Editing Blaine County, Montana

{{Short description|County in Montana, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Blaine County
 | state                = Montana
 | seal                 = 
 | founded date         = 
 | founded year         = 1912
 | seat wl              = Chinook
 | largest city wl      = Chinook
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 4239
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 4228
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 11
 | area percentage      = 0.3
 | population_as_of     = 2020
 | population_total     = 7044
 | pop_est_as_of        = 2022
 | population_est       = 6936 {{decrease}}
 | population_density_sq_mi = auto
 | web                  = https://blainecounty-mt.gov/
 | ex image             = Blaine County Courthouse.JPG
 | ex image cap         = Blaine County Courthouse in Chinook
 | district             = 2nd
 | time zone            = Mountain
 | named for            = [[James G. Blaine]]
 | footnotes            = 
* Montana county number 24
}}

'''Blaine County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Montana]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 7,044.<ref name="QF">{{Cite web |title=State & County QuickFacts |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/blainecountymontana/PST045222 |access-date=May 8, 2023 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> Its [[county seat]] is [[Chinook, Montana|Chinook]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Find a County |url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=May 31, 2011 |access-date=June 7, 2011 |publisher=National Association of Counties}}</ref> The county was named for [[James G. Blaine]], former [[United States Secretary of State]]. It is on the north line of the state, and thus shares the southern border of Canada opposite [[Saskatchewan]].

==History==
In 1912 Blaine, [[Phillips County, Montana|Phillips]] and [[Hill County, Montana|Hill]] counties were formed from the area of [[Chouteau County, Montana|Chouteau County]]. The original boundary of Blaine County included a portion of land in the west that is now included in Phillips County.

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|4239|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|4228|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|11|sqmi}} (0.3%) is water.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 22, 2012 |title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files |url=https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_30.txt |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141205145322/http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_30.txt |archive-date=December 5, 2014 |access-date=November 27, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref>

The majority of [[Fort Belknap Indian Reservation]] is located in the southeastern part of the county.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Merrill |first=Andrea |title=Montana almanac |last2=Judy Jacobson |publisher=Falcon Publishing |year=1997 |isbn=1-56044-493-2 |location=Helena MT |page=7}}</ref>

Features of the area include the [[Milk River (Alberta–Montana)|Milk River]], [[Bears Paw Mountains]], and the [[Little Rocky Mountains]].

===Adjacent counties and rural municipalities===
{{div col}}
* [[Hill County, Montana|Hill County]] - west
* [[Chouteau County, Montana|Chouteau County]] - southwest
* [[Fergus County, Montana|Fergus County]] - south
* [[Phillips County, Montana|Phillips County]] - east
* [[Rural Municipality of Reno No. 51|Rural Municipality (RM) of Reno No. 51]], Saskatchewan (SK) - northwest
* [[Rural Municipality of Frontier No. 19|RM of Frontier No. 19, Saskatchewan]], SK - north
* [[Rural Municipality of Lone Tree No. 18|RM of Lone Tree No. 18, Saskatchewan]], SK - northeast
{{div col end}}

===National protected areas===
* [[Black Coulee National Wildlife Refuge]]
* [[Nez Perce National Historical Park]] (part)
* [[Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument]] (part)

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1920= 9057
|1930= 9006
|1940= 9566
|1950= 8516
|1960= 8091
|1970= 6727
|1980= 6999
|1990= 6728
|2000= 7009
|2010= 6491
|2020= 7044
|estyear=2022
|estimate=6936
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2022">{{Cite web |title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2022 |url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-counties-total.html |access-date=May 8, 2023 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref>
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{Cite web |title=U.S. Decennial Census |url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html |access-date=November 27, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref><br/>1790–1960,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Historical Census Browser |url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu |access-date=November 27, 2014 |publisher=University of Virginia Library}}</ref> 1900–1990,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990 |url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/mt190090.txt |access-date=November 27, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref><br/>1990–2000,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000 |url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327165705/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=March 27, 2010 |access-date=November 27, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> 2010–2020<ref name="QF" />
}}

===2020 census===
As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], there were 7,044 people living in the county.

===2010 census===
As of the [[2010 United States census|2010 census]], there were 6,491 people, 2,357 households, and 1,604 families living in the county. The population density was {{convert|1.5|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|inhabitants&nbsp;|inhabitants|}}. There were 2,843 housing units at an average density of {{convert|0.7|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the county was 49.4% American Indian, 48.2% white, 0.1% black or African American, 0.1% Asian, 0.2% from other races, and 2.0% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.8% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 23.0% were [[Germans|German]], 9.2% were [[Norwegians|Norwegian]], 6.6% were [[Irish people|Irish]], 5.7% were [[English people|English]], and 2.0% were [[Americans|American]].

Of the 2,357 households, 39.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.6% were married couples living together, 16.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 31.9% were non-families, and 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.28. The median age was 35.1 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $37,034 and the median income for a family was $40,890. Males had a median income of $32,320 versus $28,986 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,813. About 23.6% of families and 29.0% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 44.6% of those under age 18 and 10.6% of those age 65 or over.

==Politics==
Blaine County is the nation's most consistent long-term [[bellwether]] county, having voted for the winning presidential candidate in all but two elections held in its history. After backing [[Theodore Roosevelt]] against [[Woodrow Wilson]] in the county's inaugural [[1912 United States presidential election in Montana|1912]] election, Blaine County has been won by the winner of the presidential election in every election except that of [[1988 United States presidential election in Montana|1988]], held during the aftermath of a major [[drought in the United States|drought]] and farm crisis; [[Michael Dukakis]] won the county by 58 votes. During two other drought years on the Great Plains, [[Adlai Stevenson II]] in [[1956 United States presidential election in Montana|1956]] and [[Gerald Ford]] in [[1976 United States presidential election in Montana|1976]] also came close to breaking the county's streak, losing by even smaller vote margins than [[George H. W. Bush]]. The county's swing status comes from the fact that it contains the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation, which trends Democratic, with the rest of the county voting strongly Republican. Since 2016, the trends on the Reservation have been a heavy factor in the county's leaning. The strongest Democratic shift in the county in 2020 and in turn the strongest Republican shift in 2024 each occurred on the Reservation, while the rest of the county simply shifted slightly more Republican in both. This pushed the county majority to go to Biden in 2020 and to Trump in 2024.<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/us/elections/2024-election-map-precinct-results.html?unlocked_article_code=1.xk4.VI7C.oXuhxhF7kYdB&smid=url-share</ref><ref>https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/upshot/2020-election-map.html</ref>

{{PresHead|place=Blaine County, Montana|source=<ref>{{Cite web |last=Leip |first=David |title=Atlas of US Presidential Elections |url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS |access-date=November 16, 2020 |website=uselectionatlas.org}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP/Whig vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|1,526|1,348|145|Montana}}
{{PresRow|2020|Democratic|1,469|1,589|60|Montana}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|1,268|1,202|214|Montana}}
{{PresRow|2012|Democratic|1,178|1,616|65|Montana}}
{{PresRow|2008|Democratic|1,139|1,702|85|Montana}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|1,424|1,300|44|Montana}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|1,410|1,246|103|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|1,127|1,316|450|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|971|1,355|720|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1988|Democratic|1,402|1,460|50|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|1,736|1,229|32|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|1,686|1,107|202|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|1,349|1,356|34|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|1,513|1,151|115|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|1,291|1,198|166|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|961|1,742|0|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|1,290|1,569|17|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|1,460|1,438|0|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|1,890|1,207|9|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|997|1,669|82|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|990|1,469|20|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|1,165|2,129|33|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|851|2,166|57|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|1,063|1,977|120|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|1,537|1,160|17|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1924|Republican|827|337|644|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|1,720|848|185|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|857|1,261|72|Montana}}
{{PresFoot|1912|Progressive|204|318|615|Montana}}

==Economy==
The main industry in Blaine County is agriculture.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Maxim Technologies |title=Pre-Disaster Mitigation Plan |url=http://dma.mt.gov/des/Counties/blaine/FinalBlaineCountyPDM.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110814194916/http://dma.mt.gov/des/Counties/blaine/FinalBlaineCountyPDM.pdf |archive-date=August 14, 2011 |access-date=May 31, 2011}}</ref>   The main employers on the Reservation are the [[Gros Ventre people|Gros Ventre]] and [[Assiniboine people|Assiniboine]] tribes.<ref>{{Cite web |last=State of Montana, DLI |title=Demographic & Economic Information for Fort Belknap Reservation |url=http://www.ourfactsyourfuture.org/admin/uploadedPublications/2689_Ft_Belknap_RF08_Web.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110906171654/http://www.ourfactsyourfuture.org/admin/uploadedPublications/2689_Ft_Belknap_RF08_Web.pdf |archive-date=September 6, 2011 |access-date=May 31, 2011}}</ref>

==Education==
[[Aaniiih Nakoda College]] (formerly Fort Belknap College) is located on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation. Public high schools in the county include [[Harlem High School (Montana)|Harlem High School]] in Harlem, [[Chinook High School (Montana)|Chinook High School]] in Chinook, and [[Turner High School (Montana)|Turner High School]] in Turner.

==Communities==
===Cities===
* [[Chinook, Montana|Chinook]] (county seat)
* [[Harlem, Montana|Harlem]]

===Census-designated places===
{{div col}}
* [[Fort Belknap Agency, Montana|Fort Belknap Agency]]
* [[Hartland Colony, Montana|Hartland Colony]]
* [[Hays, Montana|Hays]]
* [[Hogeland, Montana|Hogeland]]
* [[Lodge Pole, Montana|Lodge Pole]]
* [[North Harlem Colony, Montana|North Harlem Colony]]
* [[Turner, Montana|Turner]]
* [[Turner Colony, Montana|Turner Colony]]
* [[Zurich, Montana|Zurich]]
{{div col end}}

===Unincorporated communities===
{{div col}}
* Cleveland<ref>[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Cleveland,+MT+59523/@48.2694359,-109.1614273,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x533fe50fdf9f317d:0xcf0155b89fb101eb!8m2!3d48.2694368!4d-109.1526725 ''Cleveland, Blaine County MT''  Google Maps (accessed December 31, 2018)]</ref>
* [[Lloyd, Montana|Lloyd]]
* Lohman<ref>[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Lohman,+MT+59523/@48.5897218,-109.4139386,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x531545ed2aaa25e5:0xdfbd5e7d78755cff!8m2!3d48.5897227!4d-109.4051838 ''Lohman, Blaine County MT''  Google Maps (accessed December 31, 2018)]</ref>
* North Fork<ref>[https://www.google.com/maps/place/North+Fork,+MT+59523/@48.5861097,-109.1197569,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x53156886ff509fef:0x8fe6261c018d8dee!8m2!3d48.5861106!4d-109.1110021 ''North Fork, Blaine County MT''  Google Maps (accessed December 31, 2018)]</ref>
* Rattlesnake<ref>[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Rattlesnake,+MT/@48.098044,-109.0575356,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x533fed4a01d8b181:0xcb6748c4450ee22f!8m2!3d48.0980449!4d-109.0487808 ''Rattlesnake, Blaine County MT''  Google Maps (accessed December 31, 2018)]</ref>
* Savoy<ref>[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Savoy,+MT+59526/@48.4741633,-108.5525133,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x533e2a513aaf20df:0x13ad5cd8e8eaf0dd!8m2!3d48.4741642!4d-108.5437585 ''Savoy, Blaine County MT''  Google Maps (accessed December 31, 2018)]</ref>
{{div col end}}

==See also==
* [[List of lakes of Blaine County, Montana]]
* [[List of mountains in Blaine County, Montana]]
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Blaine County, Montana]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
* {{Cite book |last=Noyes |first=Al. J. |url=https://archive.org/stream/inlandofchinooko00noye#page/n3/mode/2up |title=In the land of Chinook; or, The story of Blaine County |date=1917 |publisher=State Publishing Co |location=Helena MT |access-date=May 21, 2014}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Blaine County, Montana}}
* [https://blainecounty-mt.gov/ Blaine County MT - Official Website]
* [http://toddklassy.com/blaine-county-montana-photography/ Blaine County MT - Photography]

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Blaine County, Montana
|North     = [[Rural Municipality of Frontier No. 19]], [[Saskatchewan]] {{flagicon|Canada}}
|Northeast = [[Rural Municipality of Lone Tree No. 18]], [[Saskatchewan]] {{flagicon|Canada}}
|East      = [[Phillips County, Montana|Phillips County]]
|South     = [[Fergus County, Montana|Fergus County]]
|Southwest = [[Chouteau County, Montana|Chouteau County]]
|West      = [[Hill County, Montana|Hill County]]
|Northwest = [[Rural Municipality of Reno No. 51]], [[Saskatchewan]] {{flagicon|Canada}}
}}

{{Blaine County, Montana}}
{{Montana}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Coord|48.44|-108.96|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-MT_source:UScensus1990_scale:1000000}}

[[Category:Blaine County, Montana| ]]
[[Category:Montana counties on the Missouri River]]
[[Category:1912 establishments in Montana]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1912]]