Valley County is a county in Montana, United States, along the Canadian border in the northeastern part of the state. It had a population of 7,578 at the 2020 census and covers 5,062 square miles (13,110 km2), the fourth-largest county in Montana, centred near 48°12′N 106°38′W.
Glasgow is the county seat, and its postal code is 59230. The county has one incorporated city, two incorporated towns, and roughly two dozen smaller unincorporated communities. Valley County runs on Mountain Time and shares an international border with Saskatchewan, Canada, to the north.
Towns & Villages in Valley County
Valley County has three incorporated places — Glasgow, Nashua, and Fort Peck — plus about two dozen unincorporated communities scattered across ranch country and along the Fort Peck Indian Reservation’s northern edge. “CDP” below marks a Census Bureau-defined unincorporated community; “Unincorp.” marks a place too small for its own census designation.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glasgow | City · seat | 3,247 | 59230 |
| Nashua | Town | — | 59248 |
| Fort Peck | Town | — | 59223 |
| Frazer | CDP | — | 59225 |
| Hinsdale | CDP | — | 59241 |
| Opheim | CDP | — | 59250 |
| Saint Marie | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Baylor | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Beaverton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Glentana | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Larslan | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lustre | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Miles Crossing | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Murray Place | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Oswego | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Park Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Richland | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Roanwood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Tampico | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Thoeny | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Vandalia | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Whately | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Wheeler | Unincorp. | — | — |
Saint Marie sits on the site of the former Glasgow Air Force Base housing area north of Glasgow, and is unincorporated despite once holding thousands of residents during the base’s Cold War years. Frazer lies on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, home to the Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes, whose reservation covers the southeastern part of the county.
ZIP Codes
- 59230 — Glasgow (also serves the surrounding ranch country and Saint Marie)
- 59248 — Nashua
- 59223 — Fort Peck
- 59225 — Frazer
- 59241 — Hinsdale
- 59250 — Opheim
The smaller unincorporated places — Baylor, Beaverton, Glentana, Larslan, Lustre, Miles Crossing, Murray Place, Oswego, Park Grove, Richland, Roanwood, Tampico, Thoeny, Vandalia, Whately, and Wheeler — have no ZIP code of their own and use the nearest post office town’s address.
Geography
Valley County lies on the high plains of northeastern Montana, split by the Milk River in the north and the Missouri River/Fort Peck Lake in the south. Fort Peck Lake, formed by the Fort Peck Dam, is Montana’s largest reservoir and forms much of the county’s southern boundary. The terrain is mostly open prairie and wheat country, rising into the Larb Hills and badlands breaks near the lake.
Valley County borders Phillips County to the west, Daniels County to the northeast, Roosevelt County to the east, McCone County to the southeast, and Garfield County to the south across Fort Peck Lake. Saskatchewan, Canada, lies directly across the county’s northern line.
Demographics
Valley County had 7,578 residents at the 2020 census. Glasgow, the county seat, is by far the largest community; Nashua and Fort Peck are the county’s next-largest incorporated places. Median household income in Valley County runs below the Montana median of $70,804, reflecting the county’s dependence on agriculture and a shrinking rural population. Population density is about 1.5 people per square mile, among the lowest in the state.
Economy & Local Life
Wheat, barley, and cattle ranching drive the county’s economy, alongside government and service jobs tied to Glasgow as the regional trade center for northeastern Montana. Fort Peck Dam and Fort Peck Lake support a seasonal tourism and recreation economy — fishing, boating, and hunting draw visitors from across the region. The historic Fort Peck Theatre, built by the Army Corps of Engineers during the dam’s construction in the 1930s, still hosts summer stock theater. Frances Mahon Deaconess Hospital in Glasgow serves as the county’s main medical center.
History
Valley County was organized in 1893, carved from Dawson County and named for the broad river valley along the Milk and Missouri rivers. Glasgow was founded in 1887 as a Great Northern Railway townsite, named after Glasgow, Scotland. The county’s defining 20th-century event was the construction of Fort Peck Dam between 1933 and 1940, a Depression-era Public Works Administration project that was, at the time, the largest earth-filled dam in the world and put tens of thousands of workers to work during the Depression. Glasgow Air Force Base operated from 1957 to 1968 as a Strategic Air Command installation before closing; its housing area became the community of Saint Marie.
Getting There
US Highway 2, Montana’s Hi-Line route, runs east–west through Glasgow and links the county to the rest of northern Montana.
- Wolf Point — 55 miles east
- Malta — 70 miles west
- Havre — 110 miles west
- Miles City — 140 miles south
Wokal Field–Glasgow International Airport, just north of town, offers limited commercial service under the federal Essential Air Service program.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Valley County, Montana?
It is in the northeastern part of the state, along the Canadian border, centred near Glasgow.
What is the population of Valley County?
7,578 at the 2020 census.
How big is Valley County?
5,062 square miles (13,110 km2), Montana’s fourth-largest county by area.
What is the county seat of Valley County?
Glasgow is the county seat.
How many towns are in Valley County?
Three incorporated places — Glasgow, Nashua, and Fort Peck — plus about two dozen smaller unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Valley County?
59230 (Glasgow), 59248 (Nashua), 59223 (Fort Peck), 59225 (Frazer), 59241 (Hinsdale), and 59250 (Opheim).
What is Fort Peck Lake?
Montana’s largest reservoir, formed by Fort Peck Dam on the Missouri River, forming much of the county’s southern border and a major recreation draw.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Montana.