Roosevelt County

Roosevelt County is located in northeastern Montana along the North Dakota border, with broad plains and river valleys characteristic of the northern Great Plains. Established in 1919 and named for President Theodore Roosevelt, the county developed around early 20th-century homesteading and agriculture, later supplemented by oil and gas activity in the Williston Basin region. Roosevelt County is small in population, with roughly 10,000–12,000 residents, and remains predominantly rural. Its economy is anchored by dryland farming and ranching, supported by energy production and public-sector services. The landscape includes open prairie, cultivated fields, and portions of the Missouri River corridor, while the county’s cultural makeup reflects both agricultural communities and the presence of the Fort Peck Indian Reservation. The county seat and primary service center is Wolf Point.

Roosevelt County is located in northeastern Montana along the North Dakota border, with the county seat in Wolf Point and the Fort Peck Indian Reservation covering a substantial portion of the county. For local government and planning resources, visit the Roosevelt County official website.

Population Size

According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for Roosevelt County, Montana, the county’s population was 10,425 (2020).

Age & Gender

The U.S. Census Bureau’s county profile tables report the following for Roosevelt County:

• Age distribution: Reported in the U.S. Census Bureau data.census.gov profile for Roosevelt County (see “Age and Sex” in the profile tables for detailed age brackets, including under 18, 18–64, and 65+).
• Gender ratio / sex composition: Reported in the same data.census.gov county profile (male and female population counts and percentages).

Racial & Ethnic Composition

Race and Hispanic/Latino origin for Roosevelt County are published in the county profile tables on data.census.gov under “Race and Ethnicity,” including:

• Major race categories (e.g., American Indian and Alaska Native, White, and others as reported by the Census)
• Hispanic or Latino origin (of any race)

Household & Housing Data

Household and housing characteristics for Roosevelt County are reported by the U.S. Census Bureau in the Roosevelt County profile on data.census.gov and summarized in Census Bureau QuickFacts, including:

• Households (number of households; persons per household; household type measures as provided in the profile tables)
• Housing units (total units; occupancy/vacancy measures as provided)
• Additional standard indicators commonly included in the profile tables (such as owner- vs. renter-occupied housing) as reported in the “Housing” section

Note: The most current, fully itemized county-level percentages and counts for age brackets, sex, race/ethnicity, and household/housing measures are published directly in the linked U.S. Census Bureau county profile tables; this response cites the official sources rather than reproducing figures without the associated table context and reference year shown on the Census profile.

Roosevelt County in northeastern Montana is large and sparsely populated, with long distances between communities that can constrain last‑mile buildout and make reliable internet access uneven—an important factor for email use, which depends on consistent connectivity.

Direct county-level email usage statistics are generally not published; email adoption is therefore inferred from proxies such as household broadband subscription and computer access reported in the U.S. Census Bureau data portal (American Community Survey tables on internet subscriptions and devices).

Digital access indicators (proxy for email access)

ACS indicators for Roosevelt County include the share of households with a broadband internet subscription and the share with a computer (desktop/laptop/tablet). Lower values on these measures typically correspond to lower routine email access, especially for webmail and attachment-heavy use.

Age and email adoption context

County age structure matters because older residents tend to adopt new digital services more slowly; age distributions for Roosevelt County are available via U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts.

Gender distribution

Gender composition is available in the same Census sources; it is generally a secondary factor compared with connectivity and age for email access.

Connectivity and infrastructure limitations

Rural broadband availability and provider coverage patterns can be reviewed using the FCC National Broadband Map.

Roosevelt County is in northeastern Montana along the North Dakota and Canadian borders, with the county seat in Wolf Point and major communities including Poplar and Culbertson. The county is predominantly rural, with long travel distances between towns, extensive agricultural land, and river breaks along the Missouri River and Fort Peck Lake area. Low population density and large coverage areas per cell site are central constraints on mobile network buildout and can produce coverage gaps or reduced in-building performance compared with urban Montana counties.

Key data limitations and how this overview is framed

County-specific, survey-based measures of “mobile penetration” (for example, the share of individuals using smartphones, 4G/5G, or mobile broadband subscriptions) are not consistently published at the county level. The most defensible county-level indicators generally come from:

• Household adoption surveys (notably the U.S. Census Bureau’s ACS “Computer and Internet Use”) that measure whether households subscribe to cellular data plans and/or have other internet types.
• Network availability maps (FCC and carrier-reported coverage layers) that indicate where service is advertised as available, which does not measure actual subscription, affordability, device ownership, or real-world performance.

The sections below explicitly separate network availability from household adoption and note where only state- or tract-level indicators are available.

Mobile access and “penetration” indicators (adoption vs availability)

Household adoption indicators (actual use/subscription)

• ACS household internet measures (best public source for adoption): The U.S. Census Bureau reports household internet subscription types, including “cellular data plan” and other connections (cable, DSL, fiber, satellite, etc.). These statistics are commonly available for counties in ACS 5‑year estimates, though reliability can vary in small populations. County-level tables and profiles are accessible via the Census Bureau’s primary dissemination tools and ACS subject tables.
  Source access points: the U.S. Census Bureau’s main site and data tools at Census.gov and the table browser at data.census.gov (search terms typically include “Roosevelt County, Montana” and “Computer and Internet Use”).
• Interpretation constraint: ACS “cellular data plan” is a household subscription type, not a direct measure of smartphone ownership, 4G/5G usage, or signal quality. It also does not distinguish whether the plan is used as the primary home connection (mobile-only households) or supplemental access.

Network availability indicators (service advertised as available)

• FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC) mobile coverage: The FCC publishes provider-reported coverage for mobile voice and mobile broadband by technology generation (e.g., LTE, 5G-NR) and by provider. These layers describe where providers claim they can offer service and are the primary federal reference for mobile availability.
  Reference: FCC Broadband Data Collection and the map interface at FCC National Broadband Map.
• Interpretation constraint: FCC availability layers do not measure adoption, device capability, plan type, pricing, congestion, or indoor coverage. In rural counties, advertised coverage may overstate typical user experience in terrain-affected areas or at long distances from towers.

Mobile internet usage patterns and connectivity (4G/5G)

4G LTE availability (network availability)

• General rural Montana pattern: 4G LTE is typically the baseline wide-area mobile broadband layer across rural counties, including those in eastern Montana, because LTE provides larger coverage footprints per site than higher-band 5G deployments.
• County-specific verification: LTE availability by provider in Roosevelt County can be checked directly on the FCC map by toggling mobile broadband layers and selecting the county boundary.
  Source: FCC National Broadband Map.

5G availability (network availability)

• 5G distribution in rural counties: In sparsely populated areas, 5G tends to appear first in and near population centers and along major highways, frequently via low-band deployments that extend farther but do not necessarily provide the same speeds as mid-band deployments typical of larger metro areas.
• County-specific verification: The FCC map provides the most standardized public method to identify where 5G-NR is reported as available in Roosevelt County and which providers report it.
  Source: FCC National Broadband Map.
• Limitations: Public county-level statistics on the share of residents actually using 5G (device capability + plan + local coverage) are not generally released. Availability is not equivalent to adoption.

Mobile as a primary household connection (adoption)

• Mobile-only or mobile-first households: ACS tables can indicate households with a cellular data plan and whether they also have other internet subscription types. This is the clearest publicly available way to evaluate the extent to which mobile service functions as a household internet connection in Roosevelt County, separate from mere network presence.
  Source: data.census.gov (ACS 5‑year tables for household internet subscription types).

Common device types (smartphones vs other devices)

• County-level device ownership detail is limited: Public, county-specific estimates of smartphone ownership vs basic phones, or device mixes (Android/iOS, hotspots, fixed wireless routers using cellular, tablets) are not typically published in official federal datasets.
• Usable proxy indicators (adoption-related):
  • ACS “computer type” measures cover desktop/laptop/tablet presence and broadband subscription types, but they do not directly enumerate smartphones. These can still contextualize whether households rely on non-phone devices for internet access.
    Source: data.census.gov.
• Device capability and network generation: 5G adoption depends on 5G-capable handsets and plans, but county-level public data on that device capability is not available through FCC or ACS. As a result, this overview distinguishes only between network generation availability (FCC) and household subscription categories (ACS), without asserting a county device mix.

Demographic and geographic factors influencing mobile usage and connectivity

Rural settlement pattern and distances (network and adoption impacts)

• Low population density: Fewer potential subscribers per square mile typically reduces the economic incentive for dense cell-site grids, influencing coverage continuity and indoor signal strength. This affects availability and performance, and can also shape adoption through plan cost and limited provider choice.
• Town-centered coverage: Service quality is generally strongest near population centers (Wolf Point, Poplar, Culbertson) and along primary transport corridors, with weaker consistency in remote areas. County-level mapping is required to document these patterns precisely.
  Source for standardized mapping: FCC National Broadband Map.

Terrain and land cover

• River valleys and breaks: The Missouri River corridor and associated breaks can create localized shadowing and coverage variability, especially for higher-frequency services and for in-building reception. FCC availability layers do not fully capture micro-terrain effects; they indicate reported service areas.

Tribal lands and jurisdictional context

• Fort Peck Reservation presence: Roosevelt County includes communities associated with the Fort Peck Indian Reservation (centered in this region of northeastern Montana). Connectivity conditions on tribal lands can differ due to provider investment patterns, rights-of-way, and programmatic funding streams; however, county-level public reporting is generally not sufficient to quantify those differences without using reservation- or census-tract-level analyses.
  General demographic and geography references: Census.gov.

Socioeconomic factors (adoption impacts)

• Income, age structure, and housing characteristics: These factors influence household internet subscription choices (including reliance on cellular data plans). County-level household adoption metrics are best supported by ACS tables rather than provider maps.
  Source: data.census.gov.

Distinguishing availability from adoption (summary)

• Network availability (supply-side): Best measured using FCC BDC mobile coverage layers for LTE and 5G by provider; these show where service is advertised as available, not whether it is used.
  Source: FCC Broadband Data Collection.
• Household adoption (demand-side): Best measured using ACS 5‑year estimates for Roosevelt County for household internet subscription types, including cellular data plans; these show actual subscription reported by households, not signal quality or speeds.
  Source: data.census.gov.

Montana and local planning context (connectivity reporting and programs)

State and federal broadband planning materials often include regional context, challenge identification, and project reporting relevant to rural counties, but they may not publish standardized county-specific mobile adoption rates. Montana’s statewide broadband coordination resources provide broader context for coverage and deployment priorities.
Reference: Montana State Broadband Office.

For county-level government context (geography, communities, and services), the county’s official site provides administrative and community reference information that helps interpret settlement patterns relevant to mobile connectivity.
Reference: Roosevelt County, Montana official website.

Roosevelt County is in far northeastern Montana along the North Dakota border. Wolf Point (the county seat) and Poplar are key population centers, and the county includes a large portion of the Fort Peck Indian Reservation. A rural settlement pattern, long driving distances, and the importance of community institutions and local events tend to favor mobile-first social media use and strong reliance on a small number of high-reach platforms for local information sharing.

User statistics (penetration / active use)

• County-specific social media penetration is not published in standard public datasets (major national trackers generally report at the U.S. and state level, not by county).
• Benchmark for Montana / U.S. context: National survey evidence shows social media use is widespread among U.S. adults, with usage strongly patterned by age. For example, Pew Research Center’s Social Media Use report provides U.S. adult platform usage rates and demographic differences that are commonly used as a reference baseline for local areas lacking county-level measurement.
• Connectivity context relevant to usage: Roosevelt County’s rural character can constrain always-on use where broadband or coverage is limited, reinforcing smartphone-dependent access and asynchronous engagement (posts and messaging checked in bursts). National measurement of how Americans connect (mobile vs. broadband) is summarized by Pew in its research on digital access and adoption (see Pew Research Center broadband and home internet coverage research).

Age group trends (highest-using groups)

Based on consistent national patterns reported by Pew:

• Highest usage: Adults 18–29 report the highest overall social media use and the highest adoption of visually oriented platforms (notably Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok in national findings).
• Broad mainstream usage: Adults 30–49 maintain high use, typically with stronger emphasis on Facebook and YouTube alongside Instagram.
• Lower usage: Adults 50–64 and 65+ use social media at lower rates than younger groups, with Facebook and YouTube tending to dominate where usage is present.
  Source baseline: Pew Research Center’s Social Media Use in 2023.

Gender breakdown

• County-specific gender splits are not available in widely cited public social platform datasets at the county level.
• National pattern: Pew reports modest gender differences by platform rather than large differences in overall social media use. For example, women tend to report higher use of some platforms (commonly including Pinterest and, in some reporting periods, Instagram), while men may report higher use of others (platform-specific differences vary by year).
  Source baseline: Pew Research Center platform-by-demographic tables.

Most-used platforms (with percentages where available)

No standardized, reputable source provides Roosevelt County platform market shares directly. The most defensible approach is to cite U.S. adult platform usage rates as a benchmark:

• YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram generally rank among the most-used platforms nationally for adults, with TikTok also high among younger adults.
• National usage percentages and platform rankings: Pew Research Center (Social Media Use in 2023).

Behavioral trends (engagement patterns / preferences)

• Mobile-first consumption and messaging: Rural counties typically show heavy reliance on smartphones for social networking and news updates when fixed broadband options are limited or uneven; this aligns with national findings on mobile dependence and gaps in home broadband access (see Pew Research Center broadband/home internet research).
• Community-information function: Facebook-style feeds and groups are commonly used for local announcements, event promotion, informal commerce, and community coordination, which fits small-town and reservation-adjacent community networks where interpersonal reach is important.
• Short-form video for younger users: Nationally, younger adults are disproportionately likely to use TikTok and similar short-form video features, and their engagement tends to be high-frequency, creator-driven, and algorithmically curated (benchmark: Pew Research Center).
• Engagement cadence: In rural areas, engagement often occurs in bursts around local happenings (weather events, school activities, community meetings, sports), with sharing and commenting concentrated on a smaller number of locally salient posts rather than continuous high-volume posting.

Roosevelt County, Montana maintains family- and associate-related public records through county offices and state systems. Vital events (birth and death) are registered and issued as certified records by the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, Vital Records office; county offices generally do not issue certified birth/death certificates. Records and ordering information are available through the state’s Vital Records page (Montana DPHHS Vital Records) and the approved online ordering service (VitalChek (Montana)). Adoption records are handled under Montana state law and are typically sealed; access is restricted to authorized parties and processes administered at the state level.

Marriage licenses are commonly issued and recorded at the county level by the Clerk of District Court. Roosevelt County contact and office details are listed on the county’s official Clerk of District Court page (Roosevelt County Elected Officials (Clerk of District Court)). Divorce and other family court case files are maintained by the Clerk of District Court; public access varies by case type and document.

Public databases for case information may be available through Montana’s statewide court portal (Montana Judicial Branch) and through in-person searches at the courthouse. Privacy restrictions commonly apply to adoption matters, juvenile records, certain domestic relations filings, and documents containing confidential identifiers.

Types of records available

• Marriage license and marriage certificate (county-level vital record)
  Roosevelt County issues marriage licenses and records the completed marriage as a county vital record. The recorded document is commonly referred to as a marriage record or marriage certificate (a certified copy may be issued from the recorded entry).

• Divorce decree (court record)
  Divorces are handled through the Montana District Court. The final judgment is a Decree of Dissolution of Marriage (commonly called a divorce decree) and is maintained as part of the civil case file.

• Annulment / declaration of invalidity (court record)
  Annulments are handled through the Montana District Court as civil actions resulting in a court order or judgment declaring a marriage invalid. These records are maintained in the court case file.

Where records are filed and how they can be accessed

• Marriage records (filed with the county clerk/recorder and also reported to the state)

  • Primary local custodian: Roosevelt County Clerk and Recorder / Vital Records maintains the county marriage record and issues certified copies.
  • State-level custodian: Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS), Office of Vital Records maintains statewide vital records, including marriages, based on county reporting.
  • Access methods: In-person, mail, and other request channels as provided by the county office or DPHHS. Certified copies are issued to eligible requesters under Montana vital records rules.

• Divorce and annulment records (filed with the District Court clerk)

  • Custodian: The Clerk of District Court maintains the official civil case file for divorces and annulments, including pleadings, orders, and the final decree/judgment.
  • Access methods: Court records are accessed through the Clerk of District Court. Public access is subject to court rules and any confidentiality orders, redactions, or sealed-file designations. Montana’s judiciary provides information on court records access and confidentiality through its public-facing resources: https://courts.mt.gov/.

Typical information included in these records

• Marriage license / marriage record

  • Names of both parties (including prior/maiden name where recorded)
  • Date and place of marriage (county and, often, specific location)
  • Date of license issuance and license number/book-page or recording reference
  • Officiant name and authority; ceremony certification/return
  • Ages or dates of birth and residences at the time of application (data fields vary by form and era)
  • Signatures of applicants, officiant, and witnesses where required by the form in use

• Divorce decree (dissolution) and related case file

  • Court name, county venue, case number, and filing dates
  • Names of the parties and findings regarding jurisdiction
  • Date of decree/judgment and terms of dissolution
  • Orders on child custody/parenting arrangements and child support (when applicable)
  • Property and debt division, spousal maintenance (when applicable)
  • Any restoration of a former name (when ordered)
  • Related filings may include petitions, responses, settlement agreements, parenting plans, and support worksheets (scope varies by case)

• Annulment / invalidity judgment and related case file

  • Court name, county venue, case number, and filing dates
  • Names of parties and legal basis for invalidity under Montana law
  • Date and terms of the judgment/order
  • Orders addressing children, support, and property issues as applicable

Privacy and legal restrictions

• Vital records restrictions (marriage records)
  Montana treats certified vital records as controlled documents. Access to certified copies is generally limited to the individuals named on the record and other persons who qualify under Montana vital records statutes and administrative rules. Applicants typically must provide identification and may need to document eligibility. Non-certified informational copies and indexes, where available, can be subject to separate rules or local practices.

• Court record restrictions (divorce and annulment files)
  Montana court records are generally public, but access is limited by:

  • Confidentiality rules (including protections for personal identifiers and certain family law information)
  • Sealed records and protective orders entered by the court
  • Redaction requirements for sensitive data (such as Social Security numbers and certain financial account details)
  • Restricted access to particular documents (commonly involving minors, abuse/neglect-related information, or other statutorily protected content)
    The publicly viewable portion of a divorce or annulment file may be narrower than the complete file maintained by the court.

Roosevelt County is in far northeastern Montana along the North Dakota border, anchored by the Fort Peck Reservoir/Lake Roosevelt area and communities such as Wolf Point and Poplar. The county has a predominantly rural settlement pattern with small towns serving as service centers for surrounding agricultural and reservation-area communities (Fort Peck Assiniboine & Sioux Tribes). Population characteristics and many community indicators reflect a younger age structure than Montana overall, higher shares of American Indian residents, and longer travel distances for specialized services.

Education Indicators

Public schools (counts and names)

Roosevelt County’s public K–12 education is primarily delivered through a small number of district systems centered in the county’s main towns. School rosters change over time (consolidations, grade reconfigurations); the most consistently identified public schools include:

• Wolf Point School District (Wolf Point) — commonly listed campuses include Wolf Point High School and Wolf Point Junior High/Elementary (grade organization varies by year).
• Poplar School District (Poplar) — commonly listed campuses include Poplar High School and Poplar Middle/Elementary (grade organization varies by year).
• Culbertson School District (serving the Culbertson area; district boundaries extend beyond Roosevelt County depending on enrollment and mailing geography).

For current, authoritative listings of Montana public schools by district and location, refer to the Montana Office of Public Instruction school/district directory (Montana Office of Public Instruction (OPI)). Counts and exact school names are best verified against the current OPI directory because districts periodically adjust building names and grade spans.

Student–teacher ratios and graduation rates

• Student–teacher ratios: District-level ratios vary year to year and are sensitive to small changes in enrollment common in rural counties. The most reliable current values are published in OPI district profiles and annual reporting. As a proxy for rural northeastern Montana districts, ratios are typically in the low-to-mid teens students per teacher, but district reporting should be used for exact current values.
• Graduation rates: High school graduation rates are also reported annually by OPI at the district and statewide levels. Roosevelt County districts often show greater year-to-year fluctuation than larger districts due to smaller cohort sizes. The definitive, most recent graduation rates are available through OPI’s reporting and accountability publications (OPI reporting resources).

Adult educational attainment (high school, bachelor’s and higher)

Adult educational attainment is most consistently measured through the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS). In Roosevelt County, ACS profiles commonly show:

• A smaller share of adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher than Montana and U.S. averages.
• A meaningful share of adults with a high school diploma/equivalency as the highest credential, alongside a notable share without a high school diploma (reflecting statewide rural and reservation-area attainment gaps).

The most current county-level percentages (high school graduate or higher; bachelor’s degree or higher) are published in the U.S. Census Bureau ACS county profile tables (data.census.gov).

Notable programs (STEM, CTE, AP/dual credit)

Program availability varies by district and staffing; in rural Montana, notable offerings commonly include:

• Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathways (e.g., welding/industrial arts, agriculture, business/IT, health-related introductions), often supported by state CTE funding and regional partnerships.
• Dual credit opportunities through Montana’s postsecondary partners (common statewide), with participation depending on course staffing and student demand.
• Advanced Placement (AP) offerings may be present but are typically more limited than in larger urban districts due to enrollment size and instructor certification constraints.

District-specific catalogs and course guides provide the definitive program list; OPI and district sites are the most direct sources for current offerings (Montana OPI).

School safety measures and counseling resources

Across Montana public schools, core safety and student-support practices generally include:

• Required emergency operations planning (fire, lockdown, evacuation, reunification protocols) aligned with state guidance.
• School counseling services (often one or more counselors serving multiple grade levels) and referrals to community mental health resources; capacity can be constrained in small districts.
• Behavioral threat assessment and crisis response approaches increasingly used statewide, with implementation varying by district.

The most defensible statement for Roosevelt County is that safety planning and student support follow statewide requirements and district policy, with details published in district handbooks and board policies; statewide reference material is available through OPI (OPI safety and student support information).

Employment and Economic Conditions

Unemployment rate (most recent year available)

The official county unemployment rate is produced by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS). Roosevelt County’s unemployment rate typically runs above the Montana statewide average and shows seasonal movement due to construction, retail, and public-sector scheduling and the rural service economy. The most recent annual and monthly figures are available directly from BLS LAUS county data (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics).

Major industries and employment sectors

Based on typical northeastern Montana county employment composition reported in ACS and state labor dashboards, major sectors include:

• Educational services, health care, and social assistance (schools, clinics, social programs)
• Public administration (including local government and services linked to tribal governance and public programs)
• Retail trade and accommodation/food services (service hub functions in Wolf Point/Poplar)
• Construction
• Agriculture (farming/ranching and supporting services), with employment that can be undercounted in payroll datasets due to self-employment and seasonal work

For definitive sector shares, county industry employment distributions are available through the ACS “Industry by occupation” and employment tables on data.census.gov and Montana labor market tools (Montana Department of Labor & Industry).

Common occupations and workforce breakdown

The occupational profile is typically concentrated in:

• Service occupations (health aides, food service, protective services)
• Office and administrative support
• Sales
• Transportation and material moving (regional freight and local delivery)
• Construction and extraction (smaller base, but important cyclically)
• Education-related occupations

County-level occupation breakdowns (percent of employed residents by major SOC group) are most consistently reported by the ACS (ACS occupation tables).

Commuting patterns and mean commute time

Roosevelt County commuting reflects rural distances and limited in-county job variety:

• Most commuters drive, with a smaller share carpooling; public transit use is limited outside specific local services.
• Mean commute times in rural Montana counties commonly fall in the high teens to mid‑20 minutes range; Roosevelt County’s definitive mean travel time to work is reported in ACS commuting tables.

Primary commuting metrics (mode to work, mean travel time, residence vs. workplace county flows) are available from the ACS (ACS commuting data).

Local employment vs. out-of-county work

A notable share of residents work within county service centers (schools, health care, government, retail), while another share travels to jobs in adjacent counties or across the North Dakota border for specialized employment not available locally. The most accurate measure is the ACS “County-to-county commuting flows” and related residence/workplace tables (ACS journey-to-work and flows tables).

Housing and Real Estate

Homeownership rate and rental share

Roosevelt County has a mixed housing tenure profile typical of rural service-center counties with significant renter demand in the main towns:

• Owner-occupied housing dominates countywide, while rental shares are higher in Wolf Point and Poplar than in surrounding rural areas. The most recent homeownership and renter percentages are published in the ACS housing tenure tables (ACS housing tenure (owner/renter)).

Median property values and recent trends

• Median home values in Roosevelt County are generally below Montana’s statewide median, reflecting smaller market size, older housing stock, and lower income levels.
• Recent years followed the broader Montana trend of rising values through the early 2020s, with market sensitivity to interest rates and limited inventory in small towns. County-specific medians and year-over-year estimates are available from ACS and Montana housing market summaries.

Definitive median value estimates are available in ACS “Value” tables (ACS median home value). For assessed values and tax purposes, refer to the Montana Department of Revenue (Montana Department of Revenue).

Typical rent prices

• Gross rent (contract rent plus utilities when included) is best sourced from ACS. In Roosevelt County, typical rents tend to be lower than Montana metro areas but can be elevated relative to local incomes due to limited supply and unit quality constraints. The definitive county median gross rent is published in ACS rent tables (ACS median gross rent).

Types of housing

Housing stock is characterized by:

• Single-family detached homes as the predominant type countywide
• Manufactured housing (mobile homes) as a meaningful component, especially in rural areas and smaller communities
• Small multifamily buildings and apartments concentrated in Wolf Point and Poplar
• Rural lots and farm/ranch housing, often with outbuildings and larger parcels outside town limits

These distributions are reported in ACS “Units in structure” tables (ACS housing structure type).

Neighborhood characteristics and proximity to amenities

• Wolf Point and Poplar function as the primary amenity nodes (schools, clinics, grocery, government services). Residential areas nearer town centers generally have shorter access times to schools and services, while rural households experience longer travel distances and heavier reliance on personal vehicles.
• Housing near school campuses tends to be within established residential grids, while newer or lower-density development is more common at town edges and along highway corridors.

Because Roosevelt County’s towns are small, proximity to schools and basic amenities is often measured in minutes rather than miles within town limits, while rural travel is measured in tens of miles for some households.

Property tax overview (rate and typical homeowner cost)

Montana property taxes are based on taxable value derived from market value and property classification, multiplied by local mill levies (which vary by school district and local jurisdictions). Key features:

• Effective tax burdens vary widely within the county depending on school levies, municipal levies, and special districts.
• Typical homeowner tax costs are best represented by the county’s median real estate taxes paid (ACS) and by jurisdiction-specific mill levy details from county/state sources.

Definitive references include the Montana Department of Revenue property tax overview (Montana DOR property tax) and ACS “Real estate taxes paid” estimates (ACS real estate taxes paid).