# Mineral County, Montana

Mineral County is a county located in the U.S. state of Montana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 4,535. Its county seat is Superior.

## Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,223 square miles (3,170 km$^2$), of which 1,219 square miles (3,160 km$^2$) is land and 3.8 square miles (9.8 km$^2$) (0.3%) is water.

### Major highways

* Interstate 90
* U.S. Route 10 (Former)
* Montana Highway 135

### Adjacent counties

* Sanders County - north
* Missoula County - east
* Clearwater County, Idaho - southwest/Pacific Time Border
* Shoshone County, Idaho - northwest/Pacific Time Border

### National protected area

* Lolo National Forest (part)

## Politics

Mineral County has voted for the Republican Party candidate in all national elections since 2000. Before that, its voting was more balanced.
United States presidential election results for Mineral County, Montana :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 2,049 | 72.33% | 689 | 24.32% | 95 | 3.35% |
| 2020 | 1,828 | 71.32% | 686 | 26.77% | 49 | 1.91% |
| 2016 | 1,330 | 66.10% | 519 | 25.80% | 163 | 8.10% |
| 2012 | 1,216 | 60.17% | 700 | 34.64% | 105 | 5.20% |
| 2008 | 1,053 | 52.73% | 845 | 42.31% | 99 | 4.96% |
| 2004 | 1,242 | 67.61% | 542 | 29.50% | 53 | 2.89% |
| 2000 | 1,078 | 65.77% | 382 | 23.31% | 179 | 10.92% |
| 1996 | 549 | 33.99% | 658 | 40.74% | 408 | 25.26% |
| 1992 | 403 | 24.65% | 664 | 40.61% | 568 | 34.74% |
| 1988 | 616 | 43.14% | 789 | 55.25% | 23 | 1.61% |
| 1984 | 943 | 55.34% | 718 | 42.14% | 43 | 2.52% |
| 1980 | 800 | 48.28% | 660 | 39.83% | 197 | 11.89% |
| 1976 | 679 | 44.85% | 819 | 54.10% | 16 | 1.06% |
| 1972 | 706 | 49.75% | 659 | 46.44% | 54 | 3.81% |
| 1968 | 483 | 41.32% | 576 | 49.27% | 110 | 9.41% |
| 1964 | 368 | 28.89% | 901 | 70.72% | 5 | 0.39% |
| 1960 | 549 | 44.27% | 686 | 55.32% | 5 | 0.40% |
| 1956 | 606 | 52.33% | 552 | 47.67% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 553 | 52.47% | 491 | 46.58% | 10 | 0.95% |
| 1948 | 338 | 39.30% | 475 | 55.23% | 47 | 5.47% |
| 1944 | 380 | 47.98% | 401 | 50.63% | 11 | 1.39% |
| 1940 | 402 | 37.64% | 645 | 60.39% | 21 | 1.97% |
| 1936 | 215 | 22.40% | 657 | 68.44% | 88 | 9.17% |
| 1932 | 260 | 27.23% | 578 | 60.52% | 117 | 12.25% |
| 1928 | 443 | 53.25% | 370 | 44.47% | 19 | 2.28% |
| 1924 | 223 | 21.61% | 123 | 11.92% | 686 | 66.47% |
| 1920 | 347 | 39.03% | 362 | 40.72% | 180 | 20.25% |
| 1916 | 251 | 20.47% | 781 | 63.70% | 194 | 15.82% |

## Demographics
### 2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 4,535 people living in the county.

### 2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 4,223 people, 1,911 households, and 1,229 families in the county. The population density was 3.5 inhabitants per square mile (1.4 inhabitants/km$^2$). There were 2,446 housing units at an average density of 2.0 units per square mile (0.77 units/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the county was 94.9% white, 1.5% American Indian, 0.7% Asian, 0.3% black or African American, 0.2% from other races, and 2.4% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.9% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 30.9% were German, 16.9% were Irish, 15.4% were English, and 3.0% were American.
Of the 1,911 households, 21.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.4% were married couples living together, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 35.7% were non-families, and 29.7% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.69. The median age was 49.8 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $37,256 and the median income for a family was $44,271. Males had a median income of $35,536 versus $20,370 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,209. About 12.7% of families and 19.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 36.0% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.

## Communities
### Towns

* Alberton
* Superior (county seat)

### Census-designated places

* Cyr
* De Borgia
* Haugan
* Riverbend
* Saltese
* St. Regis

### Other unincorporated communities

* Borax (part of Saltese)
* Bryson
* Cabin City
* Drexel
* East Portal
* Henderson
* Keystone
* Lozeau
* Quartz
* Sohon
* Spring Gulch
* Tammany
* Tarkio
* Westfall

### Former community

* Taft