Chouteau County, Montana

Chouteau County is a county located in the North-Central region of the U.S. state of Montana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 5,895.^[1] Its county seat is Fort Benton.^[2] The county was established in 1865 as one of the original nine counties of Montana, and named in 1882 after Pierre Chouteau Jr., a fur trader who established a trading post that became Fort Benton, which was once an important port on the Missouri River.

Chouteau County
County
Chouteau County Courthouse in Fort Benton
Location within the U.S. state of Montana
Montana's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 47°53′N 110°26′W
Country	United States
State	Montana
Founded	1865
Named after	Pierre Chouteau Jr.
Seat	Fort Benton
Largest city	Fort Benton
Area
• Total	3,997 sq mi (10,350 km2)
• Land	3,972 sq mi (10,290 km2)
• Water	24 sq mi (60 km2)  0.6%
Population  (2020)
• Total	5,895
• Estimate  (2024)	5,880
• Density	1.5/sq mi (0.57/km2)
Time zone	UTC−7 (Mountain)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district	2nd
Website	co.chouteau.mt.us
Montana county number 19

Chouteau County is home to the Chippewa-Cree tribe on the Rocky Boy Indian Reservation. It contains part of the Lewis and Clark National Forest.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 3,997 square miles (10,350 km²), of which 3,972 square miles (10,290 km²) is land and 24 square miles (62 km²) (0.6%) is water.^[3]

Chouteau County was once the largest county in the Montana Territory and the second largest in the United States, with an area of 15,439 square miles (39,990 km²) in the early 20th century. However, some parts of the county were over 250 miles (400 km) from Fort Benton, and in 1893, the first of several divisions began with the creation of Teton County, the western portion of Chouteau County. Chouteau County lost half of its population from 1910 to 1930.

The land is mostly rolling prairie, hence the high density of wheat farming. However, there is notable topography, namely some of Montana's forested island ranges. The Bear Paw Mountains rise in the northeast and the Little Rockies and the Highwood Ranges are in the southeast. Major rivers include the Teton River, Marias River, Missouri River and Arrow Creek.

Adjacent counties

• Liberty County – north
• Hill County – north
• Blaine County – east
• Fergus County – southeast
• Judith Basin County – south
• Cascade County – south
• Teton County – west
• Pondera County – northwest

Major highway

• U.S. Route 87

National protected areas

• Lewis and Clark National Forest (part)
• Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument (part)

Politics

Choteau County is heavily Republican, like many other rural Montana counties. The entirety of the county votes majority Republican except for the portion of the Rocky Boy's Reservation in the northeast, which is strongly Democratic. In no election since 1964 has a Democratic presidential candidate carried the county.^[4]

United States presidential election results for Chouteau County, Montana^[5]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	1,885	64.25%	940	32.04%	109	3.72%
2020	1,891	63.78%	991	33.42%	83	2.80%
2016	1,679	64.50%	732	28.12%	192	7.38%
2012	1,758	62.32%	978	34.67%	85	3.01%
2008	1,634	57.11%	1,122	39.22%	105	3.67%
2004	1,913	65.49%	946	32.39%	62	2.12%
2000	2,039	70.68%	686	23.78%	160	5.55%
1996	1,660	52.58%	1,039	32.91%	458	14.51%
1992	1,380	42.65%	959	29.64%	897	27.72%
1988	1,980	61.51%	1,166	36.22%	73	2.27%
1984	2,425	72.17%	896	26.67%	39	1.16%
1980	2,448	68.32%	853	23.81%	282	7.87%
1976	1,814	52.35%	1,568	45.25%	83	2.40%
1972	2,027	59.64%	1,149	33.80%	223	6.56%
1968	1,695	53.66%	1,216	38.49%	248	7.85%
1964	1,444	44.08%	1,827	55.77%	5	0.15%
1960	1,672	49.34%	1,708	50.40%	9	0.27%
1956	1,721	48.96%	1,794	51.04%	0	0.00%
1952	2,098	59.35%	1,423	40.25%	14	0.40%
1948	1,181	37.64%	1,832	58.38%	125	3.98%
1944	1,220	38.69%	1,906	60.45%	27	0.86%
1940	1,235	35.54%	2,213	63.68%	27	0.78%
1936	878	24.01%	2,734	74.76%	45	1.23%
1932	1,232	35.43%	2,093	60.20%	152	4.37%
1928	1,837	59.14%	1,232	39.67%	37	1.19%
1924	1,347	46.15%	706	24.19%	866	29.67%
1920	2,646	60.86%	1,436	33.03%	266	6.12%
1916	1,486	33.62%	2,738	61.95%	196	4.43%
1912	561	41.43%	402	29.69%	391	28.88%
1908	1,220	54.73%	893	40.06%	116	5.20%
1904	1,517	70.62%	568	26.44%	63	2.93%

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1870	517		—
1880	3,068		493.4%
1890	4,741		54.5%
1900	10,966		131.3%
1910	17,191		56.8%
1920	11,051		−35.7%
1930	8,635		−21.9%
1940	7,316		−15.3%
1950	6,974		−4.7%
1960	7,348		5.4%
1970	6,473		−11.9%
1980	6,092		−5.9%
1990	5,452		−10.5%
2000	5,970		9.5%
2010	5,813		−2.6%
2020	5,895		1.4%
2024 (est.)	5,880	[6]	−0.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[7] 1790–1960[8] 1900–1990[9] 1990–2000[10] 2010–2020[1]

Census-designated places

The United States Census Bureau, for population data analyses of unorganized rural areas, the following Census-designated places, or CDPs, in addition to the organized communities listed elsewhere in this article.

• Boneau
• Carter
• Floweree
• Highwood
• Loma
• Parker School
• Rocky Boy West
• Square Butte
• Sunnybrook Colony
• Twin Hills Colony

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 5,895 people living in the county.^{[citation needed]}

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 5,813 people, 2,294 households, and 1,560 families living in the county. The population density was 1.5 inhabitants per square mile (0.58/km²). There were 2,879 housing units at an average density of 0.7 units per square mile (0.27 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 75.8% white, 21.8% American Indian, 0.4% Asian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 0.1% black or African American, 0.3% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.6% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 27.6% were German, 13.0% were Irish, 11.2% were English, 9.8% were Norwegian, and 2.0% were American.

Of the 2,294 households, 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.3% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 32.0% were non-families, and 29.1% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.04. The median age was 41.5 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $41,064 and the median income for a family was $50,201. Males had a median income of $33,866 versus $25,077 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,202. About 14.8% of families and 21.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 33.6% of those under age 18 and 6.2% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Chouteau County is the state's largest winter wheat producer.^[11] It is located in the heart of the "Golden Triangle", which produces about 45% of Montana's annual wheat crop.^[12]

Communities

Square Butte

City

• Fort Benton (county seat)

Towns

• Big Sandy
• Geraldine

Census-designated places

• Boneau
• Carter
• Floweree
• Highwood
• Loma
• Parker School (partly in Hill County
• Rocky Boy West (partly in Hill County
• Square Butte
• Sunnybrook Colony
• Twin Hills Colony

Unincorporated communities

• Big Sag^[13]
• Coal Banks Landing^[14]
• Lippard^[15]
• Montague^[16]
• Shepherd Crossing^[17]
• Shonkin^[18]
• Stranahan^[19]
• Virgelle^[20]
• Warrick^[21]
• Woods Crossing^[22]

See also

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