Founded 1895 | Congressional district At-large Area 4,823 km² Population 3,669 (2013) Cities Big Timber | |
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Website sweetgrasscountygov.com Points of interest Yellowstone River, Boulder River, Greycliff Prairie Dog Town Stat, Crazy Mountain Museum, Crazy Peak | ||
Sweet Grass County is a county located in the U.S. state of Montana. As of the 2010 census, the population was 3,651. Its county seat is Big Timber. The county was founded in 1895.
Contents
- Map of Sweet Grass County MT USA
- Geography
- Major highways
- Adjacent counties
- National protected areas
- 2000 census
- 2010 census
- Politics
- Culture
- City
- Census designated place
- Unincorporated communities
- References
Map of Sweet Grass County, MT, USA
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,862 square miles (4,820 km2), of which 1,855 square miles (4,800 km2) is land and 6.8 square miles (18 km2) (0.4%) is water.
Major highways
Adjacent counties
National protected areas
2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,609 people, 1,476 households, and 987 families residing in the county. The population density was 2 people per square mile (1/km²). There were 1,860 housing units at an average density of 1 per square mile (0/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.98% White, 0.06% Black or African American, 0.55% Native American, 0.33% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.75% from other races, and 1.30% from two or more races. 1.50% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 22.5% were of Norwegian, 21.3% German, 11.4% English, 8.0% Irish and 7.8% American ancestry.
There were 1,476 households out of which 30.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.00% were married couples living together, 4.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.10% were non-families. 28.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 3.00.
In the county, the population was spread out with 26.00% under the age of 18, 5.30% from 18 to 24, 24.70% from 25 to 44, 26.40% from 45 to 64, and 17.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 99.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $32,422, and the median income for a family was $38,750. Males had a median income of $28,385 versus $17,245 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,880. About 9.00% of families and 11.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.10% of those under age 18 and 9.10% of those age 65 or over.
2010 census
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 3,651 people, 1,590 households, and 1,045 families residing in the county. The population density was 2.0 inhabitants per square mile (0.77/km2). There were 2,148 housing units at an average density of 1.2 per square mile (0.46/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 96.6% white, 0.7% Asian, 0.4% American Indian, 0.1% black or African American, 0.6% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.4% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 25.3% were German, 22.6% were Norwegian, 13.0% were American, 12.8% were Irish, 10.8% were English, and 7.3% were Scottish.
Of the 1,590 households, 28.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.2% were married couples living together, 6.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 34.3% were non-families, and 30.4% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.82. The median age was 46.6 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $43,723 and the median income for a family was $56,552. Males had a median income of $35,385 versus $25,000 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,785. About 10.0% of families and 12.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.8% of those under age 18 and 9.9% of those age 65 or over.
Politics
In Presidential elections Sweet Grass County is among the most consistently Republican counties in the state or nation. The last, and one of the only, times the Democratic candidate carried the county was in 1936 when Franklin D. Roosevelt won every county in Montana. In both the 1916 and 1932 Presidential elections Sweet Grass County was the only county in Montana to be won by the Republican.
Sweet Grass County is also Republican at a local level. Democratic governor Brian Schweitzer has never won a majority of the county's vote and no Democratic gubernatorial candidate has carried the county in decades. In the Montana Senate it is represented by Republican John Esp and in the Montana House of Representatives it is represented by Republican Joel Boniek.
Culture
The county was the setting of the 2009 sheep-herding documentary Sweetgrass. The film takes place in many counties in Montana but the title comes from the county of Sweet Grass.