Missoula County, Montana

Missoula County /mɪˈzuːlə/ ⓘ is located in the State of Montana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 117,922,[1] making it Montana's third-most populous county. Its county seat and largest city is Missoula.[2] The county was founded in 1860.[3]

Missoula County
County
Missoula County Courthouse
Missoula County Courthouse
Map of Montana highlighting Missoula County
Location within the U.S. state of Montana
Map of the United States highlighting Montana
Montana's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 47°02′N 113°56′W
Country United States
State Montana
FoundedDecember 14, 1860
SeatMissoula
Largest cityMissoula
Area
 • Total2,618 sq mi (6,780 km2)
 • Land2,593 sq mi (6,720 km2)
 • Water25 sq mi (60 km2)  1.0%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total117,922
 • Estimate 
(2022)
121,041 Increase
 • Density45/sq mi (17/km2)
Time zoneUTC−7 (Mountain)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district1st
Websitewww.missoulacounty.us
  • Montana county number 04

Missoula County comprises the Missoula, MT Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Missoula County, Washington Territory was incorporated in 1860, when this area was still part of Washington Territory.[4][3] Missoula County encompassed present-day Missoula and Deer Lodge Counties, as well as a large area of land north and south of present-day Missoula County. Hell Gate Town, the county seat, was at the confluence of the Clark Fork and Bitterroot Rivers.

The area encompassing today's Missoula County became part of the United States as a result of Oregon Treaty of June 14, 1846. It was part of the Oregon Territory's Clark County, which replaced the District of Vancouver September 3, 1844. The territory was divided on March 2, 1853, with Clark County becoming part of the new Washington Territory. Clark County was divided the next year to create Skamania County, which a month later was divided to create Walla Walla County, which was further divided in 1858 to create Spokane County.[5] On December 14, 1860, Missoula County was carved out of Spokane County with the first county seat at Hell Gate. The county made up the region between modern-day Idaho and the Continental Divide north of the 46th parallel.[6] When Idaho Territory was created in 1863 it adopted Missoula County as the territory's 3rd county on January 16, 1864, with more or less the same boundaries and Wordensville (present Missoula) established as the county seat.[7][8] This first county consisted of all or part of current Ravalli, Missoula, Granite, Deer Lodge, Silver Bow, Powell, Mineral, Lake, Sanders, Lincoln, Flathead, and Glacier Counties.

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. At this time Deer Lodge County (today Deer Lodge, Granite, Silver Bow, and Powell Counties) was cut out of Missoula.[9] The creation of Flathead (today Flathead and Lincoln Counties) and Ravalli Counties in 1893, Powell in 1901, Sanders in 1905, Mineral in 1914 and finally Lake County in 1923 gave Missoula its present borders.[10]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,618 square miles (6,780 km2), of which 2,593 square miles (6,720 km2) is land and 25 square miles (65 km2) (1.0%) is water.[11] It is the 24th largest county in Montana.

Geographic features

Five large valleys and two major rivers wind through this mountainous region.

Flora and fauna

Located in the Northern Rockies, Missoula County has a typical Rocky Mountain ecology. Local wildlife includes white-tailed deer, black bears, osprey, and bald eagles. During the winter months, rapid snow melt on Mount Jumbo due to its steep slope leaves grass available for grazing elk and mule deer. The rivers around Missoula provide nesting habitats for bank swallows, northern rough-winged swallows and belted kingfishers. Killdeer and spotted sandpipers can be seen foraging insects along the gravel bars. Other species include song sparrows, catbirds, several species of warblers, and the pileated woodpecker. The rivers also provide cold, clean water for native fish such as westslope cutthroat trout and bull trout. The meandering streams also attract beaver and wood ducks.[12]

Native riparian plant life includes sandbar willows and cottonwoods, and Montana's state tree, the ponderosa pine. Other native plants include wetland species such as cattails and beaked-sedge as well as shrubs and berry plants like Douglas hawthorn, chokecherry, and western snowberries.[12] Missoula is also home to several noxious weeds which multiple programs have tried to eliminate. Notable ones include Dalmatian toadflax, spotted knapweed, leafy spurge, St. John's wort, and sulfur cinquefoil.[13] The Norway maples that line many of Missoula's older streets have also been declared an invasive species.[14]

Climate

Missoula County has a semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSk), with cold and moderately snowy winters, hot and dry summers, and spring and autumn are short and crisp in between. Winter conditions are usually far milder than much of the rest of the state due to its western position within the state. However, the mildness is also induced by the dampness, as unlike much of the rest of the state, precipitation is not at a strong minimum during winter. Winter snowfall averages 43 inches (109 cm), with most years seeing very little of it from April to October. Summers see very sunny conditions, with highs peaking at 84 °F (28.9 °C) in July. However, temperature differences between day and night are large during this time and from April to October, due to the relative aridity.[15][16]

Climate data for Missoula, Montana (Missoula Airport)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 60
(16)		 66
(19)		 78
(26)		 90
(32)		 95
(35)		 102
(39)		 107
(42)		 105
(41)		 99
(37)		 85
(29)		 73
(23)		 60
(16)		 107
(42)
Average high °F (°C) 33.2
(0.7)		 38.8
(3.8)		 49.8
(9.9)		 58.5
(14.7)		 67.3
(19.6)		 75.2
(24.0)		 85.9
(29.9)		 84.9
(29.4)		 73.1
(22.8)		 57.8
(14.3)		 41.5
(5.3)		 31.0
(−0.6)		 58.2
(14.6)
Average low °F (°C) 18.3
(−7.6)		 21.2
(−6.0)		 27.7
(−2.4)		 32.8
(0.4)		 39.8
(4.3)		 46.6
(8.1)		 51.4
(10.8)		 50.1
(10.1)		 41.8
(5.4)		 32.4
(0.2)		 24.9
(−3.9)		 16.7
(−8.5)		 33.7
(0.9)
Record low °F (°C) −33
(−36)		 −28
(−33)		 −13
(−25)		 2
(−17)		 21
(−6)		 26
(−3)		 31
(−1)		 29
(−2)		 15
(−9)		 −4
(−20)		 −23
(−31)		 −30
(−34)		 −33
(−36)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 0.85
(22)		 0.70
(18)		 1.00
(25)		 1.22
(31)		 2.01
(51)		 2.07
(53)		 0.99
(25)		 1.19
(30)		 1.17
(30)		 0.88
(22)		 1.01
(26)		 1.04
(26)		 14.13
(359)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 8.3
(21)		 6.1
(15)		 5.1
(13)		 1.2
(3.0)		 0.2
(0.51)		 — 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 — 0.6
(1.5)		 5.4
(14)		 11.0
(28)		 37.9
(96)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 11.8 9.4 11.4 11.1 12.3 12.1 7.1 7.5 8.2 8.4 11.1 12.3 122.7
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) 9.4 6.8 5.1 1.6 0.3 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.9 5.4 9.8 39.4
Average relative humidity (%) 81.3 78.1 70.3 61.2 61.7 61.1 51.7 52.5 62.8 70.8 80.2 83.5 67.9
Mean monthly sunshine hours 95.8 133.0 209.3 245.0 280.5 311.1 389.3 334.8 264.7 194.3 99.5 82.9 2,640.2
Percent possible sunshine 34 46 57 60 60 66 81 76 70 58 35 31 59
Source: NOAA (normals 1981−2010, relative humidity and sun 1961–1990)[17][18][19]

National protected areas

Major highways

Transit

Adjacent counties

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18702,554—
18802,537−0.7%
189014,427468.7%
190013,964−3.2%
191023,59669.0%
192024,0411.9%
193021,782−9.4%
194029,03833.3%
195035,49322.2%
196044,66325.8%
197058,26330.5%
198076,01630.5%
199078,6873.5%
200095,80221.8%
2010109,42614.2%
2020117,9227.8%
2022 (est.)121,041[20]2.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[21]
1790-1960[22] 1900-1990[23]
1990-2000[24] 2010-2020[1]

2020 census

As of the census of 2020, there were 117,922 people.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 109,299 people, 45,926 households, and 25,931 families residing in the county. The population density was 42.1 inhabitants per square mile (16.3/km2). There were 50,106 housing units at an average density of 19.3 per square mile (7.5/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 92.7% white, 2.6% American Indian, 1.1% Asian, 0.4% black or African American, 0.1% Pacific islander, 0.4% from other races, and 2.6% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 2.6% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 26.1% were German, 17.8% were Irish, 12.3% were English, 7.3% were Norwegian, and 5.4% were American.

Of the 45,926 households, 26.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.9% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 43.5% were non-families, and 30.3% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.88. The median age was 34.3 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $42,887 and the median income for a family was $58,302. Males had a median income of $39,603 versus $30,069 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,343. About 8.8% of families and 17.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.9% of those under age 18 and 8.8% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Missoula County has a diverse economy as a growing regional trade center with several major employers such as the University of Montana, regional hospitals, and the U.S. Forest Service each employing thousands. However, 90% of wage and salary workers work for small businesses with under 20 workers with a quarter of them self-employed.[25]

Law and government

Missoula County is governed by a Board of County Commissioners of three members; each serving six-year terms staggered so as to have one election every two years. The commission has authority over all legislative, executive, and administrative issues throughout the county not specifically reserved by law or ordinance to other elected officials.[26]

Originally a swing county, Missoula County has voted reliably Democratic since 2004, and has voted Republican only once since 1988. In 2000, Republican George W. Bush won the county by a 9% margin while Green Party candidate Ralph Nader received over 16% of the vote in the county. This is most likely due to the city of Missoula being home to the University of Montana.

United States presidential election results for Missoula County, Montana[27][28]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No. %No. %No. %
2020 26,347 36.85% 43,357 60.64% 1,795 2.51%
2016 22,250 36.64% 31,543 51.95% 6,929 11.41%
2012 22,652 39.58% 32,824 57.35% 1,756 3.07%
2008 20,743 34.99% 36,531 61.63% 2,003 3.38%
2004 23,989 45.73% 26,983 51.44% 1,482 2.83%
2000 21,474 46.11% 17,241 37.02% 7,861 16.88%
1996 16,034 36.13% 21,874 49.29% 6,474 14.59%
1992 12,898 29.79% 20,347 46.99% 10,054 23.22%
1988 15,965 44.76% 19,178 53.77% 526 1.47%
1984 19,777 53.54% 16,540 44.78% 620 1.68%
1980 16,161 46.72% 13,115 37.91% 5,318 15.37%
1976 16,350 51.36% 15,099 47.43% 388 1.22%
1972 15,557 51.77% 13,784 45.87% 708 2.36%
1968 9,745 48.02% 8,398 41.39% 2,149 10.59%
1964 8,065 38.40% 12,900 61.42% 39 0.19%
1960 10,396 53.76% 8,876 45.90% 65 0.34%
1956 10,627 61.12% 6,760 38.88% 0 0.00%
1952 10,053 58.99% 6,901 40.50% 87 0.51%
1948 6,426 46.32% 7,005 50.49% 442 3.19%
1944 5,371 48.70% 5,558 50.40% 99 0.90%
1940 5,640 41.66% 7,747 57.23% 150 1.11%
1936 2,697 24.97% 7,690 71.18% 416 3.85%
1932 3,819 39.72% 5,242 54.51% 555 5.77%
1928 5,056 59.71% 3,291 38.87% 120 1.42%
1924 2,386 29.44% 1,012 12.49% 4,706 58.07%
1920 4,374 52.61% 3,292 39.60% 648 7.79%
1916 2,926 38.69% 4,069 53.80% 568 7.51%
1912 589 12.64% 1,523 32.70% 2,546 54.66%
1908 1,856 46.15% 1,780 44.26% 386 9.60%
1904 2,239 59.90% 996 26.65% 503 13.46%
1900 1,392 41.85% 1,893 56.92% 41 1.23%
1896 365 13.88% 2,259 85.89% 6 0.23%
1892 2,045 39.82% 2,340 45.56% 751 14.62%

Education

School districts

Missoula County is home to 18 school districts (13 Elementary, 2 Secondary, and 3 Unified).[29]

Colleges and universities

Missoula County is home to the University of Montana and the Missoula College - University of Montana.

Communities

City

Census-designated places

Other unincorporated communities

See also

References
  1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. 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. "Act of Congress Admitting Oregon to the Union". Oregon Blue Book. February 14, 1859.
  5. Contributions, with transactions, Volume (1895)2. "Sketch by Judge Frank H. Woody". Montana Historical Society.
  6. Missoula County 1860
  7. "An Act Establishing Counties, County Boundaries, and County Seats East of the Bitter Root Mountains" Idaho Territory Session Laws: 1863-1864 pp. 674-677
  8. Washington, Oregon and Idaho Map 1863
  9. LLC., Historic Map Works. "Montana 1865 Wall Map 17x22, Atlas: Montana 1865 Wall Map, Montana Historical Map". www.historicmapworks.com. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
  10. "Montana History Wiki". Archived from the original on April 27, 2012. Retrieved February 4, 2012.
  11. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on December 5, 2014. Retrieved November 29, 2014.
  12. "Missoula Conservation Lands Management Plan". Missoula Parks and Recreation. June 1, 2010. Retrieved February 8, 2012.
  13. UM Natural Areas: Integrated Plant Management Program Archived June 5, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  14. Chaney, Rob (September 28, 2011). "City sees some success removing Norway maples from Greenough Park". Missoulian.com. Retrieved January 28, 2012.
  15. "Station Information Data Sheet - Missoula, Montana". NOAA. January 1998. Archived from NOAA the original on July 24, 2014. Retrieved January 28, 2012. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  16. "Climatography of the United States No. 20 1971–2000" (PDF). NOAA. February 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 12, 2015. Retrieved January 28, 2012.
  17. "NowData-NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Retrieved September 10, 2015.
  18. "MT Missoula INTL AP". NOAA. Retrieved September 10, 2015.
  19. "WMO Climate Normals for Missoula/Johnson–Bell Field, MT 1961–1990". NOAA. Retrieved September 10, 2015.
  20. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2022". Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  21. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 29, 2014.
  22. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved November 29, 2014.
  23. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 29, 2014.
  24. "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 29, 2014.
  25. The People, Economy, Land, and Resources of Missoula County and Potential Vulnerabilities to Climate Change
  26. Missoula County Board of County Commissioners
  27. Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
  28. Burnham, Walter Dean. "Presidential ballots, 1836-1892". archive.org. Retrieved January 16, 2021.
  29. School District Reference Maps (2010 Census) - Montana
  30. Clearwater MT Google Maps (accessed January 3, 2019)
  31. Greenough MT Google Maps (accessed January 3, 2019)
  32. Nagos MT Google MT (accessed January 3, 2019)
  33. Ninemile MT Google Maps (accessed January 3, 2019)
  34. Sunset MT Google Maps (accessed January 3, 2019)
  35. Westview Park MT Google Maps (accessed January 3, 2019)
  36. Yreka MT Google Maps (accessed January 3, 2019)
Wikisource has the text of the 1879 American Cyclopædia article Missoula.

47.04°N 113.93°W / 47.04; -113.93

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