Montana County Map

Montana County Maps

Spanning the vast expanse of Big Sky Country are 56 counties, each with its own piece of Montana’s diverse landscape. From the rugged Rocky Mountains in the west to the rolling plains in the east, you’ll find everything from glacier-carved valleys to badlands here.

Montana Counties

Yellowstone County stands out as the most populous, largely thanks to Billings, Montana’s largest city. It’s a hub for healthcare, energy, and agriculture, bringing in folks from all over the state. On the flip side, there’s Petroleum County, right in the center of the state. It’s the least populous county, with fewer residents than some apartment buildings. Why so few? Well, it’s mostly ranch land, and let’s just say the oil boom its name hinted at never really panned out.

When it comes to size, Beaverhead County takes the cake. It’s massive, covering more ground than the entire state of Connecticut. Despite its size, it’s home to fewer than 10,000 people. What is the smallest county? That’d be Silver Bow County, which is basically just Butte and its immediate surroundings. It might be compact, but it has a rich mining history that shaped much of Montana’s early days.

Montana’s counties have some interesting stories behind their names. Treasure County is not named for any actual treasure, but for the fertile farmland early settlers saw as agricultural gold. Or how about Powder River County? Its name comes from the river that runs through it, which often runs so low it looks like a “river of powder.” Montana started establishing counties in 1864 when it was still a territory. The first nine counties were set up all at once, divvying up the whole territory.