The Madisonian Explores Growth Trends and Cultural shifts

While the county’s population increase of nearly one thousand new souls doesn’t exactly constitute a surge, it bears out the perception of many residents: that Madison County is growing and feeling the effects of more people.

The 2020 U.S. Census counted 932 more people here than it did in 2010 – a 12.1% increase over the past decade. An anecdotal argument could be made that if the count were taken this year, a substantial increase over the 2020 numbers would likely be registered. But there’s no way to quantify that speculation until the next census count scheduled for 2030. Given the rate of change we are experiencing both locally and nationally, who knows what a 2030 snapshot will reveal?

Here’s what the data tell us about Madison County in 2020: Population Density 2.4 people per square mile Population Data Total population (2020): 8,623 Total population (2010): 7,691 Numeric change (2010–2020): 932 Percent change (2010–2020): 12.1 (Provided by U.S. Census Bureau)

Montana hits the million mark

State-wide, our population grew by 9.6% to 1,084,225, moving Montana to number 44 among the states. As a consequence of more people, the state gains a new congressional district, doubling its representation in the U.S. House of Representatives – from one to two members. The state legislature will use the 2020 census data to draw the new congressional district boundaries.

Montana’s population growth has not always been consistent, and neither has Madison County’s.

A look at past census reports shows that in 1950, about 70 years ago, Montana’s population was 591,024, representing a 5.6% increase since 1940 – still only 0.4% of the nation’s population.

Madison County’s growth over the decades has been somewhat erratic. Here’s an example of 20th century trends:

Value Notes ◆

Estimates are not comparable to other geographic levels due to methodology differences that may exist between different data sources.

Some estimates presented here come from sample data, and thus have sampling errors that may render some apparent differences between geographies statistically indistinguishable.

The vintage year (e.g., V2019) refers to the final year of the series (2010 thru 2019). Different vintage years of estimates are not comparable.

Fact Notes

(a) Includes persons reporting only one race

(b) Hispanics may be of any race, so also are included in applicable race categories

(c) Economic Census - Puerto Rico data are not comparable to U.S. Economic Census data

Value Flags

D Suppressed to avoid disclosure of confidential information

F Fewer than 25 firms

FN Footnote on this item in place of data

NA Not available

S Suppressed; does not meet publication standards

X Not applicable

Z Value greater than zero but less than half unit of measure shown

- Either no or too few sample observations were available to compute an estimate, or a ratio of medians cannot be calculated because one or both of the median estimates falls in the lowest or upper interval of an open ended distribution.

N Data for this geographic area cannot be displayed because the number of sample cases is too small.

QuickFacts data are derived from: Population Estimates, American Community Survey, Census of Population and Housing, Current Population Survey, Small Area Health Insurance Estimates, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, State and County Housing Unit Estimates, County Business Patterns, Nonemployer Statistics, Economic Census, Survey of Business Owners, Building Permits.