Welcome to Powder River County

Published: 2019
By Mary Rumph

Powder River County is a rural, agricultural county of 3,297 square miles, located in southeastern Montana. The county was created from Custer County on March 17, 1919, and named for the Powder River which runs through it. The Powder River was named because of the gunpowder-colored sand on its banks. Most of Powder River County's 2.1 million acres are used for rangeland. The population of Powder River County is 1,773, according to 2015 census figures. The population is aging, with 52 years the average. Powder River County is primarily rural and agricultural with limited oil and timber production. Since 1954, farm acreage has fluctuated between 1.54 and 1.72 million acres. The number of ranches has decreased and their average size has increased. It has been an extremely challenging year for agriculture producers due to extreme weather conditions and depressed Ag commodity prices.