# McCone County, Montana

McCone County is a county located in the U.S. state of Montana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 1,729. Its county seat is Circle.
The county was created in 1919. It was named for State Senator George McCone, who had been one of the first county commissioners of Dawson County.

## Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,683 square miles (6,950 km$^2$), of which 2,643 square miles (6,850 km$^2$) is land and 40 square miles (100 km$^2$) (1.5%) is water.

### Major highways

* Montana Highway 13
* Montana Highway 24
* Montana Highway 200

### Adjacent counties

* Valley County - west
* Roosevelt County - north
* Richland County - northeast
* Dawson County - east
* Prairie County - south
* Garfield County - west

### National protected area

* Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge (part)

## Demographics
### 2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 1,729 people living in the county.

### 2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 1,734 people, 774 households, and 514 families living in the county. The population density was 0.7 inhabitants per square mile (0.27 inhabitants/km$^2$), the 10th lowest in the United States. There were 1,008 housing units at an average density of 0.4 units per square mile (0.15 units/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the county was 98.0% white, 0.4% American Indian, 0.1% black or African American, 0.1% Asian, 0.1% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 0.7% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 44.5% were German, 23.1% were Norwegian, 12.7% were American, 12.0% were Irish, and 8.8% were English.
Of the 774 households, 23.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.0% were married couples living together, 3.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 33.6% were non-families, and 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.77. The median age was 48.9 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $48,167 and the median income for a family was $56,406. Males had a median income of $33,185 versus $26,454 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,265. About 5.9% of families and 8.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.3% of those under age 18 and 11.5% of those age 65 or over.

## Communities
### Town

* Circle (county seat)

### Census-designated places

* Brockway
* Prairie Elk Colony
* Vida

### Other unincorporated communities

* Nickwall
* Weldon

## Politics

McCone county is a solid Republican county. In the 2004 Presidential Election McCone County gave 69.6% of its votes to President George W. Bush and 28.1% to Senator John Kerry. In the 2012 presidential election Governor Mitt Romney received 75.0% of the county's votes, while President Barack Obama only received 22.5% of the votes.
United States presidential election results for McCone County, Montana :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 931 | 86.04% | 129 | 11.92% | 22 | 2.03% |
| 2020 | 956 | 84.75% | 155 | 13.74% | 17 | 1.51% |
| 2016 | 862 | 78.72% | 154 | 14.06% | 79 | 7.21% |
| 2012 | 745 | 75.03% | 223 | 22.46% | 25 | 2.52% |
| 2008 | 726 | 66.54% | 321 | 29.42% | 44 | 4.03% |
| 2004 | 791 | 69.57% | 320 | 28.14% | 26 | 2.29% |
| 2000 | 827 | 72.42% | 267 | 23.38% | 48 | 4.20% |
| 1996 | 615 | 48.96% | 390 | 31.05% | 251 | 19.98% |
| 1992 | 528 | 39.00% | 424 | 31.31% | 402 | 29.69% |
| 1988 | 814 | 58.18% | 567 | 40.53% | 18 | 1.29% |
| 1984 | 1,015 | 67.80% | 459 | 30.66% | 23 | 1.54% |
| 1980 | 1,000 | 67.98% | 349 | 23.73% | 122 | 8.29% |
| 1976 | 730 | 48.70% | 749 | 49.97% | 20 | 1.33% |
| 1972 | 854 | 58.29% | 562 | 38.36% | 49 | 3.34% |
| 1968 | 733 | 52.17% | 589 | 41.92% | 83 | 5.91% |
| 1964 | 615 | 40.81% | 891 | 59.12% | 1 | 0.07% |
| 1960 | 743 | 49.04% | 764 | 50.43% | 8 | 0.53% |
| 1956 | 752 | 45.83% | 889 | 54.17% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 900 | 56.32% | 674 | 42.18% | 24 | 1.50% |
| 1948 | 518 | 37.78% | 702 | 51.20% | 151 | 11.01% |
| 1944 | 526 | 39.85% | 763 | 57.80% | 31 | 2.35% |
| 1940 | 529 | 35.24% | 928 | 61.83% | 44 | 2.93% |
| 1936 | 332 | 19.09% | 1,366 | 78.55% | 41 | 2.36% |
| 1932 | 456 | 26.34% | 1,020 | 58.93% | 255 | 14.73% |
| 1928 | 946 | 61.87% | 554 | 36.23% | 29 | 1.90% |
| 1924 | 494 | 38.18% | 143 | 11.05% | 657 | 50.77% |
| 1920 | 1,177 | 62.01% | 537 | 28.29% | 184 | 9.69% |