RANKING · 1990 CENSUS · 56 SHOWN OF 56

Most sparsely populated, Montana counties · 1990

Montana counties with the fewest residents per square mile (2023). This list covers the 56 counties in Montana that qualify, ranked against each other statewide.

Flip the list · Most densely populated, US counties →

MontanaAll states All rankings

SAME RANKING BYCities States Metros

RELATEDLargest by population Fastest growing Fastest shrinking Most densely populated Best broadband access Worst broadband access

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2025

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION DENSITYVS 2000

01Petroleum County, MTMT5480+5%

02Garfield County, MTMT1,1480+24%

03Carter County, MTMT1,3830+11%

04Powder River County, MTMT1,7811+12%

05Meagher County, MTMT2,1371−6%

06Golden Valley County, MTMT8441−12%

07Prairie County, MTMT1,1121+15%

08McCone County, MTMT1,7201+15%

09Treasure County, MTMT7281+2%

10Phillips County, MTMT4,2031+12%

11Judith Basin County, MTMT2,1621−2%

12Wibaux County, MTMT8851+12%

13Chouteau County, MTMT5,8651−9%

14Granite County, MTMT3,6581−10%

15Beaverhead County, MTMT10,0432−8%

16Wheatland County, MTMT2,1002−1%

17Daniels County, MTMT1,6122+12%

18Blaine County, MTMT6,8602−4%

19Liberty County, MTMT1,9572+6%

20Madison County, MTMT10,0262−13%

21Valley County, MTMT7,3852+7%

22Sweet Grass County, MTMT3,7622−13%

23Fallon County, MTMT2,9592+9%

24Rosebud County, MTMT8,2532+12%

25Musselshell County, MTMT5,5822−9%

26Big Horn County, MTMT12,7522−11%

27Toole County, MTMT5,2113−4%

28Mineral County, MTMT5,1853−15%

29Teton County, MTMT6,4963−3%

30Broadwater County, MTMT8,4933−24%

31Fergus County, MTMT11,8253+2%

32Sheridan County, MTMT3,4363+15%

33Powell County, MTMT7,1573−8%

34Custer County, MTMT12,0343+0%

35Sanders County, MTMT14,0623−15%

36Stillwater County, MTMT9,4454−20%

37Carbon County, MTMT11,4664−15%

38Pondera County, MTMT6,0724+0%

39Dawson County, MTMT8,6924+5%

40Glacier County, MTMT13,4634−9%

41Roosevelt County, MTMT10,2425+4%

42Jefferson County, MTMT13,3295−21%

43Lincoln County, MTMT22,3285−7%

44Richland County, MTMT11,3775+11%

45Park County, MTMT18,2145−7%

46Hill County, MTMT16,1676+6%

47Ravalli County, MTMT48,58210−31%

48Flathead County, MTMT115,42912−20%

49Lewis and Clark County, MTMT75,33114−15%

50Deer Lodge County, MTMT9,70914+9%

51Lake County, MTMT33,39214−21%

52Gallatin County, MTMT128,74019−26%

53Cascade County, MTMT85,02929−3%

54Missoula County, MTMT123,51330−18%

55Yellowstone County, MTMT172,69243−12%

56Silver Bow County, MTMT36,11847−2%

SHOWING 1–56 OF 56

Download CSV (full list, 56 rows)

UPDATED 2026-06-02 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES