Deer Lodge County | |
|---|---|
 Deer Lodge County Courthouse | |
 Flag | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofMontana | |
 Montana's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:46°07′14″N112°59′15″W / 46.12062°N 112.98746°W /46.12062; -112.98746 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Montana |
| Founded | 1865 |
| Seat | Anaconda |
| Largest city | Anaconda |
| Government | |
| • Chief Executive | Bill T. Everett |
| Area | |
• Total | 741 sq mi (1,920 km2) |
| • Land | 737 sq mi (1,910 km2) |
| • Water | 4.7 sq mi (12 km2) 0.6% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 9,421 |
• Estimate (2022) | 9,510 |
| • Density | 13/sq mi (4.9/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−7 (Mountain) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−6 (MDT) |
| Congressional district | 1st |
| Website | adlc |
| |
Deer Lodge County is acounty in theU.S. state ofMontana. As of the2020 census, the population was 9,421.[1] It forms aconsolidated city-county government with itscounty seat ofAnaconda.[2] The county was established in 1865.[3] It has had acity-county consolidated government since 1977.[4]
Deer Lodge was one of the original 9 Montana counties, as constituted with the establishment of theMontana Territory in 1864.[5] The original county included what are nowSilver Bow County (separated in 1881[6]), Deer Lodge County,Granite County (separated in 1893) andPowell County (separated in 1901[7]). In 1976, the voters chose a consolidated city-county form of government in the general election, and the charter became effective January 1, 1977.[4]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the county has an area of 741 square miles (1,920 km2), of which 737 square miles (1,910 km2) is land and 4.7 square miles (12 km2) (0.6%) is water.[8] It is the second-smallest county in Montana by area.
The county has a wealth of natural amenities, such as the Anaconda Mountain Range, Georgetown Lake, and the Mount Haggin wildlife management area (Montana's largest at 54,000 acres).[9]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 4,367 | — | |
| 1880 | 8,876 | 103.3% | |
| 1890 | 15,155 | 70.7% | |
| 1900 | 17,393 | 14.8% | |
| 1910 | 12,988 | −25.3% | |
| 1920 | 15,323 | 18.0% | |
| 1930 | 16,293 | 6.3% | |
| 1940 | 13,627 | −16.4% | |
| 1950 | 16,553 | 21.5% | |
| 1960 | 18,640 | 12.6% | |
| 1970 | 15,652 | −16.0% | |
| 1980 | 12,518 | −20.0% | |
| 1990 | 10,278 | −17.9% | |
| 2000 | 9,417 | −8.4% | |
| 2010 | 9,298 | −1.3% | |
| 2020 | 9,421 | 1.3% | |
| 2022 (est.) | 9,510 | [10] | 0.9% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[11] 1790–1960,[12] 1900–1990,[13] 1990–2000,[14] 2010–2020[1] | |||
As of the2020 census, there were 9,421 people living in the county.[citation needed]
As of the2010 census, there were 9,298 people, 4,018 households, and 2,350 families living in the county. The population density was 12.6 inhabitants per square mile (4.9/km2). There were 5,122 housing units at an average density of 7.0 units per square mile (2.7 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 93.1% white, 3.1% American Indian, 0.4% black or African American, 0.3% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 2.5% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 2.9% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 30.2% wereGerman, 26.2% wereIrish, 9.2% wereEnglish, 8.5% wereNorwegian, 5.9% wereItalian, 5.2% wereSwedish, and 2.6% wereAmerican.
Of the 4,018 households, 22.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.8% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 41.5% were non-families, and 36.1% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.11 and the average family size was 2.73. The median age was 46.0 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $35,310 and the median income for a family was $51,076. Males had a median income of $32,477 versus $26,250 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,921. About 9.6% of families and 21.2% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 30.6% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over.
Along with neighboringSilver Bow county, Anaconda-Deer Lodge has been aconsolidated city-county since 1977, the only two in Montana.[15] The incumbentchief executive officer of Anaconda-Deer Lodge is Bill Everett, who was elected in 2017.[16]
Deer Lodge County is the most consistently Democratic county in Montana when it comes to presidential elections. It has not supported a Republican candidate sinceCalvin Coolidge in 1924.[17] In 2016,Hillary Clinton failed to garner a majority of the votes, becoming the first Democrat not to obtain a majority since 1924.[18] In 2020, the county once again gave the Democratic candidate (Joe Biden) the majority, when he won 52% of the vote. However, in 2024,Kamala Harris carried the county by only 47 votes, or less than 1%, winning a plurality of 48.79%. This was an even narrower edge than in 2016;Donald Trump's performance in this election was the best by a Republican in the county since 1956. In gubernatorial elections the most recent Republican to carry the county wasMarc Racicot in the 1996 election. In that election the original Democratic nominee,Chet Blaylock, died and Marc Racicot carried every county.[19]
Deer Lodge County is currently in the 39th district of theMontana Senate along withGranite County and portions ofPowell andSilver Bow counties. It has been represented by RepublicanTerry Vermeire since 2023, having flipped the traditionally Democratic seat by a 752 vote margin. Vermeire defeated DemocratJesse Mullen, executive of theMullen Newspaper Company fromDeer Lodge (city) in the 2022 special election.[20] Jessica Wicks, Democratic incumbent appointed to fulfillMark Sweeney's term following his May 2022 death, did not win appointment from the local Democratic Party to be their November nominee.[21]
In theMontana House of Representatives, most of the county is in the 77th district and has been represented by RepublicanJohn Fitzpatrick since 2023, who won an upset against incumbent DemocratSara Novak by a margin of 47. This marks the first time since 1945 that Anaconda has been represented by a Republican in the state House of Representatives.[22] Part of the county is also in the 78th district, represented by RepublicanGregory Frazer.[20]
From 2024 to 2033, Deer Lodge County will be in House District 71 (along withWalkerville) and Senate District 36 (along with Walkerville and part ofButte). These districts are expected to be more Democratic than the current districts used since 2014.[23]
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2024 | 2,329 | 47.82% | 2,376 | 48.79% | 165 | 3.39% |
| 2020 | 2,186 | 44.69% | 2,562 | 52.38% | 143 | 2.92% |
| 2016 | 1,763 | 41.92% | 2,058 | 48.93% | 385 | 9.15% |
| 2012 | 1,448 | 32.47% | 2,860 | 64.13% | 152 | 3.41% |
| 2008 | 1,502 | 29.60% | 3,402 | 67.05% | 170 | 3.35% |
| 2004 | 1,725 | 37.97% | 2,700 | 59.43% | 118 | 2.60% |
| 2000 | 1,493 | 32.93% | 2,672 | 58.93% | 369 | 8.14% |
| 1996 | 883 | 17.62% | 3,331 | 66.49% | 796 | 15.89% |
| 1992 | 832 | 15.79% | 3,174 | 60.24% | 1,263 | 23.97% |
| 1988 | 1,168 | 26.51% | 3,185 | 72.29% | 53 | 1.20% |
| 1984 | 1,901 | 34.53% | 3,539 | 64.29% | 65 | 1.18% |
| 1980 | 1,905 | 33.79% | 3,077 | 54.58% | 656 | 11.64% |
| 1976 | 2,197 | 35.57% | 3,859 | 62.48% | 120 | 1.94% |
| 1972 | 2,373 | 35.93% | 3,979 | 60.25% | 252 | 3.82% |
| 1968 | 1,554 | 25.58% | 4,208 | 69.28% | 312 | 5.14% |
| 1964 | 1,415 | 22.61% | 4,835 | 77.25% | 9 | 0.14% |
| 1960 | 2,188 | 29.79% | 5,149 | 70.11% | 7 | 0.10% |
| 1956 | 3,551 | 48.36% | 3,792 | 51.64% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 3,001 | 41.58% | 4,162 | 57.67% | 54 | 0.75% |
| 1948 | 2,036 | 32.78% | 3,862 | 62.17% | 314 | 5.05% |
| 1944 | 2,176 | 33.19% | 4,347 | 66.31% | 33 | 0.50% |
| 1940 | 2,397 | 32.63% | 4,916 | 66.93% | 32 | 0.44% |
| 1936 | 1,640 | 25.04% | 4,813 | 73.49% | 96 | 1.47% |
| 1932 | 2,198 | 35.43% | 3,893 | 62.75% | 113 | 1.82% |
| 1928 | 2,695 | 45.67% | 3,184 | 53.96% | 22 | 0.37% |
| 1924 | 1,937 | 35.43% | 1,611 | 29.47% | 1,919 | 35.10% |
| 1920 | 3,130 | 59.97% | 1,567 | 30.02% | 522 | 10.00% |
| 1916 | 1,860 | 30.28% | 4,171 | 67.90% | 112 | 1.82% |
| 1912 | 1,060 | 37.06% | 1,197 | 41.85% | 603 | 21.08% |
| 1908 | 1,377 | 43.67% | 1,611 | 51.09% | 165 | 5.23% |
| 1904 | 1,666 | 48.64% | 1,504 | 43.91% | 255 | 7.45% |
| 1900 | 1,636 | 31.50% | 3,395 | 65.38% | 162 | 3.12% |
| 1896 | 446 | 8.31% | 4,916 | 91.55% | 8 | 0.15% |
| 1892 | 1,930 | 35.47% | 2,152 | 39.55% | 1,359 | 24.98% |
Note: the town ofDeer Lodge is in neighboringPowell County.
46°07′14″N112°59′15″W / 46.12062°N 112.98746°W /46.12062; -112.98746
Places adjacent to Deer Lodge County, Montana | |
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Municipalities and communities ofDeer Lodge County, Montana,United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| City |  | |
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Ghost town | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
| International | |
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| National | |
