Editing Musselshell County, Montana

{{Short description|County in Montana, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Musselshell County
 | state                = Montana
 | seal                 = 
 | founded date         = February 2
 | founded year         = 1911<ref name="about">[https://musselshellcounty.org/about/ ''About Musselshell County'']</ref>
 | seat wl              = Roundup
 | largest city wl      = Roundup
 | area_footnotes       = <ref>The NaCo site lists county area as 1,871 sq. miles; the Census Bureau site lists 1,867.15; the Musselshell County website shows 1,965.</ref>
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 1871
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 1868
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 2.8
 | area percentage      = 0.1
 | population_as_of     = 2020
 | population_total     = 4730
 | pop_est_as_of        = 2022
 | population_est       = 5197 {{increase}}
 | population_density_sq_mi = auto
 | web                  = https://musselshellcounty.org/
 | ex image             = Musselshell County Courthouse July 2020.jpg
 | ex image cap         = The Musselshell County Courthouse in Roundup
 | district             = 2nd
 | time zone            = Mountain
 | footnotes            = 
* Montana county number 23
}}

'''Musselshell County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] in south-central [[Montana]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 4,730.<ref name="QF">{{Cite web |title=State & County QuickFacts |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/musselshellcountymontana/PST045222 |access-date=May 8, 2023 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> Its [[county seat]] is [[Roundup, Montana|Roundup]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Find a County |url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2011 |publisher=National Association of Counties}}</ref>

==History==
Musselshell County was created in 1911 by Montana Governor [[Edwin L. Norris]]. The area was taken from [[Fergus County, Montana|Fergus]], [[Yellowstone County, Montana|Yellowstone]], and [[Meagher County, Montana|Meagher]] counties. It was named for the [[Musselshell River]] which runs southwest–northeast through the county. That river had been thus named in 1805 by the [[Lewis and Clark Expedition]], due to the abundance of [[freshwater mussel]]s found along its banks. In 1915, a western portion of the county was partitioned off to form [[Golden Valley County, Montana|Golden Valley County]], giving Musselshell County its present boundaries.

The county's northwestern area is rolling grasslands, which slope southeastward to the Musselshell River and the forested [[Bull Mountains]] in the southeast. The county has abundant natural resources of coal deposits, subterranean oil, and timbered slopes.<ref name=about/>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|1863.91|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|1861.16|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|2.75|sqmi}} (0.1%) 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=January 4, 2019 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref>

===Major highways===
* [[Image:US 12.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Highway 12]]
* [[Image:US 87.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Highway 87]]

===Adjacent counties===
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
* [[Fergus County, Montana|Fergus County]] - northwest
* [[Petroleum County, Montana|Petroleum County]] - north
* [[Rosebud County, Montana|Rosebud County]] - east
* [[Yellowstone County, Montana|Yellowstone County]] - south
* [[Golden Valley County, Montana|Golden Valley County]] - west
{{div col end}}

===National protected area===
* [[Lake Mason National Wildlife Refuge]]

==Politics==
In the fourteen national elections after its organization, Musselshell County voters selected Republican presidential candidates 50% of the time, and Democratic candidates 50% of the time. However, since the 1968 election, the Republican candidate has been selected in every election.
{{PresHead|place=Musselshell 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>|source2=<ref>The leading "other" candidate, [[Progressive Party (United States, 1912)|Progressive]] [[Theodore Roosevelt]], received 400 votes, while Socialist candidate [[Eugene V. Debs|Eugene Debs]] received 215 votes.</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP/Whig vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|2,550|396|66|Montana}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|2,423|413|45|Montana}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|1,967|332|142|Montana}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|1,833|492|82|Montana}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|1,581|636|89|Montana}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|1,663|538|46|Montana}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|1,582|512|113|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|1,121|652|303|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|876|648|704|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|1,280|898|26|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|1,541|781|37|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|1,279|784|141|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1976|Republican|1,117|922|26|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|1,202|689|76|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|953|795|115|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|823|1,189|0|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|1,107|1,100|3|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|1,165|1,115|0|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|1,253|1,240|9|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|1,010|1,188|298|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|1,004|1,342|29|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|1,086|1,807|59|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|771|2,092|151|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|1,021|1,584|235|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|1,608|1,444|129|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1924|Progressive|1,488|247|1,532|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|1,910|951|364|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|1,738|2,036|275|Montana}}
{{PresFoot|1912|Republican|483|470|615|Montana}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1920= 12030
|1930= 7242
|1940= 5717
|1950= 5408
|1960= 4888
|1970= 3734
|1980= 4428
|1990= 4106
|2000= 4497
|2010= 4538
|2020= 4730
|estyear=2022
|estimate=5197
|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 29, 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 29, 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 29, 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 29, 2014 |publisher=US Census Bureau}}</ref> 2010–2020<ref name="QF" />
}}

===2020 census===
As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], there were 4,730 people living in the county.{{citation needed|date=January 2024}}

===2010 census===
As of the [[2010 United States census|2010 census]], there were 4,538 people, 2,046 households, and 1,276 families in the county. The population density was {{convert|2.4|PD/sqmi}}. There were 2,654 housing units at an average density of {{convert|1.4|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the county was 96.1% white, 1.3% American Indian, 0.2% black or African American, 0.2% Asian, 0.2% from other races, and 1.9% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 2.6% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 28.1% were [[German Americans|German]], 16.5% were [[English Americans|English]], 16.1% were [[Irish Americans|Irish]], 7.6% were [[Norwegian Americans|Norwegian]], and 7.0% were [[American ancestry|American]].

Of the 2,046 households, 23.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.4% were married couples living together, 6.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 37.6% were non-families, and 33.5% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.78. The median age was 49.1 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $37,033 and the median income for a family was $47,860. Males had a median income of $33,182 versus $25,750 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,875. About 14.1% of families and 17.8% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 28.6% of those under age 18 and 9.6% of those age 65 or over.

==Communities==
===City===
* [[Roundup, Montana|Roundup]] (county seat)

===Town===
* [[Melstone, Montana|Melstone]]

===Unincorporated communities===
* [[Delphia, Montana|Delphia]]<ref>[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Delphia,+MT+59072/@46.5046939,-108.2280385,2904m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x533878907f4a0a7f:0x711f00075fe98ec9!8m2!3d46.5046948!4d-108.2192837 ''Delphia MT''  Google Maps (accessed January 4, 2019)]</ref>
* [[Elso, Montana|Elso]]<ref>[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Elso,+MT+59072/@46.3485713,-108.6861189,2912m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x5347bc92255f5555:0x6092beb5b848ea39!8m2!3d46.3485722!4d-108.6773641 ''Elso, MT''  Google Maps (accessed January 4, 2019)]</ref>
* [[Klein, Montana (village)|Klein]]
* [[Queens Point, Montana|Queens Point]]<ref>[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Queens+Point,+MT+59054/@46.5688666,-107.9855306,2900m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x533864777b4317f3:0x4ddac762443aa086!8m2!3d46.5688675!4d-107.9767758 ''Queens Point MT''  Google Maps (accessed January 4, 2019)]</ref>

==Census-designated places==
* [[Camp Three, Montana|Camp Three]]
* [[Flat Willow Colony, Montana|Flat Willow Colony]]
* [[Kilby Butte Colony, Montana|Kilby Butte Colony]]
* [[Klein, Montana|Klein]]
* [[Musselshell, Montana|Musselshell]]

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

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

==External links==
* [https://musselshellcounty.org/ Musselshell County website]

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Musselshell County, Montana
|North     = [[Petroleum County, Montana|Petroleum County]]
|East      = [[Rosebud County, Montana|Rosebud County]]
|South     = [[Yellowstone County, Montana|Yellowstone County]]
|West      = [[Golden Valley County, Montana|Golden Valley County]]
|Northwest = [[Fergus County, Montana|Fergus County]]
}}

{{Musselshell County, Montana}}
{{Montana}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Coord|46.49|-108.40|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-MT_source:UScensus1990}}

[[Category:Musselshell County, Montana| ]]
[[Category:1911 establishments in Montana]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1911]]