# Granite County, Montana

Granite County is a county located in the U.S. state of Montana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,309. Its county seat is Philipsburg. The county was founded in 1893, and was named for a mountain which contains the Granite Mountain silver mine.

## Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,733 square miles (4,490 km$^2$), of which 1,727 square miles (4,470 km$^2$) is land and 5.6 square miles (15 km$^2$) (0.3%) is water.

### Major highways

* Interstate 90
* U.S. Highway 10 (Former)
* U.S. Highway 12
* Montana Highway 1
* Montana Highway 38

### Adjacent counties

* Missoula County - north
* Powell County - east
* Deer Lodge County - south
* Ravalli County - west

### National protected areas

* Deerlodge National Forest (part)
* Lolo National Forest (part)

## Politics

United States presidential election results for Granite County, Montana :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 1,537 | 70.63% | 579 | 26.61% | 60 | 2.76% |
| 2020 | 1,419 | 67.51% | 638 | 30.35% | 45 | 2.14% |
| 2016 | 1,192 | 67.08% | 472 | 26.56% | 113 | 6.36% |
| 2012 | 1,107 | 64.93% | 533 | 31.26% | 65 | 3.81% |
| 2008 | 1,013 | 58.96% | 601 | 34.98% | 104 | 6.05% |
| 2004 | 1,144 | 71.28% | 404 | 25.17% | 57 | 3.55% |
| 2000 | 1,181 | 74.28% | 295 | 18.55% | 114 | 7.17% |
| 1996 | 733 | 52.10% | 429 | 30.49% | 245 | 17.41% |
| 1992 | 556 | 42.06% | 358 | 27.08% | 408 | 30.86% |
| 1988 | 789 | 59.50% | 511 | 38.54% | 26 | 1.96% |
| 1984 | 880 | 66.57% | 417 | 31.54% | 25 | 1.89% |
| 1980 | 811 | 59.15% | 439 | 32.02% | 121 | 8.83% |
| 1976 | 746 | 58.65% | 509 | 40.02% | 17 | 1.34% |
| 1972 | 804 | 62.28% | 422 | 32.69% | 65 | 5.03% |
| 1968 | 626 | 49.56% | 502 | 39.75% | 135 | 10.69% |
| 1964 | 527 | 44.40% | 658 | 55.43% | 2 | 0.17% |
| 1960 | 722 | 54.57% | 592 | 44.75% | 9 | 0.68% |
| 1956 | 896 | 62.70% | 533 | 37.30% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 923 | 65.88% | 473 | 33.76% | 5 | 0.36% |
| 1948 | 659 | 51.97% | 567 | 44.72% | 42 | 3.31% |
| 1944 | 702 | 54.50% | 574 | 44.57% | 12 | 0.93% |
| 1940 | 784 | 45.85% | 917 | 53.63% | 9 | 0.53% |
| 1936 | 475 | 27.55% | 1,227 | 71.17% | 22 | 1.28% |
| 1932 | 536 | 37.25% | 855 | 59.42% | 48 | 3.34% |
| 1928 | 849 | 62.15% | 509 | 37.26% | 8 | 0.59% |
| 1924 | 582 | 43.47% | 353 | 26.36% | 404 | 30.17% |
| 1920 | 949 | 64.21% | 439 | 29.70% | 90 | 6.09% |
| 1916 | 574 | 38.81% | 812 | 54.90% | 93 | 6.29% |
| 1912 | 195 | 21.93% | 346 | 38.92% | 348 | 39.15% |
| 1908 | 369 | 40.46% | 485 | 53.18% | 58 | 6.36% |
| 1904 | 576 | 49.40% | 521 | 44.68% | 69 | 5.92% |

## Demographics
### 2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 3,309 people living in the county.

### 2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 3,079 people, 1,417 households, and 911 families living in the county. The population density was 1.8 inhabitants per square mile (0.69/km$^2$). There were 2,822 housing units at an average density of 1.6 per square mile (0.62/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the county was 97.5% white, 0.4% American Indian, 0.1% black or African American, 0.1% Asian, 0.2% from other races, and 1.7% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.4% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 26.2% were German, 20.2% were Irish, 18.8% were English, 13.5% were Norwegian, and 7.9% were American.
Of the 1,417 households, 19.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.3% were married couples living together, 5.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 35.7% were non-families, and 29.5% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.63. The median age was 52.1 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $36,052 and the median income for a family was $47,685. Males had a median income of $41,307 versus $23,958 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,222. About 7.5% of families and 12.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.4% of those under age 18 and 13.3% of those age 65 or over.

## Communities
### Towns

* Drummond
* Philipsburg (county seat)

### Census-designated places

* Maxville
* Hall

### Unincorporated communities

* Beartown
* New Chicago
* Quigley
* Princeton
* Sherryl
* Stone

### Ghost Towns

* Bearmouth
* Garnet
* Granite
* Nimrod