Chouteau County is a county in Montana, United States, along the Missouri River in the north-central part of the state. It had a population of 5,895 at the 2020 census and covers 3,997 square miles (10,350 km2) centred near 47°53′N 110°26′W.
Fort Benton is the county seat, and its postal code is 59442. The county has one incorporated city, two incorporated towns, and about a dozen unincorporated communities and census-designated places. Chouteau County is in the Mountain time zone (UTC−7, UTC−6 during daylight time); its FIPS code is 30019.
Towns & Villages in Chouteau County
The county has three incorporated places — Fort Benton (the seat), Big Sandy, and Geraldine — plus a scatter of census-designated places (CDP) and unincorporated (Unincorp.) crossroads and rural settlements across the county’s wheat country and the Rocky Boy West area on the Rocky Boy’s Reservation.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Benton | City · seat | 1,449 | 59442 |
| Big Sandy | Town | 605 | 59520 |
| Geraldine | Town | — | 59446 |
| Loma | CDP | — | 59460 |
| Square Butte | CDP | — | 59477 |
| Highwood | CDP | — | 59450 |
| Carter | CDP | — | 59420 |
| Floweree | CDP | — | — |
| Boneau | CDP | — | — |
| Parker School | CDP | — | — |
| Rocky Boy West | CDP | — | — |
| Sunnybrook Colony | CDP | — | — |
| Twin Hills Colony | CDP | — | — |
| Big Sag | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Box Elder | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Coal Banks Landing | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Shonkin | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Virgelle | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Montague | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Waltham | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Warrick | Unincorp. | — | — |
ZIP Codes
- 59442 — Fort Benton
- 59520 — Big Sandy
- 59446 — Geraldine
- 59460 — Loma
- 59477 — Square Butte
- 59450 — Highwood (also serves nearby rural addresses)
- 59420 — Carter
Smaller unincorporated places such as Box Elder, Shonkin, and Virgelle share the ZIP code of their nearest post office town rather than having their own.
Geography
Chouteau County straddles the Missouri River, which runs through the Missouri Breaks country in the county’s south and marks part of the historic steamboat route to Fort Benton, once the world’s innermost navigable port. The northern half of the county rises onto the wheat-farming plains of Montana’s Golden Triangle, while the Bear Paw and Highwood Mountains touch its southeastern and southern edges. The Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation, home to the Chippewa Cree Tribe, extends into the county’s southwestern corner.
Chouteau County borders Hill County to the north, Liberty County to the north (no live profile page here), Blaine County to the east, Fergus County to the southeast, Judith Basin County and Cascade County to the south, Teton County to the west, and Pondera County to the northwest.
Demographics
Chouteau County had 5,895 residents at the 2020 census, spread across 3,972 square miles of land for a density of about 1.5 people per square mile — one of the more sparsely settled counties in the state. Fort Benton (1,449) and Big Sandy (605) are the county’s two largest communities. Montana’s statewide median household income is the $70,804 figure reported by the 2023 American Community Survey; Chouteau County, a farming county with no large employer, typically runs below that state median.
Economy & Local Life
Chouteau County is Montana’s largest producer of winter wheat and sits at the heart of the Golden Triangle, a region that grows roughly 45 percent of the state’s annual wheat crop. Dryland grain farming and cattle ranching are the county’s economic backbone; Fort Benton, on the Missouri River, also draws visitors for its role as a historic fur-trade port and jumping-off point for the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail. A portion of the Lewis and Clark National Forest lies within the county.
History
Chouteau County was established in 1865 as one of the original nine counties of the Montana Territory. It was named in 1882 for Pierre Chouteau Jr., a St. Louis fur trader whose company built the trading post that grew into Fort Benton, a major steamboat landing on the upper Missouri River in the 19th century.
Getting There
U.S. Route 87 is the county’s main highway, linking Fort Benton to Great Falls in the south and Havre in the north.
- Great Falls — 40 miles southwest
- Havre — 45 miles north
- Big Sandy — 25 miles northwest of Fort Benton
- Lewistown — 65 miles southeast
The nearest commercial airport is Great Falls International Airport (GTF), about 40 miles southwest of Fort Benton.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Chouteau County?
It is in north-central Montana, along the Missouri River, roughly 40 miles northeast of Great Falls.
What is the population of Chouteau County?
5,895 people, per the 2020 census.
How big is Chouteau County?
3,997 square miles (10,350 km2), of which 3,972 square miles are land.
What is the county seat of Chouteau County?
Fort Benton is the county seat.
How many towns are in Chouteau County?
One city (Fort Benton), two towns (Big Sandy and Geraldine), and about a dozen smaller census-designated places and unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Chouteau County?
Fort Benton is 59442; Big Sandy is 59520; Geraldine is 59446; other communities use nearby post office town ZIP codes.
What is Chouteau County known for?
It is Montana’s largest winter wheat producer and home to Fort Benton, a 19th-century Missouri River steamboat port on the Lewis and Clark trail.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Montana.