Editing Big Arm, Montana

{{For|the rural municipality in Saskatchewan, Canada|Rural Municipality of Big Arm No. 251}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Big Arm, Montana
|settlement_type          = [[Census-designated place]]
|image_skyline            = File:Flathead Lake from Big Arm.jpg
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = Flathead Lake from Big Arm
<!-- Maps -->
|image_map                = Lake_County_Montana_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Big_Arm_Highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location of Big Arm, Montana
<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Montana]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Montana|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Lake County, Montana|Lake]]
<!-- Government -->
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = 
|leader_name              = 
|established_title        = 
|established_date         =
<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref                = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="TigerWebMapServer">{{cite web|title=ArcGIS REST Services Directory|url=https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=September 5, 2022}}</ref>
|area_total_km2           = 14.03
|area_land_km2            = 14.03
|area_water_km2           = 0.00
|area_total_sq_mi         = 5.42
|area_land_sq_mi          = 5.42
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00
<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 218
|population_density_km2   = 15.53
|population_density_sq_mi = 40.23
<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[Mountain Time Zone|Mountain (MST)]]
|utc_offset               = -7
|timezone_DST             = MDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -6
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
|elevation_ft             = 3849
|coordinates              = {{coord|47|47|39|N|114|15|48|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
<!-- Area/postal codes and others -->
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 59910
|area_code                = [[Area code 406|406]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 30-05800
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 2407837<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2407837}}</ref>
|website                  = 
|footnotes                = 
}}

'''Big Arm''' is a [[census-designated place]] (CDP) in [[Lake County, Montana|Lake County]], [[Montana]], United States. The population was 177 at the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]],<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US3005800&tid=DECENNIALSF12010.P1| title=Total Population: 2010 Census DEC Summary File 1 (P1), Big Arm CDP, Montana| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| website=data.census.gov| accessdate=April 15, 2020}}</ref> up from 131 in [[United States Census, 2000|2000]].

The town is situated on the south side of Big Arm, a large bay on [[Flathead Lake]], hence its name. The name was used by the [[Kutenai|Kootenai people]], who lived there prior to the town being established.<ref name="mhs">{{cite web|title=Montana Place Names Companion|url=http://mtplacenames.org/|publisher=Montana Historical Society|accessdate=22 July 2017}}</ref> The post office opened in 1911, with Marion F. Lamb as postmaster.<ref name="names">{{cite book|last1=Carkeek Cheney|first1=Roberta|title=Names on the Face of Montana|date=1983|publisher=Mountain Press Publishing Company|location=Missoula, Montana|isbn=0-87842-150-5|page=5}}</ref>

[[Big Arm State Park]] is located just north of the town.

==Geography==
[[File:Big Arm MT Postmark.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Big Arm postmark]]
Big Arm is located in northwestern Lake County. The census-designated place contains the settlement of Big Arm along the southern shore of Flathead Lake's Big Arm, as well as undeveloped grassland to the south, up to the base of an unnamed {{convert|5100|ft|adj=on}} mountain. The CDP is bordered to the northeast by the community of [[Lindisfarne, Montana|Lindisfarne]].

[[U.S. Route 93 in Montana|U.S. Route 93]] passes through Big Arm, running just south of the lake shore. The highway leads southeast {{convert|12|mi}} to [[Polson, Montana|Polson]], the Lake [[county seat]], and northwest {{convert|4|mi|0}} to [[Elmo, Montana|Elmo]]. The city of [[Kalispell, Montana|Kalispell]] is {{convert|39|mi}} north of Big Arm.

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the CDP has a total area of {{convert|14.0|km2|order=flip}}, all land.<ref name="Gazetteer 2019">{{cite web| url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_30.txt| title=U.S. Gazetteer Files: 2019: Places: Montana| website=U.S. Census Bureau Geography Division| accessdate=April 15, 2020}}</ref>

===Climate===
This [[climate|climatic]] region is typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters.  According to the [[Köppen Climate Classification]] system, Big Arm has a [[humid continental climate]], abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps.<ref>[http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=847042&cityname=Big+Arm%2C+Montana%2C+United+States+of+America&units= Climate Summary for Big Arm, Montana]</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|align=left|2020= 218
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=http://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|accessdate=June 4, 2016}}</ref>
}}
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |accessdate=2008-01-31 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2000, there were 131 people, 56 households, and 39 families residing in the CDP. The population density was {{convert|24.0|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 124 housing units at an average density of {{convert|22.8|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the CDP was 69.47% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]] and 30.53% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]].

There were 56 households, out of which 23.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.6% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.6% were non-families. 21.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.60.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 19.8% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 18.3% from 25 to 44, 29.8% from 45 to 64, and 22.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females there were 111.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 110.0 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $29,000, and the median income for a family was $38,750. Males had a median income of $16,750 versus $21,875 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the CDP was $16,620. There were no families and 8.0% of the population living below the [[poverty line]], including no under eighteens and 30.0% of those over 64.

==See also==
* [[List of census-designated places in Montana]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{commons category-inline|Big Arm, Montana}}

{{Lake County, Montana}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Census-designated places in Lake County, Montana]]
[[Category:Census-designated places in Montana]]