Editing Prairie County, Montana

{{Short description|County in Montana, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Prairie County
 | state                = Montana
 | ex image             = Typical.Snowday.Terry.JPG
 | ex image size        = 220px
 | ex image cap         = Downtown [[Terry, Montana]] during a typical snowy day.
 | seal                 = 
 | founded date         = February 5
 | founded year         = 1915
 | seat wl              = Terry
 | largest city wl      = Terry
 | city type            = town
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 1743
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 1737
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 5.8
 | area percentage      = 0.3
 | population_as_of     = 2020
 | population_total     = 1088
 | pop_est_as_of        = 2022
 | population_est       = 1107 {{increase}}
 | population_density_sq_mi = 0.6
 | website              = {{URL|http://visitterrymt.com/|visitterrymt.com}} (Terry Chamber of Commerce)
 | district             = 2nd
 | time zone            = Mountain
 | named for            = [[Prairie|Prairie landscape]]
 | footnotes            = 
* Montana county number 45
}}

'''Prairie 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 1,088,<ref name="QF">{{Cite web |title=State & County QuickFacts |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/prairiecountymontana/PST045222 |access-date=May 7, 2023 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> making it the fifth-least populous county in Montana.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Montana Counties by Population (2024) |url=https://www.montana-demographics.com/counties_by_population |access-date=2024-12-01 |website=www.montana-demographics.com}}</ref> Its [[county seat]] is [[Terry, Montana|Terry]].<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> Prairie County was created by the [[Montana Legislature]] in 1915 out of parts of [[Custer County, Montana|Custer]], [[Dawson County, Montana|Dawson]], and [[Fallon County, Montana|Fallon]] Counties. The name was selected in a contest and reflects the predominant landscape of the region.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Montana Place Names Companion |url=http://mtplacenames.org/ |access-date=May 9, 2011 |website=Montana Place Names From Alzada to Zortman |publisher=Montana Historical Society Research Center}}</ref>

The county was the site of the 1938 [[Custer Creek train wreck]] that killed 47 people and injured 75.

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|1743|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|1737|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|5.8|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 29, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref>

===Major highways===
* [[Image:I-94.svg|20px]] [[Interstate 94 in Montana|Interstate 94]]
* [[Montana Highway 253]]

===Adjacent counties===
{{div col}}
* [[McCone County, Montana|McCone County]] - north
* [[Dawson County, Montana|Dawson County]] - northeast
* [[Wibaux County, Montana|Wibaux County]] - east
* [[Fallon County, Montana|Fallon County]] - southeast
* [[Custer County, Montana|Custer County]] - south
* [[Garfield County, Montana|Garfield County]] - west
{{div col end}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1920= 3684
|1930= 3941
|1940= 2410
|1950= 2377
|1960= 2318
|1970= 1752
|1980= 1836
|1990= 1383
|2000= 1199
|2010= 1179
|2020= 1088
|estyear=2022
|estimate=1107
|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 7, 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=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> 2010–2020<ref name="QF" />
}}

===2020 census===
As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], there were 1,088 people living in the county.{{citation needed|date=January 2024}}

===2010 census===
As of the [[2010 United States census|2010 census]], there were 1,179 people, 551 households, and 342 families in the county. The population density was {{convert|0.7|PD/sqmi}}. There were 673 housing units at an average density of {{convert|0.4|/sqmi}}. The racial makeup of the county was 96.4% white, 0.5% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.2% from other races, and 2.8% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.4% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 44.7% were [[Germans|German]], 18.6% were [[Norwegians|Norwegian]], 14.1% were [[Americans|American]], 11.8% were [[Irish people|Irish]], and 9.5% were [[English people|English]].

Of the 551 households, 18.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.9% were married couples living together, 4.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 37.9% were non-families, and 34.1% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.10 and the average family size was 2.67. The median age was 53.6 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $34,896 and the median income for a family was $43,500. Males had a median income of $28,438 versus $21,964 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,296. About 12.4% of families and 16.9% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 34.6% of those under age 18 and 14.5% of those age 65 or over.

==Politics==
Voters in Prairie County have voted for [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]] candidates in all national elections since 1948 (as of 2024).
{{PresHead|place=Prairie County, Montana|source=<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 vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|546|122|21|Montana}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|603|126|15|Montana}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|556|100|33|Montana}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|520|167|16|Montana}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|503|211|21|Montana}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|546|181|9|Montana}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|541|164|41|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|417|259|104|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|412|260|184|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|541|343|16|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|693|289|9|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|580|283|64|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1976|Republican|597|415|7|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|685|303|11|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|635|270|32|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1964|Republican|555|488|5|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|649|338|0|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|637|403|0|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|771|338|5|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|499|527|16|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1944|Republican|598|468|8|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1940|Republican|597|554|10|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|454|877|32|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|634|732|21|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|968|405|6|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1924|Republican|683|162|370|Montana}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|881|242|26|Montana}}
{{PresFoot|1916|Democratic|535|622|22|Montana}}

==Communities==

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

===Census-designated place===
* [[Fallon, Montana|Fallon]]

===Other communities===
{{div col}}
* Crow Rock<ref>[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Crow+Rock,+MT+59301/@46.9113908,-106.0796109,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x533a4d0294814739:0x70eeef664cabfc0!8m2!3d46.9113438!4d-106.0709381 ''Crow Rock MT''  Google Maps (accessed January 5, 2019)]</ref>
* McCloud<ref>[https://www.google.com/maps/place/McCloud,+MT+59349/@46.9008388,-105.6090324,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x533ad9d87c91e2a9:0x2fd4ef1968e38bb3!2sPrairie+County,+MT!3b1!8m2!3d46.7980893!4d-105.4045354!3m4!1s0x533afb17939658d5:0xfd3db3f45953ad1a!8m2!3d46.9007887!4d-105.6002426 ''McCloud MT''  Google Maps (accessed January 5, 2019)]</ref>
* [[Mildred, Montana|Mildred]]
* [[Saugus, Montana|Saugus]]
* [[Zero, Montana|Zero]]
{{div col end}}

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

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://mt.gov/maco/Counties/PRAIRIE.htm Montana Association of Counties - Prairie County website]
* [http://visitterrymt.com/ Terry Chamber of Commerce]

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Prairie County, Montana
|North     = [[McCone County, Montana|McCone County]]
|Northeast = [[Dawson County, Montana|Dawson County]]
|East      = [[Wibaux County, Montana|Wibaux County]]
|Southeast = [[Fallon County, Montana|Fallon County]]
|South     = [[Custer County, Montana|Custer County]]
|West      = [[Garfield County, Montana|Garfield County]]
}}

{{Prairie County, Montana}}
{{Montana}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Coord|46.85|-105.37|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-MT_source:UScensus1990}}

[[Category:Prairie County, Montana| ]]
[[Category:1915 establishments in Montana]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1915]]