Sweet Grass County, Montana: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 19:23, 22 March 2025

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Sweet Grass County is a county located in the U.S. state of Montana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,678.<ref name="QF">Template:Cite web</ref> Its county seat is Big Timber.<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref> The county was founded in 1895.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

History

The Montana Legislature authorized Sweet Grass County in 1895, taking parts of Park, Meagher, and Yellowstone counties. That boundary was altered in 1913 when Stillwater County was formed from a portion of Sweet Grass; again in 1917 with the formation of Wheatland County, and in 1920 with the formation of Golden Valley County.<ref name="AB">About Sweet Grass County (accessed January 7, 2019)</ref>

Climate

Sweet Grass County's climate is generally dry and cool, specified as Dfc in the Köppen-Geiger climate classification (subarctic or boreal).<ref>Koeppen-Geiger Classification for US counties (accessed January 7, 2019)</ref> Average annual precipitation of Template:Convert comes in rain and snow. The summer precipitation accumulation (April through September) averages Template:Convert. The average summer high temperature is Template:Convert and the average minimum temperature during that period is Template:Convert. July and August are the hottest months. The annual average high temperature is Template:Convert and the annual average minimum temperature is Template:Convert. The coldest temperature recorded in the county in recent times was Template:Convert in February 1936, and the warmest was Template:Convert in July 2002. Big Timber receives 286 sunny days on average.<ref name=AB/>

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert (0.4%) is water.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Major highways

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Jefferson Lines

Adjacent counties

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Wheatland County - north
Golden Valley County - northeast
Stillwater County - east
Park County - west
Meagher County - northwest

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National protected areas

Demographics

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2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 3,678 people living in the county.Template:Citation needed

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 3,651 people, 1,590 households, and 1,045 families in the county. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 2,148 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 96.6% white, 0.7% Asian, 0.4% American Indian, 0.1% black or African American, 0.6% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.4% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 25.3% were German, 22.6% were Norwegian, 13.0% were American, 12.8% were Irish, 10.8% were English, and 7.3% were Scottish.

Of the 1,590 households, 28.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.2% were married couples living together, 6.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 34.3% were non-families, and 30.4% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.82. The median age was 46.6 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $43,723 and the median income for a family was $56,552. Males had a median income of $35,385 versus $25,000 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,785. About 10% of the families and 12.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.8% of those under age 18 and 9.9% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

In presidential elections, Sweet Grass County is among the most consistently Republican counties in the state and the nation. The last, and one of the only, times the Democratic candidate carried the county was in 1936 when Franklin D. Roosevelt won every county in Montana. In both the 1916 and 1932 Presidential elections, Sweet Grass County was the only county in Montana to be won by the Republican.<ref>Geographie Electorale</ref>

The county is also Republican at a local level. In 2025 Governor Greg Gianforte won with 75% of the vote.<ref name="2025 results">Template:Cite web</ref> Previous Democratic governor Brian Schweitzer never won a majority of the county's vote and no Democratic gubernatorial candidate has carried the county in decades.<ref> David Leip, US Election Atlas</ref> In 2025, the Montana Senate is represented by Republican Wylie Galt and the Montana House of Representatives is represented by Republican Randyn Gregg.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Culture

The county was the setting of the 2009 sheep-herding documentary Sweetgrass. The film takes place in many counties in Montana but the title comes from this county.