Lake County is a county in Montana, United States, on the southern shore of Flathead Lake in the west-central part of the state. It had a population of 31,134 at the 2020 census and covers 1,654 square miles (4,280 km2), of which 1,490 square miles are land and 164 square miles are water, centred near 47°39′N 114°05′W.
Polson is the county seat, and its postal code is 59860. The county has two incorporated cities, one incorporated town, and roughly a dozen census-designated places, plus a number of smaller unincorporated communities. Lake County observes Mountain Time. More than two-thirds of the county’s land (67.7%) lies within the Flathead Indian Reservation, home of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes.
Towns & Villages in Lake County
Lake County has 33 named places in this list: 2 incorporated cities, 1 incorporated town, 12 census-designated places (CDPs), and 18 smaller unincorporated communities. Type legend: City = incorporated city, Town = incorporated town, CDP = Census Bureau-recognised census-designated place, Unincorp. = an unincorporated locality with no formal municipal boundary.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polson | City · seat | 5,148 | 59860 |
| Ronan | City | 1,955 | 59864 |
| Saint Ignatius | Town | — | 59865 |
| Pablo | CDP | — | 59855 |
| Arlee | CDP | — | 59821 |
| Charlo | CDP | — | 59824 |
| Big Arm | CDP | — | 59910 |
| Elmo | CDP | — | 59915 |
| Dayton | CDP | — | — |
| Finley Point | CDP | — | — |
| Kicking Horse | CDP | — | — |
| Ravalli | CDP | — | — |
| Rollins | CDP | — | — |
| Swan Lake | CDP | — | — |
| Woods Bay | CDP | — | — |
| Allentown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bear Dance | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Dunham | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ferndale | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Jette | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kerr | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kings Point | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lake Mary Ronan | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lindisfarne | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Meltons | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Moiese | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Post Creek | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Proctor | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rocky Point | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Round Butte | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Salmon Prairie | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sipes | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Turtle Lake | Unincorp. | — | — |
ZIP Codes
- 59860 — Polson (also serves Finley Point and Rocky Point)
- 59864 — Ronan (also serves Round Butte)
- 59865 — Saint Ignatius (also serves Post Creek)
- 59855 — Pablo
- 59821 — Arlee
- 59824 — Charlo (also serves Moiese)
- 59910 — Big Arm (also serves Elmo’s western side and Lake Mary Ronan)
- 59915 — Elmo
Several smaller communities, including Dayton, Rollins, Kicking Horse, Ravalli and Swan Lake, do not have their own dedicated post office ZIP and are served by a neighboring town’s code.
Geography
Lake County sits at the southern end of Flathead Lake, Montana’s largest natural freshwater lake, which forms much of the county’s northern shoreline. The Mission Mountains rise along the county’s eastern edge, and the Flathead and Jocko Rivers drain the valley floor before joining the Clark Fork system. Most of the county’s land lies inside the Flathead Indian Reservation, and the county also contains parts of the National Bison Range near Moiese and the Ninepipe and Pablo national wildlife refuges.
Lake County borders Flathead County to the north, Missoula County to the east, and Sanders County to the west.
Demographics
Lake County had 31,134 residents at the 2020 census, a population density of about 21 people per square mile of land. Polson (5,148) and Ronan (1,955) are the county’s two largest communities. The county’s 2020 census figures also recorded a substantial American Indian and Alaska Native population, reflecting its location within the Flathead Indian Reservation. Household income in Lake County runs below the Montana median of $70,804, consistent with the county’s rural, reservation-based economy.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture, tourism and tribal government are the county’s main economic pillars. Cherry orchards line the shore of Flathead Lake near Polson and Big Arm, and the county’s farms and ranches raise cattle and hay in the Mission and Jocko valleys. The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes are headquartered in Pablo, where Salish Kootenai College, a tribal college, is also based. Flathead Lake draws boaters and anglers each summer, and the National Bison Range near Moiese is a year-round visitor draw.
History
Lake County was organized in 1923, carved out of the southern portion of the former Missoula and Flathead area and named for Flathead Lake. Its land was set aside for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes under the 1855 Hellgate Treaty as the Flathead Indian Reservation; a federal allotment act opened part of the reservation to non-tribal homesteading beginning in 1910, which brought the wave of settlement that founded Polson, Ronan and Charlo. The Tribes have continued to reacquire reservation land and today govern much of the county in partnership with the county government.
Getting There
U.S. Highway 93 runs the length of the county through Polson, Pablo, Ronan and Arlee, connecting north to Kalispell and south to Missoula. Montana Highway 35 follows Flathead Lake’s east shore, and Montana Highway 28 crosses the county’s west side toward Plains.
- Kalispell — 40 miles north
- Missoula — 65 miles south
- Whitefish — 55 miles north
- Plains — 35 miles west
The nearest commercial airport is Glacier Park International Airport in Kalispell, about 40 miles north of Polson.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Lake County, Montana?
It is in the west-central part of the state, at the southern end of Flathead Lake, between Missoula and Kalispell.
What is the population of Lake County?
31,134 people, per the 2020 census.
How big is Lake County?
1,654 square miles (4,280 km2), including 164 square miles of water — mostly the southern half of Flathead Lake.
What is the county seat of Lake County?
Polson is the county seat.
How many towns are in Lake County?
Two incorporated cities (Polson and Ronan), one incorporated town (Saint Ignatius), and about a dozen census-designated places.
What ZIP codes are in Lake County?
The main ones are 59860 (Polson), 59864 (Ronan), 59865 (Saint Ignatius), 59855 (Pablo), 59821 (Arlee) and 59824 (Charlo).
Is Lake County on the Flathead Indian Reservation?
Yes — 67.7% of the county’s land lies within the Flathead Indian Reservation, governed by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Montana.