Montana

Montana is a large state in the western part of the United States. It has wide-open spaces, beautiful mountains, and many natural resources. It borders Idaho to the west, North Dakota to the east, South Dakota to the southeast, Wyoming to the south, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan to the north.

Montana became part of the United States in 1803 through the Louisiana Purchase. Later, Lewis and Clark explored the area. When gold was discovered in 1862, many people moved there. Montana became a state on November 8, 1889.

Today, Montana's economy includes agriculture, such as ranching and growing crops. Other important jobs come from oil, gas, coal, mining, and lumber. Many people visit each year to enjoy the state's nature and outdoor fun. The capital is Helena, and the largest city is Billings.

Etymology

The name "Montana" comes from the Spanish word montaña, which means "mountain". Early Spanish explorers called the area Montaña del Norte. In 1863, the United States House Committee on Territories chose the name "Montana" for the new territory. Some people thought the name didn’t fit because not all of the area is mountainous, but the name "Montana" was kept.

History

Main article: History of Montana

Early Indian treaty territories in Montana

For thousands of years, many indigenous peoples lived in the land now called Montana. Historic tribes included the Crow, Cheyenne, Lakota, Blackfeet, Assiniboine, Gros Ventres, Kootenai, Salish, Pend d'Oreilles, and Kalispel. Later, European and American traders came, which started the fur trade. Sometimes, there were conflicts when people’s lands were threatened.

Montana became a U.S. territory in 1864. Gold was found, and many people moved there. This led to new towns and mines. The state had many challenges, including disagreements with Native American tribes about land and resources. Cattle ranching and railroads also grew and helped shape Montana’s economy.

Montana became the 41st state on November 8, 1889. Its history is tied to mining, farming, and ranching. The state also helped during World War I and World War II. Many people from Montana served in the military during these times.

Geography

Montana is one of the eight Mountain States, located in the north of the Western United States region. It borders North Dakota and South Dakota to the east, Wyoming to the south, Idaho to the west and southwest, and the Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan to the north. This makes it the only state to border three Canadian provinces.

Montana is the fourth-largest state in the United States after Alaska, Texas, and California. It is also the largest state with no coast.

Montana’s landscape is shaped by the Continental Divide, which splits the state into two parts. Most of the mountains are in the west, part of the northern Rocky Mountains. The east has lots of prairie and the northern Great Plains.

The state has many rivers and creeks. Montana’s rivers flow into three big places: the Pacific Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, and Hudson Bay. The state also has many lakes, including Flathead Lake, the largest natural freshwater lake in the western United States.

Montana’s plants and animals are very diverse. Forests cover part of the state, and it is home to animals such as grizzly bears, elk, and trout. The state has protected areas, including Glacier National Park and parts of Yellowstone National Park.

Map of Montana

Average daily maximum and minimum temperatures for selected cities in Montana
Location	July (°F)	Coldest month (°F)	July (°C)	Coldest month (°C)
Billings	90/59	32/14	32/15	4/–9
Missoula	88/51	30/11	31/16	−0/–8
Great Falls	93/59	28/11	34/15	1/–9
Bozeman	81/51	27/10	31/12	−0/–11
Butte	86/41	27/7	30/5	−1/–15
Helena	88/54	30/12	31/12	−0/–11
Kalispell	84/57	27/9	29/14	−1/–10

Demographics

The United States Census Bureau said that Montana had 1,132,812 people on July 1, 2023. This was a 4.5% increase since the 2020 count of 1,084,225 people. During the early 2000s, seven of Montana's biggest counties grew the most. Gallatin County grew by the largest percentage, 32.9%. Kalispell had the biggest percentage growth among cities at 40.1%. Billings had the largest actual number of new residents, with 12,946 more people from 2010 to 2020.

Montana has many Native American people, making up 6.5% of the state. This is higher than in most U.S. states. Native Americans are the majority in three counties: Big Horn, Glacier, and Roosevelt. The state has seven Indian reservations with more than 12 different Native American groups. The biggest European ancestry groups are German, Irish, English, Norwegian, French, and Italian. Other groups include Scandinavian, Finnish, Eastern European, and British mining region descendants. Montana also has communities of Hutterites, Amish, and Hispanic people, mostly around Billings. The Chinese community is small today but was important in the past in mining areas. The Missoula area now has many Hmong people, and Filipinos are the largest Asian American group in the state. Montana also has many U.S. military veterans.

Montana's Constitution recognizes the special culture of American Indians and works to keep it alive through education. The Indian Education for All Act helps schools teach American Indian history and culture. Each reservation has a tribal college, and the University of Montana has agreements to help students from these colleges.

English is the official language of Montana, spoken at home by 94.8% of people aged five and older. Spanish is the second most common language, followed by speakers of Indo-European languages, Native American languages, and Asian or Pacific Islander languages.

Religious life in Montana is varied. Christianity is the largest group, with Protestantism and Catholicism being the most common. Other groups include The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and non-denominational evangelicals. Many people do not belong to any religion, and smaller groups include New Age spirituality, Judaism, and Buddhism.

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1870	20,595	—
1880	39,159	90.1%
1890	142,924	265.0%
1900	243,329	70.3%
1910	376,053	54.5%
1920	548,889	46.0%
1930	537,606	−2.1%
1940	559,456	4.1%
1950	591,024	5.6%
1960	674,767	14.2%
1970	694,409	2.9%
1980	786,690	13.3%
1990	799,065	1.6%
2000	902,195	12.9%
2010	989,415	9.7%
2020	1,084,225	9.6%
2025 (est.)	1,144,694	5.6%
Source: 1910–2020

Montana racial breakdown of population
Racial composition	1990	2000	2010	2020
White	92.7%	90.6%	89.4%	88.9%
Native	6.0%	6.2%	6.3%	6.7%
Asian	0.5%	0.5%	0.6%	0.9%
Black	0.3%	0.3%	0.4%	0.6%
Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander	–	0.1%	0.1%	0.1%
Other race	0.5%	0.6%	0.6%	–
Two or more races	–	1.7%	2.5%	2.8%

**Montana – Racial and ethnic composition**
*Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.*
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 2000	Pop 2010	Pop 2020	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	807,823	868,628	901,318	89.54%	87.79%	83.13%
Black or African American alone (NH)	2,534	3,743	5,077	0.28%	0.38%	0.47%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	54,426	59,902	64,592	6.03%	6.05%	5.96%
Asian alone (NH)	4,569	6,138	8,077	0.51%	0.62%	0.74%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	425	609	839	0.05%	0.06%	0.08%
Other race alone (NH)	569	540	4,374	0.06%	0.05%	0.40%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)	13,768	21,290	54,749	1.53%	2.15%	5.05%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	18,081	28,565	45,199	2.00%	2.89%	4.17%
Total	902,195	989,415	1,084,225	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

Live births by race/ethnicity of mother
Race	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023
White	10,170 (82.2%)	10,153 (81.7%)	10,270 (81.6%)	9,761 (79.5%)	9,372 (79.4%)	9,224 (80.1%)	8,800 (79.4%)	8,639 (80.0%)	9,101 (81.0%)	8,995 (80.5%)	8,883 (80.2%)
American Indian	1,531 (12.4%)	1,585 (12.7%)	1,560 (12.4%)	1,347 (11.0%)	1,249 (10.6%)	1,177 (10.2%)	1,137 (10.2%)	1,063 (9.9%)	939 (8.4%)	946 (8.5%)	915 (8.3%)
Asian	132 (1.1%)	169 (1.3%)	152 (1.2%)	131 (1.1%)	121 (1.0%)	112 (1.0%)	115 (1.0%)	112 (1.0%)	105 (0.9%)	134 (1.2%)	110 (1.0%)
Black	99 (0.8%)	106 (0.8%)	103 (0.8%)	57 (0.5%)	64 (0.5%)	58 (0.5%)	61 (0.6%)	62 (0.6%)	71 (0.6%)	63 (0.6%)	60 (0.5%)
Hispanic (any race)	476 (3.8%)	494 (4.0%)	573 (4.5%)	548 (4.5%)	585 (5.0%)	558 (4.8%)	616 (5.6%)	569 (5.3%)	648 (5.7%)	678 (6.1%)	703 (6.3%)
Total	12,377 (100%)	12,432 (100%)	12,583 (100%)	12,282 (100%)	11,799 (100%)	11,513 (100%)	11,079 (100%)	10,791 (100%)	11,231 (100%)	11,175 (100%)	11,078 (100%)

Top 14 non-English languages spoken in Montana
Language	Percentage of population (as of 2000)
Spanish	1.5%
German	1.1%
French and Crow (tied)	0.4%
Scandinavian languages (including Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish)	0.2%
Italian, Japanese, Russian, Native American languages (other than Crow; significantly Cheyenne), Slavic languages (including Czech, Slovak, and Ukrainian) (tied)	0.1%

Economy

Montana's economy has many parts. Important jobs come from making beer, cutting lumber, and digging up minerals. The state has gold, coal, silver, talc, and vermiculite. Many people visit each year to see Glacier National Park and Yellowstone National Park. This tourism helps the economy.

Montana does not charge a sales tax, so prices stay lower. There is a personal income tax, but the rate changes based on how much money someone makes. Property taxes exist, but they do not include things like furniture or clothes. In some small towns, there is a special resort tax to help pay for roads and parks.

Education

Colleges and universities

The Montana University System has many colleges and universities. Some are Dawson Community College, Flathead Valley Community College, Miles Community College, and Montana State University Bozeman. It also has the University of Montana Missoula with campuses across the state.

Tribal colleges in Montana include Aaniiih Nakoda College, Blackfeet Community College, Chief Dull Knife College, Fort Peck Community College, Little Big Horn College, Salish Kootenai College, and Stone Child College. There are also private colleges like Carroll College, Rocky Mountain College, and University of Providence.

Schools

Montana's schools began before it became a state. The first school opened in 1862 at Fort Owen. It taught Native American children and children of fort employees. Early schools were subscription schools where families paid to send their children. The first public school in Montana opened in Virginia City in 1886. These early schools had few resources and often used books brought by settlers.

Culture

Montana is home to many famous artists, writers, and photographers. Painter Charles Marion Russell made many artworks about cowboys, Native Americans, and landscapes. The C. M. Russell Museum in Great Falls shows his work. Mary MacLane became well-known in 1902 with her book about life in Butte. Photographer Evelyn Cameron took pictures of everyday life in Montana in the early 1900s.

Montana has many cultural events each year. The Sweet Pea Carnival started in Bozeman in 1906 to celebrate the area's pea crop and is now a big arts festival. The Crow Fair and Rodeo near Hardin is a major event for Native American communities. Montana Shakespeare in the Parks puts on free plays across the state.

Sports

Montana does not have major league sports teams, but many minor league and college teams play there. Baseball is popular, with teams like the Billings Mustangs and Great Falls Voyagers. The University of Montana and Montana State University have strong college sports teams.

Montana has had several Olympic athletes. Tommy Moe won gold and silver medals in skiing in 1994. Eric Bergoust won gold in freestyle aerial skiing in 1998. The state has a history of sports achievements, such as Spokane, a horse who won the Kentucky Derby in 1889.

Outdoor recreation

Montana offers many outdoor activities, including hiking, fishing, hunting, and skiing. The state is famous for its trout fishing, and many people enjoy fly fishing. Hunting seasons are held for elk, deer, and other animals.

Montana has many places for winter sports. Downhill skiing is popular at resorts like Big Sky and Whitefish Mountain. Cross-country skiing is also available in many areas, including national forests and parks. Snowmobiling is a favorite winter activity, with many miles of trails.

Health

Montana has two major hospitals, both located in Billings. The Billings Clinic was the first such hospital in Montana and nearby Wyoming. In 2024, another hospital called St. Vincent Regional Hospital also earned this important status.

Montana is known for having fewer people who are overweight or obese than other states in the U.S.

Media

Main articles: List of newspapers in Montana, List of radio stations in Montana, and List of television stations in Montana

Montana has many media outlets, including television, radio, and newspapers. Missoula was one of the smaller media markets in the United States. There are many television and radio stations across the state.

In the past, each copper company had its own newspaper. More recently, Montana became the first U.S. state to ban the social media app TikTok and the online marketplace Temu.

Transportation

Main article: Transportation in Montana

Railroads have been important in Montana since the 1880s. Today, the BNSF Railway is the state's largest railroad. Amtrak's Empire Builder train goes through the north of the state and stops in many towns.

Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport is the busiest airport in Montana. Other big airports are Missoula International Airport, Great Falls International Airport, and Glacier Park International Airport.

In the past, U.S. Route 10 was the main road going east to west. Now, Interstate 90 and Interstate 94 are the most important roads. Montana's only road going north to south is Interstate 15.

Law and government

Montana has a constitution that was first created in 1889 and updated in 1972. This constitution explains the rights of citizens and how the state’s government is organized.

Montana’s government has three parts: legislative, executive, and judicial. The executive branch is led by the governor, currently Greg Gianforte. The legislative branch, called the Montana Legislature, has a Senate and a House of Representatives. The judicial branch includes the Montana Supreme Court and other lower courts.

Montana sends two senators and one representative to the United States Congress. The state’s size means its Senate district is one of the largest in the country. Notable people from Montana’s past include Mike Mansfield, who served as U.S. Senate majority leader, and Jeannette Rankin, the first woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.

Politics

Further information: Political party strength in Montana and Elections in Montana

Montana has a long history of elections where people choose from different parties.

The Democratic Party used to get support from miners and railroad workers, while farmers often voted Republican.

Over time, this changed. From 1968 to 1988, Democrats mostly led the state government.

Since 1988, Republicans have become stronger, taking control of the state legislature by 1994.

In presidential elections, Montana usually votes Republican, except in 1992.

Today, Republicans lead both of Montana’s U.S. Senate seats and its congressional seats. The Montana Senate and Montana House of Representatives also mostly have Republican leaders, though elections are becoming more competitive.