There were 1,543 people in Missoula County who classified themselves as Hispanic, an increase of 52 percent. In both Gallatin and Flathead counties, the Hispanic populations jumped 60 percent in the past decade. In Yellowstone County, Hispanics numbered 4,788, an increase of 45 percent over the 1990s, according to the census. Yellowstone County also tied with Big Horn County for the highest ratio of Hispanics. In both, Hispanics made up 3.7 percent of the total population.
Work is a big draw.
Ranching, particularly in the southwest, and other agricultural work, such as harvesting sugar beets and potatoes, may account for some of the increase, said St. John Robinson, an associate professor who teaches Hispanic culture at Montana State University-Billings. Established families also may bring Hispanics here. The Hispanic population is a younger one, and tends to have large families, he added. State school enrollment figures for 1991 and 1999, show only a slight increase in the number of Hispanic students in Montana. The majority of students with limited English proficiency in Billings Public Schools' during the last school year were Spanish speakers.