# Jefferson County, Montana

Jefferson County is a county in Montana, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 12,085. Its county seat is Boulder. The county was created in 1865 and named for President Thomas Jefferson.
Jefferson County is part of the Helena, MT Micropolitan Statistical Area.

## Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,659 square miles (4,300 km$^2$), of which 1,656 square miles (4,290 km$^2$) is land and 2.6 square miles (6.7 km$^2$) (0.2%) is water.

### Major highways

* Interstate 15
* Interstate 90
* U.S. Highway 12
* U.S. Highway 287
* Montana Highway 2
* Montana Highway 41
* Montana Highway 55
* Montana Highway 69

### Adjacent counties

* Lewis and Clark County - north
* Broadwater County - east
* Gallatin County - southeast
* Madison County - south
* Silver Bow County - west
* Deer Lodge County - west
* Powell County - northwest

### National protected areas

* Deerlodge National Forest (part)
* Helena National Forest (part)

## Politics

United States presidential election results for Jefferson County, Montana :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 5,544 | 66.85% | 2,516 | 30.34% | 233 | 2.81% |
| 2020 | 5,345 | 65.57% | 2,625 | 32.20% | 181 | 2.22% |
| 2016 | 4,177 | 62.21% | 1,998 | 29.76% | 539 | 8.03% |
| 2012 | 4,055 | 62.18% | 2,272 | 34.84% | 194 | 2.98% |
| 2008 | 3,538 | 55.80% | 2,582 | 40.72% | 221 | 3.49% |
| 2004 | 3,844 | 65.51% | 1,881 | 32.06% | 143 | 2.44% |
| 2000 | 3,308 | 64.07% | 1,513 | 29.30% | 342 | 6.62% |
| 1996 | 2,248 | 46.82% | 1,775 | 36.97% | 778 | 16.20% |
| 1992 | 1,541 | 36.47% | 1,415 | 33.49% | 1,269 | 30.04% |
| 1988 | 2,007 | 52.31% | 1,746 | 45.50% | 84 | 2.19% |
| 1984 | 2,226 | 61.53% | 1,324 | 36.59% | 68 | 1.88% |
| 1980 | 1,841 | 57.12% | 1,055 | 32.73% | 327 | 10.15% |
| 1976 | 1,387 | 52.26% | 1,210 | 45.59% | 57 | 2.15% |
| 1972 | 1,281 | 56.06% | 904 | 39.56% | 100 | 4.38% |
| 1968 | 798 | 45.06% | 820 | 46.30% | 153 | 8.64% |
| 1964 | 662 | 40.59% | 967 | 59.29% | 2 | 0.12% |
| 1960 | 817 | 51.38% | 769 | 48.36% | 4 | 0.25% |
| 1956 | 1,049 | 61.38% | 660 | 38.62% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 1,084 | 60.76% | 687 | 38.51% | 13 | 0.73% |
| 1948 | 750 | 45.62% | 836 | 50.85% | 58 | 3.53% |
| 1944 | 797 | 49.72% | 803 | 50.09% | 3 | 0.19% |
| 1940 | 830 | 39.58% | 1,259 | 60.04% | 8 | 0.38% |
| 1936 | 573 | 27.78% | 1,409 | 68.30% | 81 | 3.93% |
| 1932 | 784 | 37.09% | 1,246 | 58.94% | 84 | 3.97% |
| 1928 | 1,013 | 56.97% | 751 | 42.24% | 14 | 0.79% |
| 1924 | 648 | 36.49% | 434 | 24.44% | 694 | 39.08% |
| 1920 | 969 | 54.47% | 688 | 38.67% | 122 | 6.86% |
| 1916 | 712 | 36.63% | 1,124 | 57.82% | 108 | 5.56% |
| 1912 | 239 | 20.03% | 479 | 40.15% | 475 | 39.82% |
| 1908 | 546 | 39.22% | 714 | 51.29% | 132 | 9.48% |
| 1904 | 663 | 45.54% | 580 | 39.84% | 213 | 14.63% |

## Demographics
### 2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 12,085 people living in the county.

### 2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 11,406 people, 4,512 households, and 3,301 families residing in the county. The population density was 6.9 inhabitants per square mile (2.7/km$^2$). There were 5,055 housing units at an average density of 3.1 per square mile (1.2/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the county was 95.5% white, 1.4% American Indian, 0.4% Asian, 0.1% black or African American, 0.4% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 2.0% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 31.3% were German, 19.1% were Irish, 17.2% were English, 10.8% were Norwegian, and 4.2% were American.
Of the 4,512 households, 28.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.7% were married couples living together, 5.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 26.8% were non-families, and 22.6% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.90. The median age was 46.2 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $56,695 and the median income for a family was $67,195. Males had a median income of $50,978 versus $34,148 for females. The per capita income for the county was $26,437. About 2.7% of families and 12.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.1% of those under age 18 and 8.6% of those age 65 or over.

## Communities
### Towns

* Boulder (county seat)
* Whitehall

### Census-designated places

* Basin
* Cardwell
* Clancy (includes Alhambra)
* Elkhorn
* Jefferson City
* Montana City
* Rader Creek
* South Hills

### Unincorporated communities

* Amazon
* Bernice
* Corbin
* Elk Park
* Homestake
* Leadville
* La Hood Park
* Louisville
* Pappas Place
* Paul Place
* Piedmont
* Pipestone
* Renova

### Former communities

* Comet
* Wickes

## Education

Whitehall Public Schools has two components: Whitehall Elementary School District and Whitehall High School District.
High school districts include Jefferson High School District and Whitehall High School District.
Elementary school districts include:
* Basin Elementary School District
* Boulder Elementary School District
* Cardwell Elementary School District
* Clancy Elementary School District
* Montana City Elementary School District
* Three Forks Elementary School District
* Whitehall Elementary School District
* Willow Creek Elementary School District