Judith Basin County is a county in Montana, United States, in the central part of the state along the Judith River basin. It had a population of 2,023 at the 2020 census and covers 1,871 square miles (4,850 km2), of which 1,870 square miles is land and 0.8 square miles is water, centred near 47°02′N 110°16′W.
Stanford is the county seat, and its postal code is 59479. The county has 2 incorporated towns, 7 census-designated places, and several unincorporated communities. Judith Basin County observes Mountain Time.
Towns & Villages in Judith Basin County
Judith Basin County has 2 incorporated towns and a scattering of census-designated places and unincorporated communities across its ranching country. The table below marks incorporated towns as Town, census-designated places as CDP, and informal crossroads communities as Unincorp.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stanford | Town · seat | — | 59479 |
| Hobson | Town | — | 59452 |
| Geyser | CDP | — | 59447 |
| Moccasin | CDP | — | 59462 |
| Raynesford | CDP | — | 59469 |
| Utica | CDP | — | — |
| Windham | CDP | — | — |
| Sapphire Ridge | CDP | — | — |
| Surprise Creek Colony | CDP | — | — |
| Arrow Creek | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Benchland | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hughesville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kolin | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lehigh | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sapphire Village | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sipple | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Spion Kop | Unincorp. | — | — |
Stanford and Hobson, both former Great Northern Railway stops, are the county’s only incorporated towns; every other place on the list is a census-designated place or an open unincorporated community with no local government of its own.
ZIP Codes
- 59479 — Stanford (county seat)
- 59452 — Hobson
- 59447 — Geyser
- 59469 — Raynesford
- 59462 — Moccasin
Smaller communities such as Utica, Windham, Hughesville, and Sapphire Village share a ZIP code with a neighboring post office town rather than having their own.
Geography
Judith Basin County sits in the Judith Basin, a broad agricultural bowl ringed by the Highwood, Little Belt, Big Snowy, and Moccasin mountain ranges. The Judith River and its tributaries, including Big Spring Creek and Arrow Creek, drain the county toward the Missouri River to the north. Elevations range from open wheat and cattle country in the valley floor to timbered foothills along the southern and western edges near the Little Belt Mountains.
Judith Basin County borders Chouteau County to the north, Fergus County to the east, Wheatland County and Meagher County to the south, and Cascade County to the west.
Demographics
The 2020 census counted 2,023 residents, making Judith Basin one of Montana’s least populous counties. Stanford and Hobson together hold roughly a third of the county’s people; the rest live on ranches and in small unincorporated communities. Judith Basin’s median household income runs below the Montana median of $70,804, reflecting its dependence on agricultural income, which fluctuates with cattle and grain prices. Population density is about 1.1 people per square mile, among the lowest in the state.
Economy & Local Life
Cattle ranching and dryland wheat and barley farming drive the county’s economy, as they have for more than a century. Stanford serves as the county’s commercial hub, with the county courthouse, a school district, and the local grain elevators anchoring the town. Hobson is home to its own K-12 school and grain-handling facilities. Historic gold and sapphire mining left a lasting mark near Yogo Gulch and Utica, just over the Fergus County line, where Yogo sapphires — among the few gem-quality sapphires mined in the United States — were discovered in 1895.
History
Judith Basin County was organized on December 10, 1920, carved from western Fergus County and eastern Cascade County. It takes its name from the Judith River, which explorer William Clark named in 1805 for Julia “Judith” Hancock, a young woman he later married. Cattle drives and open-range ranching defined the basin in the late 1800s, and the Judith Basin later became a setting for the fiction and paintings of cowboy artist Charles M. Russell, who worked as a range hand in the area before his art career.
Getting There
U.S. Route 87 and U.S. Route 89 cross the county, linking Stanford and Hobson to the regional highway network. Nearby anchor towns include:
- Lewistown — 35 miles northeast
- Great Falls — 65 miles west
- White Sulphur Springs — 45 miles south
- Harlowton — 30 miles southeast
The nearest commercial airport is Great Falls International Airport (GTF), roughly 65 miles west of Stanford.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Judith Basin County, Montana?
It is in central Montana, in the Judith Basin between the Highwood, Little Belt, Big Snowy, and Moccasin mountain ranges.
What is the population of Judith Basin County?
The 2020 census counted 2,023 residents.
How big is Judith Basin County?
It covers 1,871 square miles (4,850 km2), almost all of it land.
What is the county seat of Judith Basin County?
Stanford is the county seat.
How many towns are in Judith Basin County?
The county has 2 incorporated towns, Stanford and Hobson, plus several census-designated places and unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Judith Basin County?
The main ZIP codes are 59479 (Stanford), 59452 (Hobson), 59447 (Geyser), 59469 (Raynesford), and 59462 (Moccasin).
Where were the famous Yogo sapphires found?
At Yogo Gulch, near Utica, just across the county’s eastern edge, where mining began in 1895.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Montana.