Fergus County is a county in Montana, United States, on the plains and breaks country south of the Missouri River. It had a population of 11,446 at the 2020 census and covers 4,340 square miles (11,200 km2) of land centred near 47°16′N 109°13′W.
Lewistown is the county seat, and its postal code is 59457. The county holds one city, four incorporated towns, several census-designated places, and dozens of unincorporated communities and ranch sites. Fergus County observes Mountain time.
Towns & Villages in Fergus County
Lewistown is the only city and the county seat. Denton, Grass Range, Moore, and Winifred are incorporated towns. Brooks, Danvers, Hilger, and Roy are census-designated places (CDPs) — unincorporated but recognized by the Census Bureau. Everything else below is an unincorporated community, ranch, colony, or rail siding.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lewistown | City · seat | 5,952 | 59457 |
| Denton | Town | — | 59430 |
| Grass Range | Town | — | 59032 |
| Moore | Town | — | 59464 |
| Winifred | Town | — | 59489 |
| Brooks | CDP | — | — |
| Danvers | CDP | — | 59420 |
| Hilger | CDP | — | 59450 |
| Roy | CDP | — | 59471 |
| Amherst | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ayers Ranch Colony | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Baxter | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Beaver Creek | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Becket | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Buffalo | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Christina | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Coffee Creek | Unincorp. | — | 59424 |
| Cottonwood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Deerfield Colony | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Eddies Corner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Fergus | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Fords Creek Colony | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Forestgrove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Garneill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Giltedge | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Glengarry | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hanover | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Heath | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hoosac | Unincorp. | — | — |
| King Ranch Colony | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kingston | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lewistown Heights | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lewistown Junction | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Maiden | Unincorp. | — | — |
| McClave | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Moulton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mountain Acres MH Park | Unincorp. | — | — |
| New Year | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Piper | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pownal | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ross Fork | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Roy-Winifred Junction | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Samples Crossing | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sawyers Trailer Park | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Spring Creek Colony | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Spring Creek Junction | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Straw | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Suffolk | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Valentine | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Valley View Castle MH Park | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ware | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Warm Spring Creek | Unincorp. | — | — |
| West Lewistown | Unincorp. | — | — |
Several of these are historic sites rather than living settlements — Maiden and Giltedge were gold-mining camps in the Judith Mountains that emptied out after 1900, and Kingston and Hoosac are rail-era names on the old Milwaukee Road line that survive only as map points.
ZIP Codes
- 59457 — Lewistown (also serves Lewistown Heights, Lewistown Junction, West Lewistown)
- 59430 — Denton
- 59032 — Grass Range
- 59464 — Moore
- 59489 — Winifred
- 59450 — Hilger
- 59471 — Roy (also serves Roy-Winifred Junction)
- 59420 — Danvers
- 59424 — Coffee Creek
The remaining unincorporated places and ranch sites have no post office of their own and are served by the nearest ZIP above.
Geography
Fergus County sits on the Missouri River plains, split by the Judith Mountains and the Big Snowy Mountains, with the Missouri River forming much of its northern boundary and the Judith River running through the county’s western half. The terrain runs from irrigated river bottom near Lewistown to open range and badland breaks toward the Missouri.
It borders Chouteau County to the northwest, Blaine County to the north, Phillips County to the northeast, Petroleum County to the east, Musselshell County to the southeast, Golden Valley County to the south, Wheatland County to the southwest, and Judith Basin County to the west.
Demographics
The 2020 census counted 11,446 residents, giving a density of about 2.6 people per square mile. Lewistown, with 5,952 residents, is by far the largest community; Grass Range and Moore are the next-largest incorporated towns, each with well under a thousand residents. Fergus County’s median household income runs below the Montana median of $70,804, reflecting an agricultural economy with a large share of retirees and fixed-income households in Lewistown.
Economy & Local Life
Wheat, cattle, and hay dominate the county’s rural economy, with dryland grain farming across the plains and ranching in the breaks and foothill country. Lewistown serves as the trade and medical hub for central Montana, anchored by Central Montana Medical Center. The county fairgrounds in Lewistown host the annual Central Montana Fair, and the town’s historic Judith Basin milling and rail heritage still shapes its downtown.
History
Fergus County was organized in 1885 and named for James Fergus, a Montana politician and rancher who helped push for its creation out of a much larger Meagher County. Gold strikes in the Judith Mountains at Maiden and Giltedge in the 1880s drew the county’s first wave of settlement before the mines gave out around the turn of the century; homestead-era wheat farming after 1900 built the towns that remain today.
Getting There
U.S. Route 87 and U.S. Route 191 cross at Lewistown, connecting the county to Great Falls and Billings.
- Great Falls — 105 miles northwest
- Billings — 125 miles southeast
- Havre — 115 miles north
- Roundup — 55 miles southeast
Lewistown Municipal Airport offers general aviation service; the nearest commercial airports are in Great Falls and Billings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Fergus County?
It is in central Montana, on the plains south of the Missouri River, roughly 105 miles northwest of Great Falls.
What is the population of Fergus County?
11,446 residents at the 2020 census.
How big is Fergus County?
4,340 square miles (11,240 km2) of land, the fourth-largest county in Montana by area.
What is the county seat of Fergus County?
Lewistown, the largest town in central Montana.
How many towns are in Fergus County?
One city (Lewistown), four incorporated towns (Denton, Grass Range, Moore, Winifred), four CDPs, and dozens of unincorporated communities and ranch sites.
What ZIP codes are in Fergus County?
59457 (Lewistown), plus 59430, 59032, 59464, 59489, 59450, 59471, 59420, and 59424 for the outlying towns.
Why is Fergus County named that?
For James Fergus, the Montana politician and rancher who was instrumental in creating the county in 1885.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Montana.