Deer Lodge County, Montana

Deer Lodge County is a county in the U.S. state of Montana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 9,421.[1] It forms a consolidated city-county government with its county seat of Anaconda.[2] The county was established in 1865.[3]

Not to be confused with Deer Lodge, Montana, a city in Powell County.

Deer Lodge County
Consolidated city-county
Deer Lodge County Courthouse
Deer Lodge County Courthouse
Map of Montana highlighting Deer Lodge County
Location within the U.S. state of Montana
Map of the United States highlighting Montana
Montana's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 46°07′14″N 112°59′15″W
Country United States
State Montana
Founded1865
SeatAnaconda
Largest cityAnaconda
Government
 • Chief ExecutiveBill T. Everett
Area
 • Total741 sq mi (1,920 km2)
 • Land737 sq mi (1,910 km2)
 • Water4.7 sq mi (12 km2)  0.6%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total9,421
 • Estimate 
(2022)
9,510 Increase
 • Density13/sq mi (4.9/km2)
Time zoneUTC−7 (Mountain)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district1st
Websitewww.anacondadeerlodge.mt.gov

History
Warm Springs State Hospital

Deer Lodge was one of the original 9 Montana counties, as constituted with the establishment of the Montana Territory in 1864.[4] The original county included what are now Silver Bow County (separated in 1881[5]), Deer Lodge County, Granite County (separated in 1893) and Powell County (separated in 1901[6]).

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has an area of 741 square miles (1,920 km2), of which 737 square miles (1,910 km2) is land and 4.7 square miles (12 km2) (0.6%) is water.[7] It is the second-smallest county in Montana by area.

The county has a wealth of natural amenities, such as the Anaconda Mountain Range, Georgetown Lake, and the Mount Haggin wildlife management area (Montana's largest at 54,000 acres).[8]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

National protected areas

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18704,367—
18808,876103.3%
189015,15570.7%
190017,39314.8%
191012,988−25.3%
192015,32318.0%
193016,2936.3%
194013,627−16.4%
195016,55321.5%
196018,64012.6%
197015,652−16.0%
198012,518−20.0%
199010,278−17.9%
20009,417−8.4%
20109,298−1.3%
20209,4211.3%
2022 (est.)9,510[9]0.9%
U.S. Decennial Census[10]
1790-1960[11] 1900-1990[12]
1990-2000[13] 2010-2020[1]

2020 census

As of the census of 2020, there were 9,421 people.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 9,298 people, 4,018 households, and 2,350 families living in the county. The population density was 12.6 inhabitants per square mile (4.9/km2). There were 5,122 housing units at an average density of 7.0 units per square mile (2.7 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 93.1% white, 3.1% American Indian, 0.4% black or African American, 0.3% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 2.5% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 2.9% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 30.2% were German, 26.2% were Irish, 9.2% were English, 8.5% were Norwegian, 5.9% were Italian, 5.2% were Swedish, and 2.6% were American.

Of the 4,018 households, 22.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.8% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 41.5% were non-families, and 36.1% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.11 and the average family size was 2.73. The median age was 46.0 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $35,310 and the median income for a family was $51,076. Males had a median income of $32,477 versus $26,250 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,921. About 9.6% of families and 21.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.6% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over.

Government and politics

Deer Lodge County is the most consistently Democratic county in Montana when it comes to presidential elections. It has not supported a Republican candidate since Calvin Coolidge in 1924.[14] In the last five elections the Democratic candidate has won by 21% to nearly 49% of Deer Lodge County's vote. However, in 2016, Hillary Clinton failed to garner a majority of the votes. This was the first time a Democrat had not obtained a majority since 1924.[15] In gubernatorial elections the last most recent Republican to carry the county was Marc Racicot in the 1996 election. In that election the original Democratic nominee, Chet Blaylock, died and Marc Racicot carried every county.[16]

Deer Lodge County is currently in the 39th district of the Montana Senate along with Granite County and portions of Powell and Silver Bow counties. It has been represented by Republican Terry Vermeire since 2023, having flipped the traditionally Democratic seat by a 752 vote margin. Vermeire defeated Democrat Jesse Mullen, executive of the Mullen Newspaper Company from Deer Lodge (city) in the 2022 special election.[17] Jessica Wicks, Democratic incumbent appointed to fulfill Mark Sweeney's term following his May 2022 death, did not win appointment from the local Democratic Party to be their November nominee.[18]

In the Montana House of Representatives, most of the county is in the 77th district and has been represented by Republican John Fitzpatrick since 2023, who won an upset against incumbent Democrat Sara Novak by a margin of 47. This marks the first time since 1945 that Anaconda has been represented by a Republican in the state House of Representatives.[19] Part of the county is also in the 78th district, represented by Republican Gregory Frazer.[17]

From 2025 to 2033, Deer Lodge County will be in House District 71 (along with Walkerville) and Senate District 36 (along with Walkerville and part of Butte). These districts are expected to be more Democratic than the current districts used since 2014.[20]

United States presidential election results for Deer Lodge County, Montana[21]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No. %No. %No. %
2020 2,186 44.69% 2,562 52.38% 143 2.92%
2016 1,763 41.92% 2,058 48.93% 385 9.15%
2012 1,448 32.47% 2,860 64.13% 152 3.41%
2008 1,502 29.60% 3,402 67.05% 170 3.35%
2004 1,725 37.97% 2,700 59.43% 118 2.60%
2000 1,493 32.93% 2,672 58.93% 369 8.14%
1996 883 17.62% 3,331 66.49% 796 15.89%
1992 832 15.79% 3,174 60.24% 1,263 23.97%
1988 1,168 26.51% 3,185 72.29% 53 1.20%
1984 1,901 34.53% 3,539 64.29% 65 1.18%
1980 1,905 33.79% 3,077 54.58% 656 11.64%
1976 2,197 35.57% 3,859 62.48% 120 1.94%
1972 2,373 35.93% 3,979 60.25% 252 3.82%
1968 1,554 25.58% 4,208 69.28% 312 5.14%
1964 1,415 22.61% 4,835 77.25% 9 0.14%
1960 2,188 29.79% 5,149 70.11% 7 0.10%
1956 3,551 48.36% 3,792 51.64% 0 0.00%
1952 3,001 41.58% 4,162 57.67% 54 0.75%
1948 2,036 32.78% 3,862 62.17% 314 5.05%
1944 2,176 33.19% 4,347 66.31% 33 0.50%
1940 2,397 32.63% 4,916 66.93% 32 0.44%
1936 1,640 25.04% 4,813 73.49% 96 1.47%
1932 2,198 35.43% 3,893 62.75% 113 1.82%
1928 2,695 45.67% 3,184 53.96% 22 0.37%
1924 1,937 35.43% 1,611 29.47% 1,919 35.10%
1920 3,130 59.97% 1,567 30.02% 522 10.00%
1916 1,860 30.28% 4,171 67.90% 112 1.82%
1912 1,060 37.06% 1,197 41.85% 603 21.08%
1908 1,377 43.67% 1,611 51.09% 165 5.23%
1904 1,666 48.64% 1,504 43.91% 255 7.45%
1900 1,636 31.50% 3,395 65.38% 162 3.12%
1896 446 8.31% 4,916 91.55% 8 0.15%
1892 1,930 35.47% 2,152 39.55% 1,359 24.98%

Communities

City

Unincorporated communities

Note: the town of Deer Lodge is in neighboring Powell County.

Notable people

See also

References
  1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. "Montana Place Names Companion". Montana Place Names From Alzada to Zortman. Montana Historical Society Research Center. Retrieved December 1, 2014.
  4. Merrill, Andrea; Judy Jacobson (1997). Montana almanac. Helena MT: Falcon Publishing. ISBN 1-56044-493-2.
  5. Where It All Began, p. 163
  6. Where It All Began, pp. 165-6
  7. "2010 Census GazetteerFiles". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on December 5, 2014. Retrieved November 28, 2014.
  8. Montana Dept. of Labor and Industry (September 2010). "Demographic & Economic Information for Deer Lodge County" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on September 6, 2011. Retrieved July 30, 2011.
  9. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2022". Retrieved May 7, 2023.
  10. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 28, 2014.
  11. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved November 28, 2014.
  12. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 28, 2014.
  13. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved November 28, 2014.
  14. Geographie Electorale
  15. The New York Times electoral map (Zoom in on Montana)
  16. David Leip's Election Atlas
  17. "2022 General State Canvas Report Legislative (Montana)". Montana Secretary of State. Retrieved June 25, 2023.
  18. Smith, Mike (June 21, 2022). "Wicks tapped to fill vacant Sweeney Senate seat; Mullen to be Democrat nominee in fall". Montana Standard.
  19. "1944 Montana Legislative Assembly Elected Members" (PDF). Montana Secretary of State. Retrieved June 25, 2023.
  20. "Montana Legislative Districts for Elections 2024-2032". Montana Districting and Apportionment Commission. February 23, 2023.
  21. Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
  22. Georgetown, Deer Lodge County MT Google Maps (accessed January 1, 2019)
  23. Opportunity, Deer Lodge County MT Google Maps (accessed January 1, 2019)

Sources
  • Powell County Museum and Arts Foundation: Historic Action Committee (1989). Powell County: Where It All Began. Powell County Museum and Arts Foundation.
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