Cascade County, Montana

Cascade County
County
Cascade County Courthouse
Cascade County Courthouse
Map of Montana highlighting Cascade County
Location within the U.S. state of Montana
Map of the United States highlighting Montana
Montana's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 47°19′N 111°21′W
Country United States
State Montana
Founded 1887
Named for Great Falls of the Missouri River
Seat Great Falls
Largest city Great Falls
Area
 • Total 2,711 sq mi (7,020 km2)
 • Land 2,698 sq mi (6,990 km2)
 • Water 13 sq mi (30 km2)  0.5%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 84,414
 • Estimate 
(2022)
 84,864 Increase
 • Density 31/sq mi (12/km2)
Time zone UTC−7 (Mountain)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district 2nd
Website www.cascadecountymt.gov
  • Montana county number 02
Aerial view of Cascade County and Sun River

Cascade County (cascade means waterfall in French) is a county located in the U.S. state of Montana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 84,414, making it the fifth-most populous county in Montana. Its county seat is Great Falls.

Cascade County comprises the Great Falls, MT Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

At the time of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, Cascade County was the territory of the Blackfeet. The county was named for the falls on the Missouri River.

The United States Army at one time had Fort Shaw as an outpost in the northwest part of the county. Only a small settlement is left by that name, a CDP.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,711 square miles (7,020 km2), of which 2,698 square miles (6,990 km2) is land and 13 square miles (34 km2) (0.5%) is water. The Missouri River and the Sun River flow through the county, and meet at the city of Great Falls. A portion of the Adel Mountains Volcanic Field is in the southwest corner of the county. The Rocky Mountains are in the western part of the county with the Little Belt and Highwood Mountains in the southeast.

Adjacent counties

National protected areas

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. Note %±
1890 8,755 —
1900 25,777 194.4%
1910 28,833 11.9%
1920 38,836 34.7%
1930 41,146 5.9%
1940 41,199 0.1%
1950 53,027 28.7%
1960 73,418 38.5%
1970 81,804 11.4%
1980 80,696 −1.4%
1990 77,691 −3.7%
2000 80,357 3.4%
2010 81,327 1.2%
2020 84,414 3.8%
2022 (est.) 84,864 0.5%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790-1960 1900-1990
1990-2000 2010-2020

2020 census

As of the census of 2020, there were 84,414 people.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 81,327 people, 33,809 households, and 21,403 families living in the county. The population density was 30.1 inhabitants per square mile (11.6/km2). There were 37,276 housing units at an average density of 13.8 per square mile (5.3/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 89.2% white, 4.3% American Indian, 1.2% black or African American, 0.8% Asian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 0.6% from other races, and 3.6% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 3.3% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 28.5% were German, 17.1% were Irish, 12.3% were English, 10.3% were Norwegian, and 4.5% were American.

Of the 33,809 households, 29.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.4% were married couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 36.7% were non-families, and 30.5% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.90. The median age was 38.9 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $42,389 and the median income for a family was $53,540. Males had a median income of $37,904 versus $27,944 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,963. About 10.9% of families and 13.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.4% of those under age 18 and 8.8% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Like Lewis & Clark County to the west, Cascade County leans Republican but has voted for Democrats four times since Lyndon Johnson's landslide in 1964. Hubert Humphrey easily won this county in 1968, one of nine counties that he was able to win. Barack Obama carried Cascade in 2008 but lost to Mitt Romney in 2012 by 9%. Since 2012, the county has voted Republican by comfortable margins. In 2020, Donald Trump won the county with over 58% of the vote, the best performance by a Republican since 1920.

In statewide races, Cascade County often acts as a bellwether county and has been friendlier to Democrats - Senators Max Baucus and Jon Tester have carried the county in all of their elections and Governors Brian Schweitzer and Steve Bullock carried it in all four elections in 2004–2016. Since at least 1984, no Democrat has won in Montana without winning Cascade County, however, Republicans have occasionally won statewide without carrying the county, such as former Senator Conrad Burns in 1988 and 2000, Governors Marc Racicot in 1992 and Judy Martz in 2000, Secretaries of State Bob Brown in 2000 and Brad Johnson in 2004, and Attorney General Tim Fox in 2012.

United States presidential election results for Cascade County, Montana
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 23,315 58.46% 15,456 38.75% 1,114 2.79%
2016 19,632 56.79% 12,175 35.22% 2,764 8.00%
2012 18,345 53.06% 15,232 44.05% 999 2.89%
2008 16,857 47.62% 17,664 49.90% 875 2.47%
2004 19,028 56.87% 13,701 40.95% 730 2.18%
2000 18,164 54.52% 13,137 39.43% 2,016 6.05%
1996 14,291 40.82% 15,707 44.87% 5,008 14.31%
1992 12,494 34.16% 14,719 40.24% 9,365 25.60%
1988 15,946 49.64% 15,718 48.93% 460 1.43%
1984 19,846 57.52% 14,252 41.30% 407 1.18%
1980 17,664 54.80% 11,105 34.45% 3,465 10.75%
1976 15,289 50.11% 14,678 48.11% 544 1.78%
1972 16,159 52.40% 12,899 41.83% 1,778 5.77%
1968 11,588 43.23% 13,507 50.39% 1,708 6.37%
1964 8,986 33.64% 17,609 65.92% 119 0.45%
1960 11,928 45.72% 14,117 54.11% 45 0.17%
1956 12,455 52.88% 11,098 47.12% 0 0.00%
1952 12,176 52.09% 11,051 47.28% 146 0.62%
1948 6,830 34.47% 12,082 60.97% 905 4.57%
1944 6,372 36.54% 10,924 62.65% 141 0.81%
1940 6,443 31.70% 13,637 67.10% 244 1.20%
1936 4,077 22.92% 13,325 74.91% 387 2.18%
1932 5,800 34.48% 10,047 59.72% 976 5.80%
1928 8,183 55.08% 6,540 44.02% 133 0.90%
1924 5,081 43.41% 2,220 18.96% 4,405 37.63%
1920 6,808 58.83% 3,938 34.03% 826 7.14%
1916 3,253 30.57% 6,612 62.14% 776 7.29%
1912 1,079 23.72% 1,633 35.90% 1,837 40.38%
1908 1,935 44.86% 1,888 43.77% 490 11.36%
1904 2,405 55.34% 1,385 31.87% 556 12.79%

Economy

Malmstrom Air Force Base is a driving force in the regional economy. In 2009, Benefis, Great Falls Clinic, National Electronics Warranty and Walmart were the largest private employers.

Education

Apollos University, The University of Great Falls, and the MSU College of Technology - Great Falls are both located in Great Falls.

K-12 education

Public school districts include:

Secondary:

  • Belt High School District
  • Cascade High School District
  • Great Falls High School District
  • Simms High School District
  • Centerville High School District

Elementary:

  • Belt Elementary School District
  • Centerville Elementary School District
  • Cascade Elementary School District
  • Great Falls Elementary School District
  • Sun River Valley Elementary School District
  • Ulm Elementary School District
  • Vaughn Elementary School District

There is also a state-operated school, Montana School for the Deaf & Blind.

Communities

City

Towns

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

  • Adel
  • Armington
  • Armington Junction
  • Ashuelot
  • Dearborn (partially within Lewis & Clark County)
  • Eden
  • Emerson Junction
  • Gordon
  • Millegan
  • Number Seven
  • Salem
  • Sheffels
  • Portage

In popular culture

Several motion pictures have been filmed in Great Falls. Many have filmed in both Cascade County and Great Falls, and a few in just Cascade County (outside the Great Falls city limits). Those films shot in the county and outside Great Falls city limits include:

See also