana ^[15]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	1,789	75.14%	525	22.05%	67	2.81%
2020	1,840	75.22%	549	22.44%	57	2.33%
2016	1,595	75.70%	402	19.08%	110	5.22%
2012	1,594	75.30%	475	22.44%	48	2.27%
2008	1,494	71.72%	541	25.97%	48	2.30%
2004	1,509	76.10%	445	22.44%	29	1.46%
2000	1,450	78.55%	305	16.52%	91	4.93%
1996	1,109	62.23%	469	26.32%	204	11.45%
1992	880	48.86%	395	21.93%	526	29.21%
1988	1,242	71.67%	462	26.66%	29	1.67%
1984	1,417	78.59%	378	20.97%	8	0.44%
1980	1,169	67.22%	440	25.30%	130	7.48%
1976	1,135	68.41%	502	30.26%	22	1.33%
1972	1,260	76.00%	350	21.11%	48	2.90%
1968	1,043	70.00%	336	22.55%	111	7.45%
1964	856	56.54%	653	43.13%	5	0.33%
1960	1,096	67.78%	521	32.22%	0	0.00%
1956	1,129	71.28%	455	28.72%	0	0.00%
1952	1,315	77.17%	372	21.83%	17	1.00%
1948	843	61.71%	499	36.53%	24	1.76%
1944	897	62.29%	533	37.01%	10	0.69%
1940	861	53.45%	741	46.00%	9	0.56%
1936	664	43.01%	783	50.71%	97	6.28%
1932	784	49.18%	761	47.74%	49	3.07%
1928	1,163	72.46%	435	27.10%	7	0.44%
1924	853	59.57%	248	17.32%	331	23.11%
1920	1,035	73.51%	349	24.79%	24	1.70%
1916	890	50.20%	839	47.32%	44	2.48%
1912	181	19.21%	277	29.41%	484	51.38%
1908	526	63.76%	264	32.00%	35	4.24%
1904	538	70.51%	174	22.80%	51	6.68%

Culture

The county was the setting of the 2009 sheep-herding documentary Sweetgrass . The film takes place in many counties in Montana but the title comes from this county.

Communities

City

• Big Timber (county seat)

Census-designated place

• Greycliff

Unincorporated communities

• Carney
• McLeod ^[16]
• Meyers Creek ^[17]
• Melville
• Quebec
• Sourdough

See also

• List of lakes in Sweet Grass County, Montana
• List of mountains in Sweet Grass County, Montana
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Sweet Grass County, Montana

References

1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. Montana Place Names from Alzada to Zortman. Helena, MT: Montana Historical Society Press. 2009. p. 259.
4. About Sweet Grass County (accessed January 7, 2019)
5. Koeppen-Geiger Classification for US counties (accessed January 7, 2019)
6. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on December 5, 2014. Retrieved November 30, 2014.
7. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2022". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
8. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 30, 2014.
9. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved November 30, 2014.
10. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 30, 2014.
11. "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.
12. Geographie Electorale
13. David Leip, US Election Atlas
14. Montana legislative site
15. Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
16. McLeod Post Office MT Google Maps (accessed January 7, 2019)
17. Meyers Creek MT Google Maps (accessed January 7, 2019)

45°49′N109°56′W / 45.81°N 109.94°W / 45.81; -109.94