Pondera County, Montana

{{Infobox U.S. county

| county = Pondera County

| state = Montana

| seal =

| founded date = April 1

| founded year = 1919{{Cite web |title=Pondera County Montana |url=http://www.ponderacountymontana.org/ |access-date=April 3, 2018 |website=www.ponderacountymontana.org}}

| seat wl = Conrad

| largest city wl = Conrad

| area_total_sq_mi = 1640

| area_land_sq_mi = 1623

| area_water_sq_mi = 17

| area percentage = 1.0

| population_as_of = 2020

| population_total = 5898

| pop_est_as_of = 2024

| population_est = 6078 {{increase}}

| population_density_sq_mi = auto

| ex image = Pondera County Courthouse July 2020.jpg

| ex image cap = Pondera County Courthouse

| web = www.ponderacountymontana.org

| district = 1st

| district2 = 2nd

| time zone = Mountain

| footnotes =

Montana county number 26

}}

Pondera County ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|p|ɒ|n|d|ə|ˈ|r|eɪ}} {{respell|POND|ə|RAY}}){{Cite news |last=Wilson |first=Kurt |date=September 15, 2015 |title=The Montana pronunciation guide |url=https://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/the-montana-pronunciation-guide/collection_6f193e5b-b011-53f0-9227-12bc0c4c4967.html#18 |access-date=November 8, 2019 |agency=Billings Gazette}} is a county in the U.S. state of Montana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 5,898.{{Cite web |title=State & County QuickFacts |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/ponderacountymontana/PST045222 |access-date=May 8, 2023 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}} Its county seat is Conrad.{{Cite web |title=Find a County |url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2011 |publisher=National Association of Counties}}

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of {{convert|1640|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|1623|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|17|sqmi}} (1.0%) is water.{{Cite web |date=August 22, 2012 |title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files |url=https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_30.txt |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141205145322/http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_30.txt |archive-date=December 5, 2014 |access-date=November 29, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}

=Adjacent counties=

Glacier County – north
Toole County – north
Liberty County – east
Chouteau County – east
Teton County – south
Flathead County – west

=National protected area=

Lewis and Clark National Forest (part)
Rocky Mountain Front Conservation Area (part)

Demographics

{{US Census population

|1920= 5741

|1930= 6964

|1940= 6716

|1950= 6392

|1960= 7653

|1970= 6611

|1980= 6731

|1990= 6433

|2000= 6424

|2010= 6153

|2020= 5898

|estyear=2024

|estimate=6078

|estref={{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-counties-total.html|title=County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=June 3, 2025}}

|align-fn=center

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{Cite web |title=U.S. Decennial Census |url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html |access-date=November 29, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}
1790–1960{{Cite web |title=Historical Census Browser |url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu |access-date=November 29, 2014 |publisher=University of Virginia Library}} 1900–1990{{Cite web |title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990 |url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/mt190090.txt |access-date=November 29, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}
1990–2000{{Cite web |title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000 |url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327165705/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=March 27, 2010 |access-date=November 29, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}} 2010–2020

}}

=2020 census=

As of the 2020 census, there were 5,898 people living in the county.{{citation needed|date=January 2024}}

=2010 census=

As of the 2010 census, there were 6,153 people, 2,285 households, and 1,528 families residing in the county. The population density was {{convert|3.8|PD/sqmi}}. There were 2,659 housing units at an average density of {{convert|1.6|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units |units|}}. The racial makeup of the county was 82.7% white, 14.5% American Indian, 0.2% Asian, 0.1% black or African American, 0.2% from other races, and 2.4% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.4% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 31.9% were German, 14.7% were Norwegian, 13.2% were Irish, 9.3% were English, 5.7% were Dutch, and 5.6% were American.

Of the 2,285 households, 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.3% were married couples living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 33.1% were non-families, and 29.9% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 3.01. The median age was 42.8 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $36,419 and the median income for a family was $47,656. Males had a median income of $34,259 versus $26,903 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,989. About 14.9% of families and 21.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 32.5% of those under age 18 and 10.7% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

From its creation until 1964, voters of Pondera County were fairly balanced; they selected Democratic Party candidates in 58% of national elections. Since 1964, the Republican presidential candidate has garnered the county's vote in every election. The eastern part of the county reaches into the Blackfeet Reservation, which votes strongly Democratic; otherwise the county is strongly Republican-leaning. A Republican trend on the Reservation in 2024, which also occurred in neighboring Glacier County and other majority Native American counties in Montana, led to Donald Trump performing better than any other Republican in county history that year.https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/us/elections/2024-election-map-precinct-results.html?unlocked_article_code=1.xk4.VI7C.oXuhxhF7kYdB&smid=url-share

{{PresHead|place=Pondera County, Montana|whig=no|source1={{Cite web |last=Leip |first=David |title=Atlas of US Presidential Elections |url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS |access-date=April 3, 2018 |website=uselectionatlas.org}}}}

Communities

=City=

Conrad (county seat)

=Town=

Valier[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Valier,+MT/@48.3026527,-112.2613228,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x5369b03fed708f59:0x7880ec4c4abb391f!8m2!3d48.307754!4d-112.2497602 Valier MT Google Maps (accessed January 4, 2019)]

=Census-designated places=

=Other unincorporated communities=

East Community[https://www.google.com/maps/place/East+Community,+MT+59416/@48.0455224,-111.4829083,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x5369fcbe77a57cd9:0x53317913f2914d61!8m2!3d48.0455233!4d-111.4741535 East Community MT Google Maps (accessed January 4, 2019)]
Fowler[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Fowler,+MT+59425/@48.3158123,-111.7937692,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x536993cb0fed7dff:0x8459e2c6d3ab4882!8m2!3d48.3158132!4d-111.7850144 Fowler MT Google Maps (accessed January 4, 2019)]
Gallup City[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Gallup+City,+MT+59425/@48.0938532,-112.1218347,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x5369ced638b46537:0xfc53fceaa24f80f1!8m2!3d48.0938541!4d-112.1130799 Gallup City Google Maps (accessed January 4, 2019)]
Ledger
Manson[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Manson,+MT+59425/@48.2374765,-112.0151685,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x5369bf22b0499d07:0x91aa2606b2bd3662!8m2!3d48.2374774!4d-112.0064137 Manson MT Google Maps (accessed January 4, 2019)]
Williams[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Williams,+MT+59486/@48.2752539,-112.139064,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x5369bbcd5ced532b:0x1bf504080497eeea!8m2!3d48.2752548!4d-112.1303092 Williams MT Google Maps (accessed January 4, 2019)]