Hungry Horse is an
unincorporated community
An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...
and
census-designated place
A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only.
CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, such ...
(CDP) in
Flathead County
Flathead County is in the U.S. state of Montana. At the 2020 census, its population was 104,357, making it the state's fourth most populous county. Its county seat is Kalispell. Its numerical designation (used in the issuance of license plates) ...
,
Montana
Montana () is a state in the Mountain West division of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota and South Dakota to the east, Wyoming to the south, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbi ...
, United States. The population was 828 at the
2020 census.
The ZIP code for Hungry Horse is 59919.
History
The town sprang up during the construction of
Hungry Horse Dam
Hungry Horse Dam is an arch dam in the Western United States, western United States, on the South Fork Flathead River in the Rocky Mountains of northwest Montana. It is located in Flathead National Forest in Flathead County, Montana, Flathead Cou ...
when the
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation placed more than one hundred prefabricated buildings at the site to house workers.
In 1948,
Flathead County
Flathead County is in the U.S. state of Montana. At the 2020 census, its population was 104,357, making it the state's fourth most populous county. Its county seat is Kalispell. Its numerical designation (used in the issuance of license plates) ...
commissioners changed the name of the newly formed "Damtown" to Hungry Horse.
The name comes from a local legend about two horses, Tex and Jerry, that escaped and almost starved to death in deep snow along the
South Fork of the Flathead River.
Geography
Hungry Horse is located in central Flathead County at (48.384609, -114.064849),
at the confluence of the
Flathead River
The Flathead River ( fla, label=Salish, člq̓etkʷ ntx̣ʷetkʷ, , kut, kananmituk), in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Montana, originates in the Canadian Rockies to the north of Glacier National Park and flows southwest into Flath ...
and its
South Fork.
Bad Rock Canyon
Bad Rock Canyon is a Canyon, river canyon lying east of Columbia Falls, Montana. The Flathead River, flanked by U.S. Highway 2, flows through the canyon and enters Montana's Flathead Valley. Rock slides occur frequently along the northern side of ...
lies less than one mile to the west of Hungry Horse.
U.S. Route 2
U.S. Route 2 or U.S. Highway 2 (US 2) is an east–west U.S. Highway spanning across the northern continental United States. US 2 consists of two segments connected by various roadways in southern Canada. Unlike some routes, whi ...
passes through Hungry Horse, leading northeast to
West Glacier and southwest to
Kalispell
Kalispell (, Montana Salish: Ql̓ispé, Kutenai language: kqayaqawakⱡuʔnam) is a city in, and the county seat of, Flathead County, Montana, United States. The 2020 census put Kalispell's population at 24,558. In Montana's northwest region, ...
. West Side Road leads southeast from town up the South Fork valley to
Hungry Horse Dam
Hungry Horse Dam is an arch dam in the Western United States, western United States, on the South Fork Flathead River in the Rocky Mountains of northwest Montana. It is located in Flathead National Forest in Flathead County, Montana, Flathead Cou ...
and its reservoir.
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the Hungry Horse CDP has a total area of , of which is land and , or 3.61%, is water.
Demographics
![Hungry Horse Volunteer Fire Department](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/04/Hungry_Horse_Volunteer_Fire_Department.jpg)
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2000, there were 934 people, 346 households, and 237 families residing in the CDP. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was 506.0 people per square mile (194.9/km
2). There were 404 housing units at an average density of 218.9 per square mile (84.3/km
2). The racial makeup of the CDP was 94.86%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 2.14%
Native American, 0.11%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.43%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...
, 0.43% from
other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 2.03% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 1.71% of the population.
There were 346 households, out of which 37.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.6% were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.5% were non-families. 24.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.20.
In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 30.3% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 31.3% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 6.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 108.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 115.6 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $26,550, and the median income for a family was $28,523. Males had a median income of $30,197 versus $16,607 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the CDP was $10,530. About 18.1% of families and 29.7% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 38.3% of those under age 18 and 19.8% of those age 65 or over.
In 2010, the census reported 826 people.
[United States Census Bureau: 2010 Population Finder]
2010 Demographic Profile: MT - Hungry Horse CDP
6 August 2013.
Points of interest
*
Hungry Horse Dam
Hungry Horse Dam is an arch dam in the Western United States, western United States, on the South Fork Flathead River in the Rocky Mountains of northwest Montana. It is located in Flathead National Forest in Flathead County, Montana, Flathead Cou ...
*
Bad Rock Canyon
Bad Rock Canyon is a Canyon, river canyon lying east of Columbia Falls, Montana. The Flathead River, flanked by U.S. Highway 2, flows through the canyon and enters Montana's Flathead Valley. Rock slides occur frequently along the northern side of ...
*
International Larix Arboretum
Notable people
*
Dee Brown, American politician
References
{{authority control
Census-designated places in Flathead County, Montana
Census-designated places in Montana