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Granite County, Montana facts for kids

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Granite County
Granite County Courthouse
Granite County Courthouse
Map of Montana highlighting Granite County
Location within the U.S. state of Montana
Map of the United States highlighting Montana
Montana's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Montana
Founded March 2, 1893
Seat Philipsburg
Largest town Philipsburg
Area
 • Total 1,733 sq mi (4,490 km2)
 • Land 1,727 sq mi (4,470 km2)
 • Water 5.6 sq mi (15 km2)  0.3%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 3,309
 • Estimate 
(2022)
3,502 Increase
 • Density 1.9094/sq mi (0.7372/km2)
Time zone UTC−7 (Mountain)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district 1st
  • Montana county number 46

Granite County is a county located in the state of Montana, United States. It's a place where people live and work. In 2020, about 3,309 people called Granite County home. The main town and county seat is Philipsburg.

Granite County was officially started in 1893. It got its name from a nearby mountain. This mountain was famous for the Granite Mountain silver mine.

Exploring Granite County's Geography

Granite County covers a large area in Montana. It has beautiful landscapes and important natural features.

What is the Size of Granite County?

According to the United States Census Bureau, Granite County is about 1,733 square miles big. Most of this area, about 1,727 square miles, is land. Only a small part, about 5.6 square miles, is water.

Major Roads and Routes in Granite County

Several important roads pass through Granite County. These roads help people travel and connect different communities.

  • I-90.svg Interstate 90
  • US 10.svg U.S. Highway 10 (This road used to be a major highway here)
  • US 12.svg U.S. Highway 12
  • MT-1.svg Montana Highway 1
  • MT-38.svg Montana Highway 38

Neighboring Counties of Granite County

Granite County shares its borders with several other counties in Montana.

Protected Natural Areas in Granite County

Parts of two large national forests are found within Granite County. These forests help protect nature and offer places for outdoor activities.

Understanding Granite County's Population

The number of people living in Granite County has changed over the years. Here's a look at how the population has grown and shifted.

Historical population
Census Pop.
1900 4,328
1910 2,942 −32.0%
1920 4,167 41.6%
1930 3,013 −27.7%
1940 3,401 12.9%
1950 2,773 −18.5%
1960 3,014 8.7%
1970 2,737 −9.2%
1980 2,700 −1.4%
1990 2,548 −5.6%
2000 2,830 11.1%
2010 3,079 8.8%
2020 3,309 7.5%
2022 (est.) 3,502 13.7%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790–1960, 1900–1990,
1990–2000, 2010–2020

Population in 2020

The 2020 census counted 3,309 people living in Granite County.

Population in 2010

In 2010, there were 3,079 people in the county. These people lived in 1,417 households. About 911 of these were families. The average number of people in a household was 2.14. The average age of people in the county was about 52.1 years old.

Most people in Granite County in 2010 were white (97.5%). A small number were American Indian (0.4%) or from other backgrounds. Many people had German, Irish, English, or Norwegian family roots.

Communities in Granite County

Granite County has several towns and smaller communities. Some are still active, while others are now "ghost towns."

Granite County Jail
The Historic Granite County Jail in Philipsburg, Montana.

Towns in Granite County

These are the main towns where people live and work.

  • Drummond
  • Philipsburg (This is the county seat, meaning it's the main town for county government)

Census-Designated Places

These are areas that are like small towns but are not officially incorporated as towns.

Unincorporated Communities

These are smaller settlements that don't have their own local government.

  • Beartown
  • New Chicago
  • Quigley
  • Princeton
  • Sherryl
  • Stone

Ghost Towns in Granite County

These are places where people once lived and worked, but are now mostly empty. They often have historical buildings left behind.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Granite para niños

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