Dawson County is a county in Montana, United States, on the Yellowstone River in the eastern part of the state, about 15 to 20 miles from the North Dakota border. It had a population of 8,940 at the 2020 census and covers 2,383 square miles (6,170 km2), of which 2,372 square miles is land and 11 square miles is water, centred near 47°16′N 104°54′W.
Glendive is the county seat, and its postal code is 59330. The county has one city, one town, three census-designated places, and a scatter of unincorporated communities and mobile-home parks. It sits in the Mountain time zone.
Towns & Villages in Dawson County
Dawson County has 21 named places on record, from the county seat of Glendive down to small rural crossroads and mobile-home parks along the Yellowstone Valley. Only Glendive is a city and only Richey is an incorporated town; Bloomfield, Lindsay and West Glendive are unincorporated census-designated places (CDPs), and the rest are unincorporated communities.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glendive | City · seat | 4,873 | 59330 |
| West Glendive | CDP | 1,998 | 59330 |
| Richey | Town | — | 59259 |
| Lindsay | CDP | — | 59339 |
| Bloomfield | CDP | — | 59315 |
| Allard | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Casitas Del Rio East MH Park | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Colgate | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Curry | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Forest Park | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Highland MH Park | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hodges | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hoyt | Unincorp. | — | — |
| I-94 Trailer Park | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Intake | Unincorp. | — | — |
| La Bree MHs Incorporated | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Marsh | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pleasant View | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Red Top | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Richey Trailer Court | Unincorp. | — | 59259 |
| Spring Grove Trailer Court | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Stipek | Unincorp. | — | — |
Several places on this list are mobile-home parks rather than town sites — Casitas Del Rio East, Highland, I-94 Trailer Park, La Bree MHs Incorporated and Spring Grove Trailer Court — a common pattern in Montana’s Census Bureau gazetteer along the Interstate 94 corridor near Glendive.
ZIP Codes
- 59330 — Glendive (also serves West Glendive)
- 59259 — Richey (also serves the surrounding rural area, including Richey Trailer Court)
- 59339 — Lindsay
- 59315 — Bloomfield
Most of the small unincorporated places and mobile-home parks scattered through the county use one of these four ZIP codes depending on which post office serves their rural route, rather than a code of their own.
Geography
Dawson County lies in eastern Montana along the Yellowstone River, which flows northeast through the county past Glendive on its way to the Missouri River. The terrain is a mix of river-bottom farmland and the eroded badlands of the Makoshika area southeast of Glendive, part of the Hell Creek Formation. Interstate 94 and U.S. Route 16 cross the county through the Yellowstone Valley.
Dawson County borders Richland County to the north, Wibaux County to the east, Prairie County to the south, and McCone County to the west.
Demographics
Dawson County had 8,940 residents at the 2020 census, a population density of about 3.8 people per square mile. Glendive, the county seat, is the largest community with 4,873 residents, followed by West Glendive with 1,998. Together the two Glendive-area places account for roughly three-quarters of the county’s population. Median household income in Montana runs close to the Montana median of $70,804; Dawson County’s own figure has not been separately verified for this profile.
Economy & Local Life
Dawson County’s economy is built on dryland grain farming and cattle ranching, along with coal, natural gas and oil development in the surrounding basin. Glendive functions as the region’s trade and medical hub for eastern Montana and western North Dakota, home to Dawson Community College and Glendive Medical Center. The county’s best-known attraction is Makoshika State Park, Montana’s largest state park, known for its badlands scenery and dinosaur fossils — the largest Triceratops skull ever found was excavated there in 2003.
History
Dawson County was organized on January 15, 1869, the tenth county created in Montana Territory. It takes its name from Major Andrew Dawson, who managed the American Fur Company’s Fort Benton trading post from 1856 to 1864. The county originally covered a much larger area of eastern Montana before later counties, including Richland, Wibaux, Prairie and McCone, were carved from its territory.
Getting There
Interstate 94 and U.S. Route 16 both run through Glendive, connecting the county to Billings and to Bismarck, North Dakota. Amtrak’s Empire Builder serves Glendive at a station on the BNSF Railway line.
- Miles City — 75 miles southwest
- Sidney — 45 miles north
- Williston, North Dakota — 65 miles northeast
- Billings — 220 miles west
The nearest commercial airport is Dawson Community Airport in Glendive, with regional service; the nearest hub airport is Billings Logan International Airport.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Dawson County, Montana?
It is in eastern Montana along the Yellowstone River, about 15 to 20 miles from the North Dakota border.
What is the population of Dawson County?
It had a population of 8,940 at the 2020 census.
How big is Dawson County?
It covers 2,383 square miles (6,170 km2), of which 11 square miles is water.
What is the county seat of Dawson County?
Glendive is the county seat.
How many towns are in Dawson County?
The county has one city (Glendive), one incorporated town (Richey), three census-designated places, and about 16 smaller unincorporated communities and mobile-home parks.
What ZIP codes are in Dawson County?
59330 (Glendive), 59259 (Richey), 59339 (Lindsay) and 59315 (Bloomfield).
What is Dawson County known for?
Makoshika State Park and the Hell Creek Formation badlands, where the largest known Triceratops skull was found in 2003.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Montana.