# Madison County, Montana

Madison County is a county in the U.S. state of Montana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 8,623. Its county seat is Virginia City. The county was founded in 1865; at the time it was part of the Montana Territory.

## Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has an area of 3,603 square miles (9,330 km$^2$), of which 3,587 square miles (9,290 km$^2$) is land and 15 square miles (39 km$^2$) (0.4%) is water.

### Major highways

* Interstate 15
* U.S. Highway 91
* U.S. Highway 287
* Montana Highway 41
* Montana Highway 84
* Montana Highway 87
* Montana Highway 55
* Montana Highway 287

### Adjacent counties

* Beaverhead County - southwest
* Silver Bow County - northwest
* Jefferson County - north
* Gallatin County - east
* Fremont County, Idaho - south

### National protected areas

* Beaverhead National Forest (part)
* Deerlodge National Forest (part)
* Gallatin National Forest (part)

## Politics

In presidential elections, Madison County has historically voted predominantly Republican, with Franklin D. Roosevelt the only Democrat to carry the vote since 1916, the last of the three times he did so being in 1940.
United States presidential election results for Madison County, Montana :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 4,615 | 71.42% | 1,689 | 26.14% | 158 | 2.45% |
| 2020 | 4,191 | 68.85% | 1,771 | 29.09% | 125 | 2.05% |
| 2016 | 3,297 | 69.51% | 1,180 | 24.88% | 266 | 5.61% |
| 2012 | 3,130 | 69.06% | 1,289 | 28.44% | 113 | 2.49% |
| 2008 | 2,822 | 61.78% | 1,607 | 35.18% | 139 | 3.04% |
| 2004 | 2,868 | 72.92% | 983 | 24.99% | 82 | 2.08% |
| 2000 | 2,656 | 72.65% | 758 | 20.73% | 242 | 6.62% |
| 1996 | 1,984 | 56.77% | 955 | 27.32% | 556 | 15.91% |
| 1992 | 1,415 | 42.89% | 779 | 23.61% | 1,105 | 33.49% |
| 1988 | 2,045 | 68.62% | 878 | 29.46% | 57 | 1.91% |
| 1984 | 2,308 | 75.20% | 708 | 23.07% | 53 | 1.73% |
| 1980 | 2,220 | 70.59% | 676 | 21.49% | 249 | 7.92% |
| 1976 | 1,688 | 64.67% | 870 | 33.33% | 52 | 1.99% |
| 1972 | 1,780 | 68.78% | 669 | 25.85% | 139 | 5.37% |
| 1968 | 1,289 | 56.39% | 734 | 32.11% | 263 | 11.50% |
| 1964 | 1,276 | 53.10% | 1,125 | 46.82% | 2 | 0.08% |
| 1960 | 1,456 | 58.97% | 1,010 | 40.91% | 3 | 0.12% |
| 1956 | 1,662 | 64.24% | 925 | 35.76% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 1,993 | 72.42% | 751 | 27.29% | 8 | 0.29% |
| 1948 | 1,300 | 55.15% | 1,006 | 42.68% | 51 | 2.16% |
| 1944 | 1,278 | 55.25% | 1,022 | 44.19% | 13 | 0.56% |
| 1940 | 1,557 | 47.82% | 1,674 | 51.41% | 25 | 0.77% |
| 1936 | 1,006 | 34.81% | 1,819 | 62.94% | 65 | 2.25% |
| 1932 | 1,097 | 36.86% | 1,764 | 59.27% | 115 | 3.86% |
| 1928 | 1,785 | 68.36% | 812 | 31.10% | 14 | 0.54% |
| 1924 | 1,137 | 45.85% | 672 | 27.10% | 671 | 27.06% |
| 1920 | 1,672 | 63.19% | 877 | 33.14% | 97 | 3.67% |
| 1916 | 1,279 | 42.38% | 1,672 | 55.40% | 67 | 2.22% |
| 1912 | 506 | 27.16% | 822 | 44.12% | 535 | 28.72% |
| 1908 | 964 | 46.68% | 1,029 | 49.83% | 72 | 3.49% |
| 1904 | 1,314 | 55.16% | 971 | 40.76% | 97 | 4.07% |

## Demographics
### 2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 8,623 people living in the county.

### 2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 7,691 people, 3,560 households, and 2,192 families residing in the county. The population density was 2.1 inhabitants per square mile (0.81/km$^2$). There were 6,940 housing units at an average density of 1.9 units per square mile (0.73/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the county was 96.8% white, 0.5% American Indian, 0.3% Asian, 0.2% black or African American, 0.8% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 2.4% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 31.0% were German, 19.7% were English, 18.9% were Irish, 7.3% were Norwegian, 5.9% were Swedish, 5.0% were Scottish, and 2.9% were American.
Of the 3,560 households, 21.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.9% were married couples living together, 4.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 38.4% were non-families, and 32.6% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.11 and the average family size was 2.67. The median age was 49.8 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $42,998 and the median income for a family was $52,636. Males had a median income of $38,495 versus $28,125 for females. The per capita income for the county was $32,205. About 8.5% of families and 11.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.7% of those under age 18 and 9.8% of those age 65 or over.

## Communities
### Towns

* Ennis
* Sheridan
* Twin Bridges
* Virginia City

### Census-designated places

* Alder
* Big Sky
* Brandon
* Harrison
* Jeffers
* Mammoth
* McAllister
* Norris
* Pony
* Silver Star

### Other unincorporated communities

* Cameron
* Jefferson Island
* Junction
* Laurin
* Nevada City
* Red Bluff
* Rochester
* Ruby
* Sterling
* Summit

### Former communities

* Union City

## Education

K-12 school districts:
* Ennis K-12 Schools
* Harrison K-12 Schools
* Twin Bridges K-12 Schools
Sheridan Public Schools has two components: Sheridan Elementary School District and Sheridan High School District. Whitehall Public Schools has two components: Whitehall Elementary School District and Whitehall High School District.
Secondary school districts:
* Sheridan High School District
* Whitehall High School District
Elementary school districts:
* Alder Elementary School District
* Cardwell Elementary School District
* Sheridan Elementary School District
* Whitehall Elementary School District

## Notable person

* Sam V. Stewart, former Montana governor and Supreme Court justice