Garfield County, Montana

Garfield County, Montana
Garfield County Courthouse in Jordan
Map of Montana highlighting Garfield County
Location in the state of Montana
Map of the United States highlighting Montana
Montana's location in the U.S.
Founded 2/7/1919[1]
Seat Jordan
Largest town Jordan
Area
 • Total 4,847 sq mi (12,554 km2)
 • Land 4,675 sq mi (12,108 km2)
 • Water 172 sq mi (445 km2), 3.6%
Population
 • (2010) 1,206
 • Density 0.3/sq mi (0/km²)
Congressional district At-large
Time zone Mountain: UTC-7/-6
Website www.garfieldcounty.com

Garfield County is a county located in the U.S. state of Montana. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,206.[2] Its county seat is Jordan.[3]

Garfield County is noteworthy as the site of the discovery and excavation of four of the world's dozen or so major specimens (as of 1994) of Tyrannosaurus rex within the county. A cast of the skull of one of these dinosaurs is on display at the Garfield County Museum.[4]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 4,847 square miles (12,550 km2), of which 4,675 square miles (12,110 km2) is land and 172 square miles (450 km2) (3.6%) is water.[5] Its average population density of 0.1058 inhabitants/km² (0.274/sq mi) is the third-lowest of any county outside of Alaska (behind Loving County, Texas and Esmeralda County, Nevada).

Major highways

Adjacent counties

National protected area

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
19205,368—
19304,252−20.8%
19402,641−37.9%
19502,172−17.8%
19601,981−8.8%
19701,796−9.3%
19801,656−7.8%
19901,589−4.0%
20001,279−19.5%
20101,206−5.7%
Est. 20141,3098.5%
U.S. Decennial Census[6]
2012 Estimate[2]

As of the census[7] of 2000, there were 1,279 people, 532 households, and 366 families residing in the county. The population density was <1/km² (<1/sq mi). There were 961 housing units at an average density of <1/km² (<1/sq mi). The racial makeup of the county was 99.14% White, 0.08% Black or African American, 0.39% Native American, 0.08% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, and 0.23% from two or more races. 0.39% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 25.9% were of German, 15.4% English, 14.4% American, 8.1% Scottish, 8.1% Irish, 6.7% Norwegian and 5.5% Scots-Irish ancestry according to Census 2000.

There were 532 households out of which 28.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.30% were married couples living together, 4.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.20% were non-families. 28.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the county the population was spread out with 24.50% under the age of 18, 7.10% from 18 to 24, 23.30% from 25 to 44, 25.80% from 45 to 64, and 19.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 106.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $25,917, and the median income for a family was $31,111. Males had a median income of $20,474 versus $14,531 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,930. About 16.70% of families and 21.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.90% of those under age 18 and 17.40% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Garfield County is a solidly Republican county. It was the most Republican county in Montana in the 2012 United States presidential election.[8]

The last Democratic Presidential candidate to carry the county was Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1940.[9] In the last five Presidential elections no Democratic candidate has managed to receive more than 16%.[10] In the 2000 presidential election Republican George W. Bush won 87% of the vote to Democrat Al Gore's 8%. In the 2004 presidential election, Garfield County gave 90.08% of its votes to President George W. Bush, with John Kerry receiving 7.94% of the vote. In the 2008 presidential election, Senator John McCain received 82.3% with Senator Barack Obama receiving 15.1%.

Garfield County is also Republican at a local level. Democratic governor Brian Schweitzer has never received more than 38% of the county's vote and no Democratic gubernatorial candidate has carried the county in decades.[11] As part of the 15th district of the Montana Senate it is represented by Republican Jim Peterson and as part of the 30th district of the Montana House of Representatives it is represented by Republican Dave Kasten.[12]

Communities

Town

Unincorporated communities

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://genealogytrails.com/mon/countytimeline.html
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 15, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  4. ↑ David Quammen, "Local Bird Makes Good" (1995), collected in The Boilerplate Rhino (2000), ISBN 0-684-83728-5
  5. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved November 28, 2014.
  6. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". Census.gov. Retrieved September 15, 2013.
  7. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  8. ↑ Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections
  9. ↑ Geographie Electorale
  10. ↑ The New York Times electoral map (Zoom in on Montana)
  11. ↑ David Leip US Election Atlas
  12. ↑ Montana legislative site

External links

 Phillips County Valley County
Petroleum County McCone County and Prairie County
   Garfield County, Montana  
Rosebud County Custer County

Coordinates: 47°17′N 106°59′W / 47.28°N 106.99°W