List of municipalities in Montana

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Map of the United States with Montana highlighted
Map of the United States with Montana highlighted

Montana is a state located in the Western United States. According to the 2020 United States Census, Montana is the 7th least populous state with 1,084,225 inhabitants but the 4th largest by land area spanning 145,545.80 square miles (376,961.9 km2) of land.[1] Montana is divided into 56 counties and contains 129 incorporated municipalities consisting of cities and towns.[1] Montana's municipalities cover only 1.2% of the state's land mass but are home to 53.8% of its population.[2] The Montana Code 7-1-4124 gives municipal governments in Montana powers to enact ordinances, borrow money, and enact eminent domain among other legal powers.[3]

In Montana, municipalities are divided into four classes by state statute based on their population.[4] Members of the three largest classes are deemed cities, while the members of the fourth class are called towns. Cities and towns are classified at the time of their organization, and are reorganized when they change classification due to an increase or decrease in population. A place may incorporate as a town with the support of 300 electors or two-thirds of the registered electors.[5] A municipality with a population between 1,000 and 5,000 people is a Third Class city. A municipality with a population between 5,000 and 10,000 people is a Second Class city. And a municipality with a population over 10,000 people is a First Class city. Under certain exceptions municipalities with a population of between 9,000 and 10,000 may elect by resolution to be either a First or Second Class city. Under similar exceptions municipalities with a population of between 5,000 and 7,500 may elect by resolution to be either a Second or Third Class city. Municipalities with a population of between 1,000 and 2,500 may by resolution be classified as either a town or Third Class city.[6] Unincorporated places such as census-designated places fall outside this scheme, and are subject to county governance, and thus are not towns or cities.

The largest municipality by population in Montana is Billings with 117,116 residents, and the smallest municipality by population is Ismay with 17 residents.[7] The largest municipality by land area is Anaconda, a consolidated city-county, which spans 736.53 sq mi (1,907.6 km2), while Rexford and Flaxville are the smallest at 0.10 sq mi (0.26 km2).[2]

List of cities and towns[]

  • Largest cities and towns in Montana by population
  • Skyline of Billings

    Downtown Billings, Montana's largest municipality by population

  • Downtownof Missoula

    Missoula, Montana's second largest municipality by population

  • Great Falls, Montana

    Great Falls, third largest municipality by population in Montana

  • Downtown Bozeman

    Downtown Bozeman, Montana's fourth largest municipality by population

  • Uptown Butte

    Uptown Butte, fifth largest municipality by population in Montana

  • Montana State Capitol Helena

    Montana State Capitol in Helena, capital city of Montana

  • Kalispell, looking toward Glacier National Park

  • Havre railroad station and the sculpture "U.S. − Canada Friendship"

  • Downtown Anaconda

    Downtown Anaconda, the largest city in Montana by land area

  • Downtown Miles City

    Downtown Miles City, Montana's tenth largest municipality by population

County seat  County seat

State capital  State capital and county seat

Name Type[2] County[2] Population
(2020)[7] 		Population
(2010)[2] 		Change Land area
(2010)[2] 		Population density
sq mi km2
Alberton Town Mineral 452 420 +7.6% 0.57 1.5 793.0/sq mi (306.2/km2)
AnacondaCounty seat Consolidated city-county Deer Lodge 9,421 9,298 +1.3% 736.53 1,907.6 12.8/sq mi (4.9/km2)
Bainville Town Roosevelt 271 208 +30.3% 1.02 2.6 265.7/sq mi (102.6/km2)
BakerCounty seat City Fallon 1,802 1,741 +3.5% 0.97 2.5 1,857.7/sq mi (717.3/km2)
Bearcreek Town Carbon 91 79 +15.2% 0.12 0.31 758.3/sq mi (292.8/km2)
Belgrade City Gallatin 10,460 7,389 +41.6% 3.25 8.4 3,218.5/sq mi (1,242.7/km2)
Belt Town Cascade 510 597 −14.6% 0.35 0.91 1,457.1/sq mi (562.6/km2)
Big Sandy Town Chouteau 605 598 +1.2% 0.44 1.1 1,375.0/sq mi (530.9/km2)
Big TimberCounty seat City Sweet Grass 1,650 1,641 +0.5% 0.92 2.4 1,793.5/sq mi (692.5/km2)
BillingsCounty seat City Yellowstone 117,116 104,170 +12.4% 43.41 112.4 2,697.9/sq mi (1,041.7/km2)
BoulderCounty seat Town Jefferson 1,201 1,183 +1.5% 1.13 2.9 1,062.8/sq mi (410.4/km2)
BozemanCounty seat City Gallatin 53,293 37,280 +43.0% 19.12 49.5 2,787.3/sq mi (1,076.2/km2)
Bridger Town Carbon 662 708 −6.5% 0.80 2.1 827.5/sq mi (319.5/km2)
BroadusCounty seat Town Powder River 456 468 −2.6% 0.34 0.88 1,341.2/sq mi (517.8/km2)
Broadview Town Yellowstone 139 192 −27.6% 0.26 0.67 534.6/sq mi (206.4/km2)
Brockton Town Roosevelt 358 255 +40.4% 0.23 0.60 1,556.5/sq mi (601.0/km2)
Browning Town Glacier 1,018 1,016 +0.2% 0.27 0.70 3,770.4/sq mi (1,455.7/km2)
ButteCounty seat Consolidated city-county Silver Bow 34,494 33,525 +2.9% 716.25 1,855.1 48.2/sq mi (18.6/km2)
Cascade Town Cascade 600 685 −12.4% 0.52 1.3 1,153.8/sq mi (445.5/km2)
ChesterCounty seat Town Liberty 847 847 0.0% 0.48 1.2 1,764.6/sq mi (681.3/km2)
ChinookCounty seat City Blaine 1,185 1,203 −1.5% 0.51 1.3 2,323.5/sq mi (897.1/km2)
ChoteauCounty seat City Teton 1,721 1,684 +2.2% 1.83 4.7 940.4/sq mi (363.1/km2)
CircleCounty seat Town McCone 591 615 −3.9% 0.78 2.0 757.7/sq mi (292.5/km2)
Clyde Park Town Park 332 288 +15.3% 0.32 0.83 1,037.5/sq mi (400.6/km2)
Colstrip City Rosebud 2,096 2,214 −5.3% 4.47 11.6 468.9/sq mi (181.0/km2)
Columbia Falls City Flathead 5,308 4,688 +13.2% 2.05 5.3 2,589.3/sq mi (999.7/km2)
ColumbusCounty seat Town Stillwater 1,857 1,893 −1.9% 1.32 3.4 1,406.8/sq mi (543.2/km2)
ConradCounty seat City Pondera 2,318 2,570 −9.8% 1.25 3.2 1,854.4/sq mi (716.0/km2)
Culbertson Town Roosevelt 753 714 +5.5% 0.60 1.6 1,255.0/sq mi (484.6/km2)
Cut BankCounty seat City Glacier 3,056 2,869 +6.5% 0.99 2.6 3,086.9/sq mi (1,191.8/km2)
Darby Town Ravalli 783 720 +8.7% 0.58 1.5 1,350.0/sq mi (521.2/km2)
Deer LodgeCounty seat City Powell 2,938 3,111 −5.6% 1.44 3.7 2,040.3/sq mi (787.8/km2)
Denton Town Fergus 205 255 −19.6% 0.76 2.0 269.7/sq mi (104.1/km2)
DillonCounty seat City Beaverhead 3,880 4,134 −6.1% 1.76 4.6 2,204.5/sq mi (851.2/km2)
Dodson Town Phillips 125 124 +0.8% 0.19 0.49 657.9/sq mi (254.0/km2)
Drummond Town Granite 272 309 −12.0% 0.53 1.4 513.2/sq mi (198.2/km2)
Dutton Town Teton 303 316 −4.1% 0.31 0.80 977.4/sq mi (377.4/km2)
East Helena City Lewis and Clark 1,944 1,984 −2.0% 1.73 4.5 1,123.7/sq mi (433.9/km2)
EkalakaCounty seat Town Carter 399 332 +20.2% 1.04 2.7 383.7/sq mi (148.1/km2)
Ennis Town Madison 917 838 +9.4% 0.77 2.0 1,190.9/sq mi (459.8/km2)
Eureka Town Lincoln 1,380 1,037 +33.1% 1.01 2.6 1,366.3/sq mi (527.5/km2)
Fairfield Town Teton 759 708 +7.2% 0.31 0.80 2,448.4/sq mi (945.3/km2)
Fairview Town Richland 896 840 +6.7% 0.97 2.5 923.7/sq mi (356.6/km2)
Flaxville Town Daniels 63 71 −11.3% 0.10 0.26 630.0/sq mi (243.2/km2)
ForsythCounty seat City Rosebud 1,647 1,777 −7.3% 0.99 2.6 1,663.6/sq mi (642.3/km2)
Fort BentonCounty seat City Chouteau 1,449 1,464 −1.0% 2.07 5.4 700.0/sq mi (270.3/km2)
Fort Peck Town Valley 239 233 +2.6% 0.86 2.2 277.9/sq mi (107.3/km2)
Froid Town Roosevelt 195 185 +5.4% 0.28 0.73 696.4/sq mi (268.9/km2)
Fromberg Town Carbon 392 438 −10.5% 0.48 1.2 816.7/sq mi (315.3/km2)
Geraldine Town Chouteau 207 261 −20.7% 0.52 1.3 398.1/sq mi (153.7/km2)
GlasgowCounty seat City Valley 3,202 3,250 −1.5% 1.43 3.7 2,239.2/sq mi (864.5/km2)
GlendiveCounty seat City Dawson 4,873 4,935 −1.3% 3.32 8.6 1,467.8/sq mi (566.7/km2)
Grass Range Town Fergus 110 110 0.0% 0.15 0.39 733.3/sq mi (283.1/km2)
Great FallsCounty seat City Cascade 60,442 58,505 +3.3% 21.79 56.4 2,773.8/sq mi (1,071.0/km2)
HamiltonCounty seat City Ravalli 4,659 4,348 +7.2% 2.53 6.6 1,841.5/sq mi (711.0/km2)
HardinCounty seat City Big Horn 3,818 3,505 +8.9% 2.57 6.7 1,485.6/sq mi (573.6/km2)
Harlem City Blaine 769 808 −4.8% 0.43 1.1 1,788.4/sq mi (690.5/km2)
HarlowtonCounty seat City Wheatland 955 997 −4.2% 0.58 1.5 1,646.6/sq mi (635.7/km2)
HavreCounty seat City Hill 9,362 9,310 +0.6% 3.28 8.5 2,854.3/sq mi (1,102.0/km2)
HelenaCounty seat City Lewis and Clark 32,091 28,190 +13.8% 16.35 42.3 1,962.8/sq mi (757.8/km2)
Hingham Town Hill 131 118 +11.0% 0.17 0.44 770.6/sq mi (297.5/km2)
Hobson City Judith Basin 179 215 −16.7% 0.24 0.62 745.8/sq mi (288.0/km2)
Hot Springs Town Sanders 557 544 +2.4% 0.38 0.98 1,465.8/sq mi (565.9/km2)
HyshamCounty seat Town Treasure 276 312 −11.5% 0.21 0.54 1,314.3/sq mi (507.4/km2)
Ismay Town Custer 17 19 −10.5% 0.42 1.1 40.5/sq mi (15.6/km2)
Joliet Town Carbon 577 595 −3.0% 0.30 0.78 1,923.3/sq mi (742.6/km2)
JordanCounty seat Town Garfield 356 343 +3.8% 0.34 0.88 1,047.1/sq mi (404.3/km2)
Judith Gap City Wheatland 110 126 −12.7% 0.38 0.98 289.5/sq mi (111.8/km2)
KalispellCounty seat City Flathead 24,558 19,927 +23.2% 11.64 30.1 1,711.9/sq mi (661.0/km2)
Kevin Town Toole 154 154 0.0% 0.34 0.88 452.9/sq mi (174.9/km2)
Laurel City Yellowstone 7,222 6,718 +7.5% 2.14 5.5 3,374.8/sq mi (1,303.0/km2)
Lavina Town Golden Valley 136 187 −27.3% 1.00 2.6 136.0/sq mi (52.5/km2)
LewistownCounty seat City Fergus 5,952 5,901 +0.9% 5.32 13.8 1,118.8/sq mi (432.0/km2)
LibbyCounty seat City Lincoln 2,775 2,628 +5.6% 1.91 4.9 1,452.9/sq mi (561.0/km2)
Lima Town Beaverhead 212 221 −4.1% 0.53 1.4 400.0/sq mi (154.4/km2)
LivingstonCounty seat City Park 8,040 7,044 +14.1% 6.02 15.6 1,335.5/sq mi (515.7/km2)
Lodge Grass Town Big Horn 441 428 +3.0% 0.24 0.62 1,837.5/sq mi (709.5/km2)
MaltaCounty seat City Phillips 1,860 1,997 −6.9% 1.06 2.7 1,754.7/sq mi (677.5/km2)
Manhattan Town Gallatin 2,086 1,520 +37.2% 1.93 5.0 1,080.8/sq mi (417.3/km2)
Medicine Lake Town Sheridan 244 225 +8.4% 0.40 1.0 610.0/sq mi (235.5/km2)
Melstone Town Musselshell 126 96 +31.3% 0.69 1.8 182.6/sq mi (70.5/km2)
Miles CityCounty seat City Custer 8,354 8,410 −0.7% 3.34 8.7 2,501.2/sq mi (965.7/km2)
MissoulaCounty seat City Missoula 73,489 66,788 +10.0% 27.51 71.3 2,671.4/sq mi (1,031.4/km2)
Moore Town Fergus 194 193 +0.5% 0.24 0.62 808.3/sq mi (312.1/km2)
Nashua Town Valley 301 290 +3.8% 0.66 1.7 456.1/sq mi (176.1/km2)
Neihart Town Cascade 43 51 −15.7% 1.99 5.2 21.6/sq mi (8.3/km2)
Opheim Town Valley 75 85 −11.8% 0.21 0.54 357.1/sq mi (137.9/km2)
Outlook Town Sheridan 84 47 +78.7% 1.30 3.4 64.6/sq mi (24.9/km2)
PhilipsburgCounty seat Town Granite 841 820 +2.6% 0.80 2.1 1,051.3/sq mi (405.9/km2)
Pinesdale Town Ravalli 805 917 −12.2% 1.29 3.3 624.0/sq mi (240.9/km2)
Plains Town Sanders 1,106 1,048 +5.5% 0.59 1.5 1,874.6/sq mi (723.8/km2)
PlentywoodCounty seat City Sheridan 1,669 1,734 −3.7% 1.17 3.0 1,426.5/sq mi (550.8/km2)
Plevna Town Fallon 179 162 +10.5% 0.59 1.5 303.4/sq mi (117.1/km2)
PolsonCounty seat City Lake 5,148 4,488 +14.7% 4.14 10.7 1,243.5/sq mi (480.1/km2)
Poplar City Roosevelt 758 810 −6.4% 0.28 0.73 2,707.1/sq mi (1,045.2/km2)
Red LodgeCounty seat City Carbon 2,257 2,125 +6.2% 2.80 7.3 806.1/sq mi (311.2/km2)
Rexford Town Lincoln 78 105 −25.7% 0.10 0.26 780.0/sq mi (301.2/km2)
Richey Town Dawson 164 177 −7.3% 0.24 0.62 683.3/sq mi (263.8/km2)
Ronan City Lake 1,955 1,871 +4.5% 1.19 3.1 1,642.9/sq mi (634.3/km2)
RoundupCounty seat City Musselshell 1,742 1,788 −2.6% 1.34 3.5 1,300.0/sq mi (501.9/km2)
RyegateCounty seat Town Golden Valley 223 245 −9.0% 0.69 1.8 323.2/sq mi (124.8/km2)
Saco Town Phillips 159 197 −19.3% 0.33 0.85 481.8/sq mi (186.0/km2)
ScobeyCounty seat City Daniels 999 1,017 −1.8% 0.76 2.0 1,314.5/sq mi (507.5/km2)
ShelbyCounty seat City Toole 3,169 3,376 −6.1% 6.03 15.6 525.5/sq mi (202.9/km2)
Sheridan Town Madison 694 642 +8.1% 1.02 2.6 680.4/sq mi (262.7/km2)
SidneyCounty seat City Richland 6,346 5,191 +22.3% 2.66 6.9 2,385.7/sq mi (921.1/km2)
St. Ignatius Town Lake 768 842 −8.8% 0.56 1.5 1,371.4/sq mi (529.5/km2)
StanfordCounty seat Town Judith Basin 403 401 +0.5% 0.44 1.1 915.9/sq mi (353.6/km2)
Stevensville Town Ravalli 2,002 1,809 +10.7% 0.98 2.5 2,042.9/sq mi (788.8/km2)
Sunburst Town Toole 333 375 −11.2% 0.24 0.62 1,387.5/sq mi (535.7/km2)
SuperiorCounty seat Town Mineral 830 812 +2.2% 1.04 2.7 798.1/sq mi (308.1/km2)
TerryCounty seat Town Prairie 562 605 −7.1% 0.71 1.8 791.5/sq mi (305.6/km2)
Thompson FallsCounty seat City Sanders 1,336 1,313 +1.8% 1.73 4.5 772.3/sq mi (298.2/km2)
Three Forks City Gallatin 1,989 1,869 +6.4% 1.44 3.7 1,381.3/sq mi (533.3/km2)
TownsendCounty seat City Broadwater 1,787 1,878 −4.8% 1.58 4.1 1,131.0/sq mi (436.7/km2)
Troy City Lincoln 797 938 −15.0% 0.76 2.0 1,048.7/sq mi (404.9/km2)
Twin Bridges Town Madison 330 375 −12.0% 0.96 2.5 343.8/sq mi (132.7/km2)
Valier Town Pondera 530 509 +4.1% 0.92 2.4 576.1/sq mi (222.4/km2)
Virginia CityCounty seat Town Madison 219 190 +15.3% 0.95 2.5 230.5/sq mi (89.0/km2)
Walkerville Town Silver Bow 639 675 −5.3% 2.23 5.8 286.5/sq mi (110.6/km2)
West Yellowstone Town Gallatin 1,272 1,271 +0.1% 0.80 2.1 1,590.0/sq mi (613.9/km2)
Westby Town Sheridan 167 168 −0.6% 0.54 1.4 309.3/sq mi (119.4/km2)
White Sulphur SpringsCounty seat City Meagher 955 939 +1.7% 1.01 2.6 945.5/sq mi (365.1/km2)
Whitefish City Flathead 7,751 6,357 +21.9% 6.43 16.7 1,205.4/sq mi (465.4/km2)
Whitehall Town Jefferson 1,006 1,038 −3.1% 0.67 1.7 1,501.5/sq mi (579.7/km2)
WibauxCounty seat Town Wibaux 462 589 −21.6% 1.08 2.8 427.8/sq mi (165.2/km2)
Winifred Town Fergus 172 208 −17.3% 0.50 1.3 344.0/sq mi (132.8/km2)
WinnettCounty seat Town Petroleum 188 182 +3.3% 0.98 2.5 191.8/sq mi (74.1/km2)
Wolf PointCounty seat City Roosevelt 2,517 2,621 −4.0% 0.87 2.3 2,893.1/sq mi (1,117.0/km2)
Total Towns 76 — 38,130 37,333 +2.1% 49.01 126.9 778.0/sq mi (300.4/km2)
Total Cities 53 — 549,663 494,659 +11.1% 1,685.57 4,365.6 326.1/sq mi (125.9/km2)
Total 129 — 587,793 531,992 +10.5% 1,734.58 4,492.5 338.9/sq mi (130.8/km2)

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b "2020 Population and Housing State Data". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "GCT-PH1 – Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 – State — Place and (in selected states) County Subdivision". 2010 United States Census. United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved August 8, 2016.
  3. ^ Montana Legislature. "Classification of municipalities, Montana Code Annotated, (M.C.A.) 7-1-4124". Legislative Services Division. Retrieved July 30, 2016.
  4. ^ Montana Legislature. "Classification of municipalities, Montana Code Annotated, (M.C.A.) 7-1-4111". Legislative Services Division. Retrieved July 30, 2016.
  5. ^ Montana Legislature. "Classification of municipalities, Montana Code Annotated, (M.C.A.) 7-2-4101". Legislative Services Division. Retrieved July 30, 2016.
  6. ^ Montana Legislature. "Exceptions from classification system, M.C.A. 7-1-4112". Legislative Services Division. Retrieved July 30, 2016.
  7. ^ a b "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 2, 2021.

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