Montana Percent Change in Population 1990—2000

State population increased by almost 13 percent in the 1990s, a dramatic improvement over the previous decade, which saw growth of less than 2 percent. Of the state's 56 counties, 33 added population in the 1990s, most of which were in the mountainous western region and southern portions of the state.

More notably, of the 23 counties whose population declined or was stagnant, all but one (Deer Lodge) were in eastern Montana. In fact, no county in the eastern one-third of the state, which is largely agricultural, saw population growth.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau