Missoula County, Montana

Missoula County, Montana
Location in the state of Montana
Montana's location in the U.S.
Founded	1864
Seat	Missoula
Largest city	Missoula
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	2,618 sq mi (6,781 km²) 2,598 sq mi (6,729 km²) 20 sq mi (52 km²), 0.78%
Population  - (2010)  - Density	109,299 36/sq mi (14/km²)
Website	www.co.missoula.mt.us

Missoula County is a county located in the U.S. state of Montana, with Missoula as its county seat and largest city^[1]. It is the only county in the Missoula Metropolitan Area. The 2010 census put the Missoula County population at 109,299 making it the second most populous county in Montana.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, Missoula County has a total area of 2,618 square miles (6,780 km²), of which, 2,598 square miles (6,730 km²) of it is land and 20 square miles (52 km²) of it (0.78%) is water. Five large valleys and two major rivers wind through this mountainous region.

Major highways

• Interstate 90
• U.S. Highway 12
• U.S. Highway 93
• ‎ Montana Highway 83
• ‎ Montana Highway 200

Adjacent counties

• Mineral County - west
• Sanders County - northwest
• Lake County - north
• Flathead County - northeast
• Powell County - east
• Granite County - southeast
• Ravalli County - south
• Idaho County, Idaho - southwest
• Clearwater County, Idaho - southwest

National protected areas

• Bitterroot National Forest (part)
• Flathead National Forest (part)
• Lolo National Forest (part)
• Rattlesnake National Recreation Area

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1870	2,554		—
1880	2,537		−0.7%
1890	14,427		468.7%
1900	13,964		−3.2%
1910	23,596		69.0%
1920	24,041		1.9%
1930	21,782		−9.4%
1940	29,038		33.3%
1950	35,493		22.2%
1960	44,663		25.8%
1970	58,263		30.5%
1980	76,016		30.5%
1990	78,687		3.5%
2000	95,802		21.8%
2010	109,299		14.1%
sources:[2][3][4]

As of the 2000 census^[5], there were 95,802 people, 38,439 households, and 23,140 families residing in Missoula County. The population density was 37 people per square mile (14/km²). There were 41,319 housing units at an average density of 16 per square mile (6/km²). The racial makeup of the county was:

• 94.02% White
• 0.27% Black or African American
• 2.29% Native American
• 1.02% Asian
• 0.08% Pacific Islander
• 0.45% from other races
• 1.86% from two or more races.

1.61% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 22.7% were of German, 13.0% Irish, 10.4% English, 8.5% Norwegian and 5.6% American ancestry according to Census 2000.

There were 38,439 households out of which 29.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.40% were married couples living together, 9.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.80% were non-families. 28.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.96.

In the county the age distribution of the population shows 22.90% under the age of 18, 15.40% from 18 to 24, 29.20% from 25 to 44, 22.60% from 45 to 64, and 10.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 99.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.00 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $34,454, and the median income for a family was $44,865. Males had a median income of $31,605 versus $21,720 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,808. About 8.80% of families and 14.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.60% of those under age 18 and 8.20% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

City

• Missoula

Census-designated places

• Bonner-West Riverside
• Clinton
• East Missoula
• Evaro
• Frenchtown
• Lolo
• Orchard Homes
• Seeley Lake
• Wye

Other community

• Condon

History

Missoula County, Washington Territory was incorporated in 1860. Missoula County encompassed present-day Missoula and Deer Lodge Counties, as well as a good portion of land north and south of present-day Missoula County. Hell Gate Town, the county seat, was located at the confluence of the Clark Fork and Bitterroot Rivers.

In 1863, Missoula County reverted to the Idaho Territory when it was created in that year. Missoula County then shifted its boundaries to look more like its present-day boundaries dividing the Bitterroot Mountains from the Rocky Mountains. Missoula County became a part of Montana Territory when the territory was organized out of the existing Idaho Territory by Act of Congress and signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln on May 26, 1864. This early Missoula County was one of the eleven original counties of Montana Territory and consisted of part or all of the lands now occupied by the current Ravalli, Missoula, Granite, Mineral, Lake, Sanders, Lincoln, Flathead, and Glacier Counties.

Notable residents

• Marc Racicot, former Governor of Montana, previously served as deputy county attorney here.
• Diane Sands, member of the Montana House of Representatives
• Edgar Samuel Paxson, frontier artist of the Old West

See also

• List of cemeteries in Missoula County, Montana
• List of lakes in Missoula County, Montana
• List of mountains in Missoula County, Montana
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Missoula County, Montana

References

1. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. Retrieved 2011-06-07. 
2. ^ census.gov Montana population by county, 1900-90 - accessed 2009-05-02
3. ^ quickfacts.census.gov - Missoula County - accessed 2009-05-02
4. ^ "Missoula County QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau". Quickfacts.census.gov. http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/30/30063.html. Retrieved 2011-11-14. 
5. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 

External links

• Missoula County official website

Coordinates: 47°02′N 113°56′W / 47.04°N 113.93°W / 47.04; -113.93