If LCHS District were a County

After the article on searching Lincoln County data, the question came in: “What if North Lincoln County was its own county?” The answer is available, but it takes the sort of personality that enjoys digging through data. Here’s a few facts that would describe the thought experiment that would be county 57.

County 57, sharing boundaries with the Lincoln County High School District, would rank 31st in population of Montana’s 57 counties (6,260 residents). The remainder of Lincoln County would drop from the tenth largest population (19,980) to twelfth (12,694 residents). Data from 2010 Census and, of course, will likely change with completion of the 2020 Census.

Looking at market and taxable valuations we find that High School District 13 (LCHS) has a market value set at $1,202,098,056 and taxable valuation set at $17,042,130. By my count, and this is the type of sort where it is easy to miss something, County 57 would have market and taxable valuations larger than 17 Montana counties.

The same source shows that Lincoln County’s market valuation is $2,741,812,498 and taxable valuation is $37,491,358. 44 Montana counties show lower market values than Lincoln County – not a great variance from the population rank. County 57 would be 22nd in market valuation. The remainder of County 56 – consisting of Troy and Libby High School districts, would be 21st.

A more detailed study might include roads, total area, access to county services and a number of other items. For a simple, “what if” analysis, looking at population and market value seems adequate.

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One response to “If LCHS District were a County”

Amberli

March 11, 2026 at 12:33 pm

This is a fascinating thought experiment, and I really appreciate the work that went into digging through the data. Since the numbers in the article were based on older census and valuation figures, I was curious what the same scenario might look like with more recent estimates.
Lincoln County’s population has grown since the earlier data referenced. Current estimates place the county at roughly 22,000–22,500 residents today. If we apply similar proportions to the Lincoln County High School District area (Eureka, Fortine, Trego, Rexford), North Lincoln County would likely have around 6,800–7,200 residents.
Under that scenario, a hypothetical “County 57” would probably still land around the middle of Montana’s counties by population — roughly 30th to 32nd place.
The valuation numbers have likely shifted quite a bit as well due to the significant rise in property values across northwest Montana since 2020. The earlier article cited:
LCHS District market value: $1.20 billion
Lincoln County total market value: $2.74 billion
Given the appreciation in property values over the past several years, updated estimates suggest the North Lincoln County portion today may be closer to $1.9–$2.1 billion in market value, with taxable valuation likely around $27–30 million.
If that’s roughly accurate, the hypothetical County 57 would likely rank around 20th–23rd in market valuation among Montana counties, while still sitting near the middle of the pack in population.
Of course, as the original article notes, a real analysis would need to include road miles, service delivery, law enforcement, courts, and many other factors. But as a simple “what if” look at population and property value, it’s an interesting way to understand how the region fits into the broader picture of Montana counties.
Just thought it would be interesting to update the numbers a bit as our area continues to grow.

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