Rosebud County is a county in Montana, United States, on the plains between the Yellowstone and Powder rivers, in the southeastern part of the state. It had a population of 8,329 at the 2020 census and covers 5,010 square miles (12,976 km2) of land plus 17 square miles (44 km2) of water, centred near 46°14′N 106°43′W.
Forsyth is the county seat, and its postal code is 59327. The county has 2 incorporated cities, 4 census-designated places, and several unincorporated communities, sits in the Mountain time zone, and carries FIPS code 30087.
Towns & Villages in Rosebud County
Rosebud County has 6 recognized places with 2020 census counts plus a scatter of small unincorporated communities along the railroad and ranch roads. City = incorporated municipality; CDP = census-designated place, an unincorporated but census-tracked community; Unincorp. = a rural post office or place name without its own census count.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forsyth | City · seat | 1,647 | 59327 |
| Colstrip | City | 2,096 | 59323 |
| Lame Deer | CDP | 1,897 | 59043 |
| Ashland | CDP | 773 | 59003 |
| Rosebud | CDP | 67 | 59347 |
| Birney | CDP | 97 | 59012 |
| Angela | Unincorp. | — | 59312 |
| Ingomar | Unincorp. | — | 59039 |
| Hathaway | Unincorp. | — | 59333 |
| Sumatra | Unincorp. | — | 59083 |
| Vananda | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cartersville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cold Spring | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rock Springs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Jimtown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bascom | Unincorp. | — | — |
Ashland and Birney sit on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, whose seat of government at Lame Deer is Rosebud County’s second-largest community. Ahles, Brandenberg, Crain Place, Finch, Flynn, Galbraith, Nichols, Orinoco, Thurlow, and Wood Place are historic ranch or rail-siding names from the old county atlas with no current post office or census tally — they are omitted here for lack of a verifiable location or population.
ZIP Codes
- 59327 — Forsyth (county seat)
- 59323 — Colstrip
- 59043 — Lame Deer
- 59003 — Ashland (also serves Saint Labre Mission)
- 59347 — Rosebud
- 59012 — Birney
- 59312 — Angela
- 59039 — Ingomar
- 59333 — Hathaway
- 59083 — Sumatra
Smaller communities without a listed ZIP, such as Vananda and Rock Springs, are served by the nearest post office town above.
Geography
Rosebud County is high plains and badlands country, cut by the Yellowstone River along its northern edge and drained south of it by the Rosebud, Tongue, and Powder tributaries. The Custer National Forest’s Ashland district covers a large block of the county’s southern uplands, and the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation occupies much of the southeast. It borders Petroleum County and Garfield County to the north, Custer County to the east, Powder River County, Big Horn County, and Treasure County to the south, and Yellowstone County and Musselshell County to the west.
Demographics
The 2020 census counted 8,329 residents, with Colstrip (2,096) and Forsyth (1,647) as the two largest communities. Rosebud County’s median household income runs well below the Montana median of $70,804, reflecting a mix of coal-industry wages and lower reservation-area incomes around Lame Deer and Ashland. Population density is about 1.7 people per square mile, among the more sparsely settled counties in eastern Montana.
Economy & Local Life
Coal is the county’s defining industry: the Rosebud Mine near Colstrip feeds the Colstrip power-generating station, one of the largest coal-fired plants in the western United States, and the mine and plant together are the county’s biggest employers outside government. Forsyth works as a Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad and agricultural-shipping town on the Yellowstone River, and cattle ranching and dryland wheat farming dominate the open country away from the coal fields. The Northern Cheyenne Tribe operates schools, health services, and tribal government offices centered on Lame Deer.
History
Rosebud County was organized on February 11, 1901, and takes its name from the Rosebud River, called Tongue in some earlier accounts of the Sioux and Cheyenne campaigns of the 1870s. The county originally covered a much larger area of southeastern Montana before Custer, Powder River, Treasure, Garfield, Musselshell, and Big Horn counties were carved from it in the early twentieth century. The Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, established in 1884, lies mostly within the county’s present southern half.
Getting There
U.S. Route 12 runs east-west through Forsyth and Ingomar, and Montana Highway 39 connects Forsyth south to Colstrip and Lame Deer.
- Miles City — 40 miles east
- Billings — 100 miles west
- Hardin — 65 miles southwest
- Broadus — 75 miles south
Billings Logan International Airport, about 100 miles west, is the nearest commercial airport.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Rosebud County, Montana?
It sits in southeastern Montana, along the Yellowstone River between Miles City and Billings.
What is the population of Rosebud County?
8,329 residents at the 2020 census.
How big is Rosebud County?
5,010 square miles (12,976 km2) of land, the fourth-largest county by land area in Montana.
What is the county seat of Rosebud County?
Forsyth is the county seat.
How many towns are in Rosebud County?
2 incorporated cities (Forsyth and Colstrip) and 4 census-designated places, plus several small unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Rosebud County?
59327 (Forsyth), 59323 (Colstrip), 59043 (Lame Deer), 59003 (Ashland), 59347 (Rosebud), 59012 (Birney), 59312 (Angela), 59039 (Ingomar), 59333 (Hathaway), and 59083 (Sumatra).
What powers Colstrip’s economy?
The Rosebud coal mine and the adjacent Colstrip power-generating station, one of the largest coal-fired plants in the western United States.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Montana.