# Meagher County, Montana

Meagher County (/mɑːr/ MAR) is a county located in the U.S. state of Montana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 1,927. Its county seat is White Sulphur Springs.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the 2010 center of population of Montana is located in Meagher County at 46°47′N 111°18′W﻿ / ﻿46.78°N 111.3°W﻿ / 46.78; -111.3

## History

Meagher County was named for Thomas Francis Meagher, territorial governor of Montana.
The first county seat was Diamond City, the main city of the Confederate Gulch mining district. This area is no longer part of Meagher County, but today lies in neighboring Broadwater County.

## Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,395 square miles (6,200 km$^2$), of which 2,392 square miles (6,200 km$^2$) is land and 2.8 square miles (7.3 km$^2$) (0.1%) is water.

### Major highways

* U.S. Highway 12
* U.S. Highway 89

### Adjacent counties

* Cascade County - north
* Judith Basin County - northeast
* Wheatland County - east
* Sweet Grass County - southeast
* Park County - south
* Gallatin County - south
* Broadwater County - west
* Lewis and Clark County - northwest

### National protected areas

* Gallatin National Forest (part)
* Helena National Forest (part)
* Lewis and Clark National Forest (part)

## Politics

This county has a strong Republican lean. This was one of 12 counties in Montana that Barry Goldwater won in 1964. A Democrat has not won since Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1940.
United States presidential election results for Meagher County, Montana :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 888 | 75.77% | 256 | 21.84% | 28 | 2.39% |
| 2020 | 833 | 75.05% | 258 | 23.24% | 19 | 1.71% |
| 2016 | 729 | 74.62% | 193 | 19.75% | 55 | 5.63% |
| 2012 | 670 | 68.93% | 269 | 27.67% | 33 | 3.40% |
| 2008 | 624 | 64.60% | 298 | 30.85% | 44 | 4.55% |
| 2004 | 698 | 71.74% | 247 | 25.39% | 28 | 2.88% |
| 2000 | 698 | 74.65% | 176 | 18.82% | 61 | 6.52% |
| 1996 | 505 | 53.95% | 281 | 30.02% | 150 | 16.03% |
| 1992 | 422 | 42.12% | 260 | 25.95% | 320 | 31.94% |
| 1988 | 656 | 65.01% | 337 | 33.40% | 16 | 1.59% |
| 1984 | 771 | 72.12% | 283 | 26.47% | 15 | 1.40% |
| 1980 | 689 | 69.60% | 247 | 24.95% | 54 | 5.45% |
| 1976 | 565 | 60.17% | 364 | 38.76% | 10 | 1.06% |
| 1972 | 674 | 71.55% | 230 | 24.42% | 38 | 4.03% |
| 1968 | 543 | 62.92% | 218 | 25.26% | 102 | 11.82% |
| 1964 | 506 | 55.42% | 405 | 44.36% | 2 | 0.22% |
| 1960 | 613 | 58.49% | 431 | 41.13% | 4 | 0.38% |
| 1956 | 712 | 66.73% | 355 | 33.27% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 792 | 70.71% | 326 | 29.11% | 2 | 0.18% |
| 1948 | 518 | 50.05% | 497 | 48.02% | 20 | 1.93% |
| 1944 | 509 | 51.26% | 482 | 48.54% | 2 | 0.20% |
| 1940 | 520 | 44.94% | 621 | 53.67% | 16 | 1.38% |
| 1936 | 495 | 38.67% | 767 | 59.92% | 18 | 1.41% |
| 1932 | 462 | 41.96% | 621 | 56.40% | 18 | 1.63% |
| 1928 | 714 | 67.94% | 335 | 31.87% | 2 | 0.19% |
| 1924 | 624 | 59.60% | 257 | 24.55% | 166 | 15.85% |
| 1920 | 744 | 69.08% | 314 | 29.16% | 19 | 1.76% |
| 1916 | 1,158 | 43.10% | 1,482 | 55.15% | 47 | 1.75% |
| 1912 | 321 | 26.77% | 473 | 39.45% | 405 | 33.78% |
| 1908 | 495 | 59.57% | 314 | 37.79% | 22 | 2.65% |
| 1904 | 485 | 66.90% | 230 | 31.72% | 10 | 1.38% |

## Demographics
### 2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 1,927 people living in the county.

### 2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 1,891 people, 806 households, and 509 families in the county. The population density was 0.8 inhabitants per square mile (0.31/km$^2$). There were 1,432 housing units at an average density of 0.6 units per square mile (0.23/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the county was 97.9% white, 0.3% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 0.1% black or African American, 0.1% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.5% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 38.6% were German, 14.3% were Norwegian, 13.6% were Irish, 11.0% were English, 5.9% were Scotch-Irish, and 3.2% were American.
Of the 806 households, 20.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.6% were married couples living together, 6.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 36.8% were non-families, and 33.3% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.13 and the average family size was 2.67. The median age was 50.1 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $31,577 and the median income for a family was $40,057. Males had a median income of $30,556 versus $16,414 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,318. About 14.1% of families and 19.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.7% of those under age 18 and 13.0% of those age 65 or over.

## Communities
### City

* White Sulphur Springs (county seat)

### Census-designated places

* Martinsdale
* Springdale Colony

### Other unincorporated communities

* Castle Town
* Checkerboard
* Copperopolis
* Fort Logan
* Hamen
* Lennep
* Loweth
* Minden
* Moss Agate
* Moyne
* Ringling
* Sixteen

### Individual residences (identified on aerial map)

* Ford Place