Carbon County
County
Palisades
Palisades
Map of Montana highlighting Carbon County
Location within the U.S. state of Montana
Map of the United States highlighting Montana
Montana's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 45°14′N 109°01′W / 45.23°N 109.02°W / 45.23; -109.02
Country United States
State Montana
FoundedMarch 4, 1895
SeatRed Lodge
Largest cityRed Lodge
Area
 • Total2,062 sq mi (5,340 km2)
 • Land2,049 sq mi (5,310 km2)
 • Water13 sq mi (30 km2)  0.6%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total10,473
 • Estimate 
(2022)
11,179 Increase
 • Density5.1/sq mi (2.0/km2)
Time zoneUTC−7 (Mountain)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district2nd
Websiteco.carbon.mt.us
  • Montana county number 10

Carbon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Montana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 10,473.[1] Its county seat is Red Lodge.[2]

Carbon County is part of the Billings, MT Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Carbon County was named for the rich coal deposits found in the area. It was organized on March 4, 1895, from portions of Park and Yellowstone counties.

Land from Park and Yellowstone counties was used to form Carbon County on March 4, 1895.[3] More than sixty federally designated historic sites are located in the county, including Petroglyph Canyon,[4] one of the state's most important rock art sites.[5]

The first commercial oil well in the state was established in Elk Basin fields in 1915.[6]

Geography

Bear's Tooth

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,062 square miles (5,340 km2), of which 2,049 square miles (5,310 km2) is land and 13 square miles (34 km2) (0.6%) is water.[7]

Granite Peak, the state's highest mountain, is found in Carbon County's Beartooth Mountains. The Beartooth Highway, one of the "most spectacular alpine highways",[8] links Red Lodge to Cooke City. The Pryor Mountains are in the east of the county, along with the Big Horn River.

Major highways

Adjacent counties

National protected areas

Politics

Carbon County has voted Republican in every presidential election since 1968.

United States presidential election results for Carbon County, Montana[9][10]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No. %No. %No. %
2020 4,468 63.35% 2,421 34.33% 164 2.33%
2016 3,748 62.56% 1,828 30.51% 415 6.93%
2012 3,533 60.42% 2,146 36.70% 168 2.87%
2008 3,108 54.05% 2,443 42.49% 199 3.46%
2004 3,342 62.81% 1,847 34.71% 132 2.48%
2000 3,008 62.81% 1,434 29.94% 347 7.25%
1996 2,147 45.09% 1,854 38.93% 761 15.98%
1992 1,562 33.81% 1,549 33.53% 1,509 32.66%
1988 2,360 52.80% 2,039 45.62% 71 1.59%
1984 2,877 62.72% 1,657 36.12% 53 1.16%
1980 2,471 56.64% 1,468 33.65% 424 9.72%
1976 2,121 52.44% 1,853 45.81% 71 1.76%
1972 2,378 61.91% 1,292 33.64% 171 4.45%
1968 1,972 54.98% 1,353 37.72% 262 7.30%
1964 1,535 42.25% 2,098 57.75% 0 0.00%
1960 2,050 51.75% 1,903 48.04% 8 0.20%
1956 2,345 56.30% 1,820 43.70% 0 0.00%
1952 2,734 61.16% 1,713 38.32% 23 0.51%
1948 1,901 45.60% 1,997 47.90% 271 6.50%
1944 2,126 50.26% 2,073 49.01% 31 0.73%
1940 2,421 46.91% 2,678 51.89% 62 1.20%
1936 1,617 33.16% 3,116 63.90% 143 2.93%
1932 1,942 38.26% 2,872 56.58% 262 5.16%
1928 2,514 58.10% 1,674 38.69% 139 3.21%
1924 1,891 44.33% 698 16.36% 1,677 39.31%
1920 2,700 64.07% 1,107 26.27% 407 9.66%
1916 1,708 42.56% 1,926 47.99% 379 9.44%
1912 646 24.88% 796 30.66% 1,154 44.45%
1908 1,205 52.01% 844 36.43% 268 11.57%
1904 1,130 59.07% 464 24.26% 319 16.68%

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
19007,533—
191013,96285.3%
192015,2799.4%
193012,571−17.7%
194011,865−5.6%
195010,241−13.7%
19608,317−18.8%
19707,080−14.9%
19808,09914.4%
19908,080−0.2%
20009,55218.2%
201010,0785.5%
202010,4733.9%
2022 (est.)11,179[11]6.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[12]
1790–1960,[13] 1900–1990,[14]
1990–2000,[15] 2010–2020[1]

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 10,473 people living in the county.

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 10,078 people, 4,571 households, and 2,884 families living in the county. The population density was 4.9 inhabitants per square mile (1.9/km2). There were 6,441 housing units at an average density of 3.1 units per square mile (1.2 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 97.2% white, 0.8% American Indian, 0.3% black or African American, 0.2% Asian, 0.4% from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.9% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 32.3% were German, 16.2% were Irish, 14.5% were English, 12.6% were American, and 6.6% were Norwegian.

Of the 4,571 households, 23.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.4% were married couples living together, 6.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 36.9% were non-families, and 31.2% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.74. The median age was 48.1 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $49,010 and the median income for a family was $59,823. Males had a median income of $41,241 versus $26,150 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,983. About 8.1% of families and 12.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.1% of those under age 18 and 11.1% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

During the early history of Carbon County, coal mining was the predominant industry. The current economy relies on agriculture, recreation, and tourism.[16]

In 2009 the top employers were Beartooth Hospital & Health Center, Red Lodge Mountain, and the Red Lodge Pizza Company.[16]

In December 2014, construction began on a large windfarm, Mud Springs Wind Ranch, with 120 wind turbines, 12 miles (19 km) southeast of Bridger.[17]

Communities

Farm along a creek in Roscoe, September 1978

City

Towns

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Former communities

  • Carbonado
  • Chance
  • Chickentown
  • Fairbanks
  • Gebo (originally Coalville)
  • Golden
  • International
  • New Caledonia
  • Riverview
  • Scotch Coulee
  • Stringtown

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ↑ Carbon County. "Welcome to Carbon County". Archived from the original on July 25, 2011. Retrieved July 20, 2011.
  4. ↑ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  5. ↑ Vincent, William B. National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Petroglyph Canyon. National Park Service, September 4, 1974, 3.
  6. ↑ Merrill, Andrea; Judy Jacobson (1997). Montana almanac. Helena MT: Falcon Publishing. ISBN 1-56044-493-2.
  7. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on December 5, 2014. Retrieved November 27, 2014.
  8. ↑ America's Byways. "Beartooth Highway-Montana". Archived from the original on October 18, 2011. Retrieved July 20, 2011.
  9. ↑ Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
  10. ↑ The leading "other" candidate, Progressive Theodore Roosevelt, received 766 votes, while Socialist candidate Eugene Debs received 388 votes.
  11. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2022". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
  12. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 27, 2014.
  13. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved November 27, 2014.
  14. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 27, 2014.
  15. ↑ "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 27, 2014.
  16. 1 2 Montana Dept. of Labor and Industry (September 2010). "Demographic & Economic Information for Carbon County" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on September 6, 2011. Retrieved July 20, 2011.
  17. ↑ Lutney, Tom (December 19, 2014). "Major wind farm breaks ground near Bridger". Missoulian. Retrieved December 23, 2014.
  18. ↑ Alpine, Carbon County MT Google Maps (accessed December 31, 2018)
  19. ↑ George Place, Carbon County MT Google Maps (accessed December 31, 2018)
  20. ↑ Peterson Place, Carbon County MT Google Maps (accessed December 31, 2018)
  21. ↑ Richel Lodge, Carbon County MT Google Maps (accessed December 31, 2018)
  22. ↑ Selmes, Carbon County MT Google Maps (accessed December 31, 2018)

45°14′N 109°01′W / 45.23°N 109.02°W / 45.23; -109.02

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