# Pondera County, Montana

Pondera County (/ˌpɒndəˈreɪ/ POND-ə-RAY) is a county in the U.S. state of Montana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 5,898. Its county seat is Conrad.

## Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,640 square miles (4,200 km$^2$), of which 1,623 square miles (4,200 km$^2$) is land and 17 square miles (44 km$^2$) (1.0%) is water.

### Adjacent counties

* Glacier County – north
* Toole County – north
* Liberty County – east
* Chouteau County – east
* Teton County – south
* Flathead County – west

### National protected area

* Lewis and Clark National Forest (part)
* Rocky Mountain Front Conservation Area (part)

## Demographics
### 2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 5,898 people living in the county.

### 2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 6,153 people, 2,285 households, and 1,528 families residing in the county. The population density was 3.8 inhabitants per square mile (1.5/km$^2$). There were 2,659 housing units at an average density of 1.6 units per square mile (0.62 units/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the county was 82.7% white, 14.5% American Indian, 0.2% Asian, 0.1% 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 1.4% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 31.9% were German, 14.7% were Norwegian, 13.2% were Irish, 9.3% were English, 5.7% were Dutch, and 5.6% were American.
Of the 2,285 households, 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.3% were married couples living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 33.1% were non-families, and 29.9% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 3.01. The median age was 42.8 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $36,419 and the median income for a family was $47,656. Males had a median income of $34,259 versus $26,903 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,989. About 14.9% of families and 21.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 32.5% of those under age 18 and 10.7% of those age 65 or over.

## Politics

From its creation until 1964, voters of Pondera County were fairly balanced; they selected Democratic Party candidates in 58% of national elections. Since 1964, the Republican presidential candidate has garnered the county's vote in every election. The eastern part of the county reaches into the Blackfeet Reservation, which votes strongly Democratic; otherwise the county is strongly Republican-leaning. A Republican trend on the Reservation in 2024, which also occurred in neighboring Glacier County and other majority Native American counties in Montana, led to Donald Trump performing better than any other Republican in county history that year.
United States presidential election results for Pondera County, Montana :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 1,972 | 69.14% | 782 | 27.42% | 98 | 3.44% |
| 2020 | 2,031 | 67.81% | 903 | 30.15% | 61 | 2.04% |
| 2016 | 1,799 | 66.07% | 738 | 27.10% | 186 | 6.83% |
| 2012 | 1,673 | 61.53% | 975 | 35.86% | 71 | 2.61% |
| 2008 | 1,588 | 55.04% | 1,223 | 42.39% | 74 | 2.56% |
| 2004 | 1,853 | 64.79% | 956 | 33.43% | 51 | 1.78% |
| 2000 | 1,948 | 67.27% | 792 | 27.35% | 156 | 5.39% |
| 1996 | 1,438 | 48.53% | 1,123 | 37.90% | 402 | 13.57% |
| 1992 | 1,252 | 39.56% | 1,046 | 33.05% | 867 | 27.39% |
| 1988 | 1,795 | 57.64% | 1,245 | 39.98% | 74 | 2.38% |
| 1984 | 2,239 | 67.52% | 1,039 | 31.33% | 38 | 1.15% |
| 1980 | 2,270 | 66.14% | 897 | 26.14% | 265 | 7.72% |
| 1976 | 1,666 | 52.89% | 1,413 | 44.86% | 71 | 2.25% |
| 1972 | 1,890 | 57.41% | 1,215 | 36.91% | 187 | 5.68% |
| 1968 | 1,530 | 52.98% | 1,149 | 39.79% | 209 | 7.24% |
| 1964 | 1,110 | 38.58% | 1,759 | 61.14% | 8 | 0.28% |
| 1960 | 1,452 | 46.76% | 1,653 | 53.24% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 1,651 | 53.45% | 1,438 | 46.55% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 1,719 | 57.45% | 1,246 | 41.64% | 27 | 0.90% |
| 1948 | 902 | 35.37% | 1,555 | 60.98% | 93 | 3.65% |
| 1944 | 890 | 37.70% | 1,448 | 61.33% | 23 | 0.97% |
| 1940 | 1,038 | 34.83% | 1,899 | 63.72% | 43 | 1.44% |
| 1936 | 658 | 22.43% | 2,213 | 75.43% | 63 | 2.15% |
| 1932 | 930 | 32.35% | 1,805 | 62.78% | 140 | 4.87% |
| 1928 | 1,324 | 57.99% | 944 | 41.35% | 15 | 0.66% |
| 1924 | 764 | 37.67% | 414 | 20.41% | 850 | 41.91% |
| 1920 | 1,654 | 62.49% | 893 | 33.74% | 100 | 3.78% |

## Communities
### City

* Conrad (county seat)

### Town

* Valier

### Census-designated places

* Birch Creek Colony
* Brady
* Dupuyer
* Heart Butte
* Kingsbury Colony
* Midway Colony
* New Miami Colony
* Pondera Colony

### Other unincorporated communities

* East Community
* Fowler
* Gallup City
* Ledger
* Manson
* Williams

## Notable people

* Ivan Doig, author; resided in Dupuyer
* George Montgomery – film/television actor; born and raised in Brady