Montana has big landscapes, lots of different animals, and a long history. But it’s also a place with differences – some areas are growing fast with more people and business, while others are having problems with fewer people and things going down.
Here, we’ll look at the five Montana counties that lost the most people in the last ten years, based on the latest census info. We’ll also compare these counties with others in Montana and the whole country to understand the bigger trends and what it means for rural America. Our goal is to shine a light on the complicated issues these communities face and what might happen in their future.
Liberty County
Liberty County is in the middle of Montana with about 1,959 people as of 2020. It got its name from the Liberty Seat, which is now Chester, the main town.
The county started in 1920, taking parts from Hill and Chouteau counties. It’s mostly rural and focuses on farming, especially growing wheat and barley. In 2010, the population was 1,972, but by 2023, it went down to 1,845, which is a decrease of 21.12%.
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Powder River County
Powder River County is in the southeast of Montana and had 1,694 people in 2020. It got its name from the Powder River, which flows through it, named so because of the gunpowder-colored sand on its banks.
The county was formed in 1919 from Custer County and was named after the Powder River Expedition, which fought against Native Americans in 1865 near Broadus, the county seat. It’s a rural area with agriculture, mainly focused on cattle ranching.
There are some natural attractions like parts of Custer National Forest, Devil’s Tower National Monument, and Black Hills National Forest. In 2010, the population was 1,725, and by 2023, it decreased to 1,679, a 3.67% decline.
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Daniels County
Daniels County is in northeastern Montana with a population of 1,751 as of 2010. It was named after Mansfield Daniels, a local rancher who played a key role in founding Scobey, the county seat. Established in 1920 from parts of Sheridan and Valley counties, the county features rolling plains, hills, and valleys.
The primary industries are farming and ranching. There are also historical sites like Daniels County Museum & Pioneer Town, Scobey Border Station (1937), and One-Eyed Molly’s Saloon. The population was 1,628 in 2010 and decreased to 1,634 in 2023, a 6.68% decline.
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Carter County
Carter County is in western Montana, with about 1,725 people as of 2022. It got its name from John Carter, who helped settle the area. The county was formed in 1913 from Fallon County, and Ekalaka was its first town.
The land is mostly flat with some low hills. Farming and ranching are the main jobs here. In 2010, the population was 1,382, and in 2023, it went up to 1,493, a 28.71% increase. Despite the growth, it still has the smallest population increase among all Montana counties.
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Garfield County
Garfield County is in eastern Montana and had about 1,681 people in 2020. It was named after President James Garfield, who was in office from 1881 to 1885 and was later assassinated by Charles J. Guiteau.
In 2010, the county had a population of 1,218, and by 2023, it decreased to 1,164, which is a decrease of 3.48%. This makes it the second-lowest population among all counties in Montana.
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Final Words
These counties went through different reasons that might have caused fewer people to live there, like money problems, disasters, not enough basic things like roads or services, or people moving away.
In this study, we looked at the five Montana counties where the number of people living there dropped the fastest in the last ten years. Still, we found that these places have good things too, like beautiful nature, cultural history, and strong communities.
By coming up with ideas to help these counties, like making their economy more varied, improving connections, getting more people to move there, or working together with nearby counties, we can make things better for them.
