Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1941-09-13
HOME OWNERSHIP
IN MONTANA DIPS
SLIGHTLY, REPORT
FARMERS OWN MORE HOMES OF
OWN THAN CITY
DWELLER

In Montana decreased slightly between
1890 and 1910 according to data from
the 1910 census Of housing released
by Director j. G. Capt Of the bureau
Of the census, department Of COM
merce.
In 1870, 50 percent Of all occupied
dwelling units we're occupied by theil
owners, as compared with 54.5 percent
In 1890 OF the owner-occupied non
farm dwelling units in 1910, 26.4 per-
cent were mortgaged. Census returns
also showed that non-white households
largely Indian) occupied 90 percent
of all occupied dwelling units. The
extent of over-crowding was indicated
by the fact that 1873 percent Of the
occupied dwelling units had more than
one and one-half persons per room.
More than one-third (37.l percent) OF
the dwelling units had private baths
and 76.6 percent we're not in need
of major repairs. The average monthly
rental for all dwelling units in urban
and rural non-farm areas WAS $19.8I.
177,44S Dwelling Units
The final count of the housing cen
sus showed 177,443 dwelling units in
Montana on April /, 1910, of which
159,96S were occupied. Since a dwell
ing unit, as the term is used IN the
census, is the living quarters occupied
by one family or household, the num-
Der of occupied dwelling units IN a
given area is about the same as the
number of families and may be COM
pared with the number of private fam
lies returned in the 1890 census. Such
a comparison shows that between 1880
and 1910 the number of families in
creased by 1858 percent in urban areas,
23.4 percent in rural non-farm areas,
and ia percent in the entire state.
In the rural farm areas, however, the
number of private families decreased
by percent.
Farmers Own Homes
Home ownership was highest in rural
farm areas, where 62.6 percent of all
occupied units were owned by their
occupants. This, however, represents
a decrease from the SO percent re-
ported In 1890. Home ownership de-
clined in urban areas from AT per-
cent in 1880 to ADJ percent in 1910,
but increased in rural non-farm areas
from 48.8 percent in 1880 to 53.6 per-
cent in 1910.
The census bureau considers all in
corporated places of $500 or more in
habitants In Montana as urban, and
the remainder of the state as rural
All dwelling units located on farms
in rural territory are designated as
rural-farm, and all other rural dwell |
ing units as rural non-farm.
Dwelling units occupied by white
households numbered 155,867, or 97.4
percent of all occupied dwelling units,
while the non-white occupied 4,096, or
2.6 percent. In 1880, 972 percent of |
all private families were white and |
2.8 percent non-white, the majority of
the latter being Indian. Non-wtite |
households occupied percent Of all
occupied dwelling units in the urban
areas in 1910, as compared with AZ
percent in rural non-farm and 90
percent in rural farm areas.
Vacant dwelling units for sale or
rent comprised SO percent of all dwell
ing units in urban areas, 81 percent
IN rural non-farm areas, 1913 percent
IN rural farm areas, and IA percent
n the entire state. Seasonal as well
rs ordinary dwelling units are tnclud-
I'd in all these percentages. Table 2
presents data on occupancy status.
Repairs Needed
In urban areas 81 percent Of the
dwelling units had more than
me and one-haf persons per room;
n rural non-farm areas, 1871 percent;
n rural farm areas, ia percent, and
n the entire state, 1873 percent. The
Iverage number Of persons per room
n occupied dwelling units serves as q
Measure of crowding, an average of
more than one and one-half persons
YER room being considered as indi-
ating overcrowding.
1t was found that 371 percent Of
he dwelling units In the state had :
'rivate baths, while 629 percent had I
% private bath. and that ass percent
eeded major repairs. More than two 8
birds (679 percent) Of the dwelling ,
nits either lacked private bath or !
eeded major repairs. II
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