Editing Liberty County, Montana

{{Short description|County in Montana, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Liberty County
 | state                = Montana
 | seal                 = 
  |named for=[[Liberty]]
| founded date         = February 11
 | founded year         = 1920<ref name="LCH">{{Cite web |title=Montana County Formation Table |url=http://genealogytrails.com/mon/countytimeline.html |access-date=April 3, 2018 |website=genealogytrails.com}}</ref>
 | seat wl              = Chester
 | largest city wl      = Chester
 | city type            = town
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 1447
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 1430
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 17
 | area percentage      = 1.2
 | population_as_of     = 2020
 | population_total     = 1959
 | pop_est_as_of        = 2022
 | population_est       = 1972 {{increase}}
 | population_density_sq_mi = auto
 | web                  = www.co.liberty.mt.us
 | ex image             = Liberty County Courthouse2.JPG
 | ex image cap         = Liberty County Courthouse in Chester
 | district             = 2nd
 | time zone            = Mountain
 | footnotes            = 
* Montana county number 48
}}

'''Liberty County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] located in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Montana]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 1,959.<ref name="QF">{{Cite web |title=State & County QuickFacts |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/libertycountymontana/PST045222 |access-date=May 9, 2023 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> Its [[county seat]] is [[Chester, Montana|Chester]].<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 decision to separate the future Liberty County area from the previous [[Hill County, Montana|Hill]] and [[Chouteau County, Montana|Chouteau]] counties was carried in a 1919 vote; the organization was authorized to commence in the following February.<ref name=LCH/><ref>{{Cite web |title=History |url=http://co.liberty.mt.us/about/ |access-date=November 30, 2014 |publisher=Liberty County}}</ref>

The southwestern corner of Liberty County holds [[Tiber Dam]], a popular tourist and recreation area.

==Geography==
Liberty County is on the state's north line, so that it shares the US border with Canada. It abuts the Canadian province of [[Alberta]]. According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|1447|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|1430|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|17|sqmi}} (1.2%) 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 28, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref>

===Adjacent counties===
{{div col|colwidth=18em}}
* [[Toole County, Montana|Toole County]] – west
* [[Pondera County, Montana|Pondera County]] – southwest
* [[Chouteau County, Montana|Chouteau County]] – south
* [[Hill County, Montana|Hill County]] – east
* [[County of Forty Mile No. 8]], Alberta – north
{{div col end}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1920= 2416
|1930= 2198
|1940= 2209
|1950= 2180
|1960= 2624
|1970= 2359
|1980= 2329
|1990= 2295
|2000= 2158
|2010= 2339
|2020= 1959
|estyear=2022
|estimate=1972
|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 9, 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 28, 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 28, 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 28, 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 28, 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 1,959 people living in the county.{{citation needed|date=January 2024}}

===2010 census===
As of the [[2010 United States census|2010 census]], there were 2,339 people, 822 households, and 537 families living in the county. The population density was {{convert|1.6|PD/sqmi}}. There were 1,043 housing units at an average density of {{convert|0.7|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the county was 98.2% white, 0.2% American Indian, 0.1% black or African American, 0.1% Asian, 0.2% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 0.3% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 55.4% were [[German Americans|German]], 24.1% were [[Norwegian Americans|Norwegian]], 14.5% were [[Irish Americans|Irish]], 9.9% were [[English Americans|English]], and 1.4% were [[American ancestry|American]].

Of the 822 households, 23.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.5% were married couples living together, 4.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 34.7% were non-families, and 32.2% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 3.00. The median age was 44.6 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $40,212 and the median income for a family was $44,957. Males had a median income of $35,788 versus $30,714 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,097. About 12.4% of families and 19.5% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 31.6% of those under age 18 and 15.6% of those age 65 or over.

===2000 census record===
Researchers William P. O'Hare and Kenneth M. Johnson described the county as typical of the northern [[Great Plains]] in being very thinly settled, almost fully dependent on agriculture, and lacking in urban areas. They noted that income can fluctuate substantially from year to year, depending on rainfall (which affects harvest yields) as well as grain and cattle prices, and that the 2000 Census recorded low incomes in 1999 after several years of [[drought]]. Also, the presence of [[Hutterite]] colonies in the county depresses [[per capita income]]s because Hutterite families have significantly more children than the general population.<ref>[http://www.prb.org/Articles/2004/FacingChildPovertyinRuralAmerica.aspx Facing Child Poverty in Rural America] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120208014334/http://www.prb.org/Articles/2004/FacingChildPovertyinRuralAmerica.aspx |date=February 8, 2012}} by William P. O'Hare and Kenneth M. Johnson, [[Population Reference Bureau]], January 2004</ref>

==Politics==
As of 2024 Liberty County is a solid Republican county.{{PresHead|place=Liberty County, Montana|whig=no|source1=<ref>{{Cite web |last=Leip |first=David |title=Atlas of US Presidential Elections |url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS |access-date=April 3, 2018 |website=uselectionatlas.org}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP/Whig vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|752|214|22|Montana}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|821|249|13|Montana}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|698|206|57|Montana}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|702|257|39|Montana}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|594|367|40|Montana}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|734|281|18|Montana}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|752|243|49|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|634|379|149|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|512|321|378|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|771|418|19|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|895|323|11|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|872|283|101|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1976|Republican|638|506|19|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|808|365|62|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|670|390|84|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|533|619|3|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|597|501|2|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|601|488|0|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|671|411|6|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|354|542|30|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|393|440|9|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|434|550|10|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|276|758|31|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|252|731|27|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|446|332|8|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1924|Progressive|239|141|329|Montana}}
{{PresFoot|1920|Republican|757|331|102|Montana}}

==Communities==
===Town===
* [[Chester, Montana|Chester]] (county seat)

===Census-designated places===
{{Div col|colwidth=18em}}
* [[Eagle Creek Colony]]
* [[Joplin, Montana|Joplin]]
* [[Riverview Colony]]
* [[Sage Creek Colony]]
* [[Whitlash, Montana|Whitlash]]
{{Div col end}}

===Other unincorporated communities===
{{div col|colwidth=18em}}
* [[Hill, Montana|Hill]]<ref>[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Hill,+MT+59522/@48.8242208,-111.0544835,10.96z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x536bb3dc23b40903:0xd9ccf87d77e30819!8m2!3d48.7849974!4d-111.1608133 ''Hill MT''  Google Maps (accessed January 2, 2019)]</ref>
* [[Lothair, Montana|Lothair]]<ref>[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Lothair,+MT+59461/@48.4716519,-111.240962,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x536a3bc144ea310b:0x5d573f8635fd3e52!8m2!3d48.4716528!4d-111.2322072 ''Lothair MT''  Google Maps (accessed January 2, 2019)]</ref>
* [[Tiber, Montana|Tiber]]<ref>[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Tiber,+MT+59522/@48.508876,-111.0895656,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x536a4774e955dbc7:0xecd4a143c3ce6fe5!8m2!3d48.5088769!4d-111.0808108 ''Tiber MT''  Google Maps (accessed January 2, 2019)]</ref>
{{div col end}}

==See also==
* [[List of lakes in Liberty County, Montana]]
* [[List of mountains in Liberty County, Montana]]
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Montana#Liberty County|National Register of Historic Places listings in Liberty County MT]]

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

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Liberty County, Montana
|North     = [[Forty Mile County No. 8]], [[Alberta]] {{flagicon|Canada}}
|East      = [[Hill County, Montana|Hill County]]
|South     = [[Chouteau County, Montana|Chouteau County]]
|Southwest = [[Pondera County, Montana|Pondera County]]
|West      = [[Toole County, Montana|Toole County]]
}}

{{Liberty County, Montana}}
{{Montana}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Coord|48.55|-111.03|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-MT_source:UScensus1990}}

[[Category:Liberty County, Montana| ]]
[[Category:1919 establishments in Montana]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1919]]