Beaverhead County, Montana

Beaverhead County, Montana
Beaverhead County is the largest county by area in the U.S. state of Montana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 9,371. Its county seat is Dillon. The county was founded in 1865.
Much of the perimeter of the county is the Continental Divide, including its entire border with the state of Idaho. The divide heads east into Montana at the county border with Ravalli County, between Lost Trail Pass and Chief Joseph Pass.
History
The county name is derived from a rock formation, which the Shoshone described as being shaped like a beaver's head.
The original county seat was the gold-mining town of Bannack. In 1881 it was moved to Dillon.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.3%) is water. It is the largest county in Montana by area.
Beaverhead impact structure is in the area.
The Big Hole River (formerly called Wisdom River) runs through the county.
Adjacent counties
Ravalli County - northwest
Deer Lodge County - north
Silver Bow County - north
Madison County - east
Fremont County, Idaho - southeast
Clark County, Idaho - south
Lemhi County, Idaho - west
Major highways
National protected areas
Beaverhead National Forest (part)
Big Hole National Battlefield
Nez Perce National Historical Park (part)
Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge
Politics
Beaverhead is a powerfully Republican county. It has not voted for a Democratic Presidential candidate since 1936.
Demographics
2020 census
As of the census of 2020, there were 9,371 people.
2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 9,246 people, 4,014 households, and 2,383 families living in the county. The population density was . There were 5,273 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 94.8% white, 1.4% American Indian, 0.4% Pacific islander, 0.4% Asian, 0.2% black or African American, 1.2% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 3.7% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 26.5% were German, 23.9% were English, 15.4% were Irish, 7.9% were Norwegian, 6.5% were Scottish, and 3.4% were American.
Of the 4,014 households, 23.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.9% were married couples living together, 6.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 40.6% were non-families, and 33.0% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.79. The median age was 42.0 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $38,264 and the median income for a family was $53,036. Males had a median income of $35,568 versus $27,314 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,110. About 10.8% of families and 15.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.4% of those under age 18 and 6.0% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Beaverhead County is one of the largest cattle and hay producing areas of Montana. Barrett's Minerals, one of the world's largest talc mines, calls Beaverhead County home. In 2009, Barrett Hospital and Healthcare was the largest private employer in the county.
Education
The University of Montana Western is in Dillon.
Communities
City
Dillon (county seat)
Town
Lima
Census-designated places
Argenta
Dell
Dewey
Glen
Grant
Jackson
Lakeview
Maverick Mountain
Wisdom
Wise River
Other unincorporated communities
Apex
Barretts
Bond
Dalys
Elkhorn Hot Springs
Ford
Kidd
Monida
Polaris
Red Rock
Former communities
Armstead - flooded by Clark County Reservoir in 1964
Bannack (presently a National Historic Monument and site of Bannack State Park)
Hecla
Lion City
Notable people
Joseph Poindexter, later Territorial Governor of Hawaii, served as County Attorney here .
Thomas Savage(1915-2003) spent his childhood and teen years on his family's ranch in Beaverhead County. His experiences there informed his best known novels, The Power of the Dog and The Sheep Queen .
See also
List of lakes in Beaverhead County, Montana
List of mountains in Beaverhead County, Montana
National Register of Historic Places listings in Beaverhead County, Montana
References
External links
Official page
Chamber of Commerce page
1865 establishments in Montana Territory
Populated places established in 1865