Beaverhead County, Montana
Beaverhead County is the largest county by area in the U.S. state of Montana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 9,371.[1] Its county seat is Dillon.[2] The county was founded in 1865.[3]
Much of the perimeter of the county is the Continental Divide, including its entire border with the state of Idaho. The divide heads east into Montana at the county border with Ravalli County, between Lost Trail Pass and Chief Joseph Pass.
History
[edit | edit source]The county name is derived from a rock formation, which the Shoshone described as being shaped like a beaver's head.[4]
The original county seat was the gold-mining town of Bannack. In 1881 it was moved to Dillon.
Geography
[edit | edit source]According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 5,572 square miles (14,430 km2), of which 5,542 square miles (14,350 km2) is land and 30 square miles (78 km2) (0.3%) is water.[5] It is the largest county in Montana by area. Beaverhead impact structure is in the area. The Big Hole River (formerly called Wisdom River) runs through the county.
Adjacent counties
[edit | edit source]- Ravalli County - northwest
- Deer Lodge County - north
- Silver Bow County - north
- Madison County - east
- Fremont County, Idaho - southeast
- Clark County, Idaho - south
- Lemhi County, Idaho - west
Major highways
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National protected areas
[edit | edit source]Demographics
[edit | edit source]2020 census
[edit | edit source]As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 9,371.[6]
Of the residents, 19.7% were under the age of 18 and 24.1% were 65 years of age or older; the median age was 43.9 years. For every 100 females there were 102.0 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 101.1 males. 47.3% of residents lived in urban areas and 52.7% lived in rural areas.[7]
The racial makeup of the county was 90.2% White, 0.3% Black or African American, 1.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% Asian, 1.5% from some other race, and 6.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 4.6% of the population.[6]
There were 4,108 households in the county, of which 22.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 23.8% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 32.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[8]
There were 4,918 housing units, of which 16.5% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 65.1% were owner-occupied and 34.9% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.9% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.2%.[8]
2010 census
[edit | edit source]As of the 2010 census, there were 9,246 people, 4,014 households, and 2,383 families living in the county. The population density was 1.7 inhabitants per square mile (0.66/km2). There were 5,273 housing units at an average density of 1.0 per square mile (0.39/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 94.8% white, 1.4% American Indian, 0.4% Pacific islander, 0.4% Asian, 0.2% black or African American, 1.2% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 3.7% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 26.5% were German, 23.9% were English, 15.4% were Irish, 7.9% were Norwegian, 6.5% were Scottish, and 3.4% were American.
Of the 4,014 households, 23.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.9% were married couples living together, 6.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 40.6% were non-families, and 33.0% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.79. The median age was 42.0 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $38,264 and the median income for a family was $53,036. Males had a median income of $35,568 versus $27,314 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,110. About 10.8% of families and 15.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.4% of those under age 18 and 6.0% of those age 65 or over.
Politics
[edit | edit source]Beaverhead is a heavily Republican county. It has not voted for a Democratic Presidential candidate since 1936.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1904 | 1,021 | 59.81% | 650 | 38.08% | 36 | 2.11% |
| 1908 | 878 | 51.95% | 739 | 43.73% | 73 | 4.32% |
| 1912 | 708 | 38.23% | 713 | 38.50% | 431 | 23.27% |
| 1916 | 1,455 | 48.39% | 1,463 | 48.65% | 89 | 2.96% |
| 1920 | 2,049 | 68.80% | 833 | 27.97% | 96 | 3.22% |
| 1924 | 1,386 | 50.55% | 766 | 27.94% | 590 | 21.52% |
| 1928 | 1,906 | 62.21% | 1,144 | 37.34% | 14 | 0.46% |
| 1932 | 1,418 | 43.09% | 1,834 | 55.73% | 39 | 1.19% |
| 1936 | 1,304 | 36.86% | 2,153 | 60.85% | 81 | 2.29% |
| 1940 | 1,725 | 51.17% | 1,632 | 48.41% | 14 | 0.42% |
| 1944 | 1,556 | 54.94% | 1,263 | 44.60% | 13 | 0.46% |
| 1948 | 1,583 | 52.68% | 1,356 | 45.12% | 66 | 2.20% |
| 1952 | 2,196 | 70.20% | 920 | 29.41% | 12 | 0.38% |
| 1956 | 1,955 | 65.52% | 1,029 | 34.48% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 1,731 | 56.88% | 1,307 | 42.95% | 5 | 0.16% |
| 1964 | 1,754 | 54.29% | 1,469 | 45.47% | 8 | 0.25% |
| 1968 | 1,896 | 61.04% | 853 | 27.46% | 357 | 11.49% |
| 1972 | 2,460 | 71.99% | 775 | 22.68% | 182 | 5.33% |
| 1976 | 2,461 | 69.46% | 1,013 | 28.59% | 69 | 1.95% |
| 1980 | 2,955 | 72.02% | 842 | 20.52% | 306 | 7.46% |
| 1984 | 3,044 | 75.44% | 942 | 23.35% | 49 | 1.21% |
| 1988 | 2,668 | 66.73% | 1,274 | 31.87% | 56 | 1.40% |
| 1992 | 1,746 | 41.97% | 1,098 | 26.39% | 1,316 | 31.63% |
| 1996 | 2,414 | 60.06% | 1,164 | 28.96% | 441 | 10.97% |
| 2000 | 3,113 | 74.19% | 799 | 19.04% | 284 | 6.77% |
| 2004 | 3,067 | 72.30% | 1,103 | 26.00% | 72 | 1.70% |
| 2008 | 3,008 | 63.15% | 1,617 | 33.95% | 138 | 2.90% |
| 2012 | 3,289 | 68.35% | 1,371 | 28.49% | 152 | 3.16% |
| 2016 | 3,353 | 69.15% | 1,143 | 23.57% | 353 | 7.28% |
| 2020 | 3,923 | 69.30% | 1,608 | 28.40% | 130 | 2.30% |
| 2024 | 4,058 | 70.04% | 1,543 | 26.63% | 193 | 3.33% |
| 2016 | 1 | 33.33% | 1 | 33.33% | 1 | 33.33% |
Economy
[edit | edit source]Beaverhead County is one of the largest cattle and hay producing areas of Montana. Barrett's Minerals, one of the world's largest talc mines, calls Beaverhead County home.[10] In 2009, Barrett Hospital and Healthcare was the largest private employer in the county.
Education
[edit | edit source]The University of Montana Western is in Dillon.
Communities
[edit | edit source]City
[edit | edit source]- Dillon (county seat)
Town
[edit | edit source]Census-designated places
[edit | edit source]Other unincorporated communities
[edit | edit source]Former communities
[edit | edit source]- Armstead - flooded by Clark County Reservoir in 1964
- Bannack (presently a National Historic Monument and site of Bannack State Park)
- Hecla
- Lion City
Notable people
[edit | edit source]- Joseph Poindexter, later Territorial Governor of Hawaii, served as County Attorney here [citation needed].
- Thomas Savage (1915-2003) spent his childhood and teen years on his family's ranch in Beaverhead County. His experiences there informed his best known novels, The Power of the Dog and The Sheep Queen [citation needed].
See also
[edit | edit source]- List of lakes in Beaverhead County, Montana
- List of mountains in Beaverhead County, Montana
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Beaverhead County, Montana
References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
- ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on July 4, 2012. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ↑ "Montana Place Names Companion". Montana Place Names From Alzada to Zortman. Montana Historical Society Research Center. Retrieved December 1, 2014.
- ↑ Merrill, Andrea; Judy Jacobson (1997). Montana almanac. Helena MT: Falcon Publishing. p. 6. ISBN 1-56044-493-2.
- ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on December 5, 2014. Retrieved November 27, 2014.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved 2025-12-07.
- ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved 2025-12-07.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved 2025-12-07.
- ↑ Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
- ↑ State of Montana. "Beaverhead County" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on September 6, 2011. Retrieved May 31, 2011.
- ↑ Apex, Beaverhead County MT Google Maps (accessed December 31, 2018)
- ↑ Barretts, Beaverhead County MT Google Maps (accessed December 31, 2018)
- ↑ Dalys, Beaverhead County MT Google Maps (accessed December 31, 2018)
- ↑ Elkhorn Hot Springs, Beaverhead County MT Google Maps (accessed 31 December 2018)
- ↑ Ford, Beaverhead County MT Google Maps (accessed December 31, 2018)
- ↑ Kidd, Beaverhead County MT Google Maps (accessed December 31, 2018)
- ↑ Red Rock, Beaverhead County MT Google Maps (accessed December 31, 2018)
External links
[edit | edit source]Template:Beaverhead County, Montana Template:Montana Coordinates: 45°07′N 112°54′W / 45.12°N 112.90°W