Glacier County is located in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...

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 Columb ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population was 13,778. The

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

is located in northwestern Montana between the Great Plains and the

Rocky Mountains The Rocky Mountains, also known as the Rockies, are a major mountain range and the largest mountain system in North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch in straight-line distance from the northernmost part of western Canada, to New Mexico ...

, known to the

Blackfeet The Blackfeet Nation ( bla, Aamsskáápipikani, script=Latn, ), officially named the Blackfeet Tribe of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation of Montana, is a federally recognized tribe of Siksikaitsitapi people with an Indian reservation in Mon ...

as the "Backbone of the World". The county is geographically and culturally diverse and includes the

Blackfeet Indian Reservation The Blackfeet Nation ( bla, Aamsskáápipikani, script=Latn, ), officially named the Blackfeet Tribe of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation of Montana, is a federally recognized tribe of Siksikaitsitapi people with an Indian reservation in Mon ...

, Glacier National Park, and

Lewis and Clark National Forest Lewis and Clark National Forest is located in west central Montana, United States. Spanning , the forest is managed as two separate zones. The eastern sections, under the Jefferson Division, is a mixture of grass and shrublands dotted with "islan ...

. The county is bordered by 75 miles of international boundary with two ports of entry ( Piegan and Del Bonita) open year-round and one seasonal (Chief Mountain) international border crossing into

Alberta Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Ter ...

, Canada.

Settlements

Several small unincorporated communities, one incorporated town, and one incorporated city are located within the county. Cut Bank, the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...

with a population of around 3000, is located in eastern Glacier County, on the edge of the Great Plains. Cut Bank arose from the railroad and agriculture needs of the surrounding area, and was fostered by an oil boom in the 1920s. The town's diverse population is the result of this settlement. Town resources include a hospital and clinic, a historic airport with regional and international connections, a nine-hole golf course, and a swimming pool. Nearby sites of the Lewis and Clark expedition and other historic and prehistoric sites can be visited. The Glacier County Museum has a collection of area artifacts, historic buildings, community memorabilia, and a comprehensive archive of early area history and individuals, including a large collection of data on Blackfeet history. Browning is the home and government seat of the Blackfeet Tribe. The incorporated portion of Browning, at 1,400, does not reflect the population of 7,000 in the community that is largely representative of the Blackfeet Tribe on a part of their ancestral homeland dating back over 400 years. Town resources include a federal building, community college, Native American Museum and Heritage Center, casino, fairgrounds, race track, and Native American camp area that hosts an annual Native American celebration and pow-wow. Many events center on this area during the summer months. Blackfeet tribal fishing and recreational permits, along with guide and tour services to blue ribbon trout fishing and other recreational opportunities, can be found there.

Babb Babb is surname of mostly English origin which has been documented as far back as 1322 in Devon County, England. While the name appears to have originated in the Devon area, Y-DNA Genetic testing has revealed a number of distinct lineages throughout ...

is a small unincorporated farming and ranching community on the

. The community experiences a large influx of tourists in the summer months as it is the gateway to the ''Many Glacier'' area of Glacier National Park. Community infrastructure includes one school, a US post office, a fire station, a general store and motel, several restaurants, two churches, and a gas station. Nearby attractions include Glacier National Park, the Many Glacier Hotel, the St. Mary River, the St. Mary Irrigation Canal, Chief Mountain, and the US ports of entry of Piegan and Chief Mountain. East Glacier Park Village, a small winter community, grows in the summer with many visitors and the summer help from all parts of the globe that meet the needs of the larger population. It is the site of the largest of Glacier Park's historic hotels and fleet of “red buses”. It has a nine-hole golf course, campgrounds, trail rides, boat rides, and native interpretive tours. St. Mary is an unincorporated community on the western border of the Blackfeet Native American Reservation adjacent to Glacier National Park. The village is the eastern terminus of the

Going-to-the-Sun Road Going-to-the-Sun Road is a scenic mountain road in the Rocky Mountains of the western United States, in Glacier National Park in Montana. The Sun Road, as it is sometimes abbreviated in National Park Service documents, is the only road that trave ...

which bisects the park east to west, a distance of 53 miles (85 km). Fewer than 50 people reside in the village year-round; however, the population increases tenfold on a busy summer evening. It has several lodges, restaurants and cafés, a small grocery store, two gas stations and campgrounds. A large housing area for

National Park Service The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational propert ...

personnel is located adjacent to the village, but within the park.

U.S. Route 89 U.S. Route 89 (US 89) is a north–south United States Numbered Highway with two sections, and one former section. The southern section runs for from Flagstaff, Arizona, to the southern entrance of Yellowstone National Park. The northern section ...

passes through the village, which lies between

Saint Mary Lake Saint Mary Lake is the second-largest lake in Glacier National Park, in the U.S. state of Montana. Located on the east side of the park, Going-to-the-Sun Road parallels the lake along its north shore. At an elevation of , Saint Mary Lake's wate ...

in Glacier National Park and Lower St. Mary Lake on the Blackfeet Native American Reservation. Starr School is a census-designated place (CDP) in Glacier County. The population was 252 at the 2010 census.

Geography

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 t ...

, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (1.3%) is water. About 71% of the county's land area lies within the

. Another 21% lies within Glacier National Park in western Glacier County.

Adjacent counties

* Flathead County - west * Pondera County - south * Toole County - east *

Cardston County Cardston County is a municipal district in southern Alberta, Canada. It is located in Census Division 3 around the Town of Cardston. The municipal district was established on January 1, 1954, through the amalgamation of the ''Municipal Dist ...

, Alberta - north * Improvement District No. 4, Alberta (

Waterton Lakes National Park Waterton Lakes National Park is a national park located in the southwest corner of Alberta, Canada. It borders Glacier National Park in Montana, United States. Waterton was the fourth Canadian national park, formed in 1895 and named after Waterto ...

) - northwest *

County of Warner No. 5 The County of Warner No. 5 is a List of municipal districts in Alberta, municipal district in southern Alberta, Canada. Located in Division No. 2, Alberta, Census Division No. 2 just north of the United States border, its List of municipal dist ...

, Alberta - northeast

National protected areas

* Glacier National Park (part) *

(part)

Politics

Owing largely to its majority Native American population, Glacier County generally votes Democratic, in contrast with most other rural Montana counties, which trend Republican.

Demographics

2000 census

At the

2000 United States census The United States census of 2000, conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2 percent over the 248,709,873 people enumerated during the 1990 cen ...

, there were 13,247 people, 4,304 households and 3,245 families in the county. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), 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 ...

was 4 per square mile (2/km²). There were 5,243 housing units at an average density of 2 per square mile (1/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 35.43%

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 o ...

, 0.08%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ...

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 61.80% Native American, 0.07%

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 ...

, 0.05%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 0.18% 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 2.39% from two or more races. 1.20% of the population were

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, 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 viceroyalties forme ...

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. 11.3% were of

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

ancestry. 90.1% spoke

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

, 6.0% Blackfoot and 3.6%

as their first language. There were 4,304 households, of which 42.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.3% were married couples living together, 16.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.6% were non-families. 21.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.03 and the average family size was 3.56. The county population contained 34.9% under age 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 19.9% from 45 to 64, and 9.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 97.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.1 males. The

median household income The median income is the income amount that divides a population into two equal groups, half having an income above that amount, and half having an income below that amount. It may differ from the mean (or average) income. Both of these are ways o ...

was $27,921 and the median family income was $31,193. Males had a median income of $27,445 compared $23,036 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 county was $11,597. About 23.5% of families and 27.3% 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 32.7% of those under age 18 and 20.1% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the

2010 United States census The United States census of 2010 was the twenty-third United States national census. National Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2010. The census was taken via mail-in citizen self-reporting, with enumerators servi ...

, there were 13,399 people, 4,361 households, and 3,088 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 5,348 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 65.6% Native American, 31.1% white, 0.2% Asian, 0.1% black or African American, 0.2% from other races, and 2.8% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.8% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 13.6% were

, 7.2% were

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

, 5.6% were

Norwegian Norwegian, Norwayan, or Norsk may refer to: *Something of, from, or related to Norway, a country in northwestern Europe * Norwegians, both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway * Demographics of Norway *The Norwegian language, including ...

, and 1.4% were

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

. Of the 4,361 households, 44.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.8% were married couples living together, 19.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 29.2% were non-families, and 24.9% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.91 and the average family size was 3.49. The median age was 31.7 years. The median income for a household in the county was $38,075 and the median income for a family was $44,397. Males had a median income of $31,700 versus $30,594 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,053. About 21.4% of families and 25.4% of the population were below the

, including 35.0% of those under age 18 and 12.9% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Glacier County Montana Sign Looking East US2

City

* Cut Bank (county seat)

Town

* Browning

Census-designated places

* Big Sky Colony * Blackfoot * East Glacier Park Village * Glacier Colony * Glendale Colony * Hidden Lake Colony * Horizon Colony * Little Browning * North Browning * Santa Rita * Seville Colony * South Browning * St. Mary * Starr School * Zenith Colony

Unincorporated communities

* Bison * False Summit * Fort Piegan * Gunsight * Kiowa * Meriwether * Piegan * Rising Sun * Star * Summit * Sundance * Swift Current''Swiftcurrent, Glacier County MT'' Google Maps (accessed January 2, 2019)
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References

{{Coord, 48.70, -113.02, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-MT_source:UScensus1990 1919 establishments in Montana Populated places established in 1919