Fergus County vs. Montana
Comparative Trends Analysis:
Population Growth and Change, 1969-2022
Introduction
Fergus County vs. Montana
Fergus County:
2022 Population = 11,663
2022 Percent of State = 1.04%
Montana:
2022 Population = 1,122,867
2022 Percent of U.S. = 0.34%
Attracting and retaining people to live, work, raise a family, and retire underlies the economic vitality of any region. Population growth is both a cause--and a consequence--of economic growth. Patterns of population growth and change reflect differences among regions to attract and retain people both as producers and consumers in their economy.
The following graphs offer a broad overview of trends in the pattern of population growth and change of Fergus County with comparisons to Montana and the nation at large. This analysis features alternative approaches toward discussing, diagnosing and comparing Fergus County vs. Montana's population growth over 1969-2022. The data used are those compiled by the Regional Income and Product Divisions of the Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Department of Commerce.
Population, 1969-2022
Population, 1969-2022
Figure 1.
Figure 1 tracks Fergus County's annual population for the period 1969-2022 to illustrate population patterns over time. During this 54-year period, Fergus County's population dropped from 12,768 in 1969 to 11,663 in 2022, for a net loss of -1,105, or -8.65%.
NOTE: The county and state population totals reported by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) are from the Bureau of Census midyear (July 1) estimates. These estimates may differ from those prepared independently in some states by various agencies and/or universities.
Population, 1969-2022
Population, 1969-2022
Figure 2.
Figure 2 traces Montana's annual population for the period 1969-2022 to illustrate population patterns over time. During this 54-year period, Montana's population rose from 694,000 in 1969 to 1,122,867 in 2022, for a net gain of 428,867, or 61.80%.
NOTE: The county and state population totals reported by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) are from the Bureau of Census midyear (July 1) estimates. These estimates may differ from those prepared independently in some states by various agencies and/or universities.
Population Indices (1969=100): 1969-2022
Population Indices (1969=100): 1969-2022
Figure 3.
Figure 3 portrays Fergus County's population growth in a broader context by offering direct comparisons across time with Montana, the United States. The growth indices shown here express each region's population in 1969 as a base figure of 100, and the populations in later years as a percentage of the 1969 base figure. This method allows for more direct comparison of differences in population growth between regions that may differ vastly in size.
Fergus County's overall population growth was -8.65% over 1969-2022 trailed Montana's increase of 61.80%, and fell below the United States' increase of 65.57%.
Population as a Percent of the Montana Total: 1969-2022
Population as a Percent of the Montana Total: 1969-2022
Figure 4.
Another interesting and insightful way of comparing the population growth of Fergus County is to trace its individual percentage contributions to Montana's statewide population over time, as shown in Figure 4. A rising share means a region's population grew faster, or declined less, than Montana's population, while a declining share shows it grew more slowly.
In 1969, Fergus County's population comprised 1.84% of Montana's population, while in 2022 it equated to 1.04% thereby yielding a -0.80% share-shift.
   
 
Population Share-Shift
2022 vs. 1969
 
Share-
Shift*
 
2022
vs.
1969
-0.80%
=
1.04%
-
1.84%
 
   
Fergus County Population:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Fergus County Population:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Figure 5.
Figure 5 displays the short-run pattern of Fergus County's population growth by tracking the year-to-year percent change over 1970-2022. The average annual percent change for the entire 53-year period is also traced on this chart to provide a benchmark for gauging periods of relative high--and relative low--growth against the backdrop of the long-term average.
On average, Fergus County's population contracted at an annual rate of -0.17% over 1970-2022. The county recorded its highest growth in 1991 (1.88%) and recorded its lowest growth in 1986 (-2.16%). In 2022, Fergus County's population grew by 0.47%
Fergus County Population:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
Fergus County Population:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
Figure 6.
Over the past five decades some counties have experienced extreme swings in growth, and often such swings have tended to coincide with the decades themselves. Figure 6 again traces the annual percent change in Fergus County's population since 1970, but this time they are displayed with average growth rates for the decade of the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, and 2020-2022.
During the 1970s, Fergus County's annual population growth rate averaged 0.20%. It averaged -0.67% during the 1980s, -0.15% throughout the 1990s, -0.34% during the 2000s, -0.19% throughout the 2010s, 0.91% thus far this decade (2020-2022).
Population Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change by Decade
Population Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change by Decade
Figure 7.
Figure 7 compares the decade average growth rates for Fergus County noted in the previous graph with the corresponding decade averages for Montana and the nation. As the chart reveals, Fergus County's average annual population growth recorded under Montana's average during the 1970s (0.20% vs. 1.29%), posted below Montana's average during the 1980s (-0.67% vs. 0.14%), posted below Montana's average during the 1990s (-0.15% vs. 1.16%), recorded under Montana's average in the 2000s (-0.34% vs. 0.92%), recorded under Montana's average in the 2010s (-0.19% vs. 0.89%), and amounted to less than Montana's average over the 3 year period of the current decade, 2020-2022 (0.91% vs. 1.45%).
Finally, relative to nationwide population growth trends, Fergus County posted below the nation in the 1970s (0.20% vs. 1.10%), fell under the nation during the 1980s (-0.67% vs. 0.95%), fell below the nation over the 1990s (-0.15% vs. 1.23%), lagged the nation in the 2000s (-0.34% vs. 0.95%), fell under the nation throughout the 2010s (-0.19% vs. 0.74%), and registered above the nation over 2020-2022 (0.91% vs. 0.31%).
   
 
Population Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change
 
 
 
-0.17
0.20
-0.67
-0.15
-0.34
-0.19
0.91
0.47
 
0.91
1.29
0.14
1.16
0.92
0.89
1.45
1.50
 
0.96
1.10
0.95
1.23
0.95
0.74
0.31
0.38
 
   

Interactive TableTip: To augment your analysis click on the column headers in the following table to rank and/or sort the data.

   
 
Fergus County:
Population, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
12,768
100.0
N
1.84
1970
 
12,625
98.9
-1.12
1.81
1971
 
12,642
99.0
0.13
1.78
1972
 
12,503
97.9
-1.10
1.74
1973
 
12,320
96.5
-1.46
1.69
1974
 
12,419
97.3
0.80
1.68
1975
 
12,601
98.7
1.47
1.68
1976
 
12,636
99.0
0.28
1.67
1977
 
12,718
99.6
0.65
1.65
1978
 
12,821
100.4
0.81
1.64
1979
 
13,022
102.0
1.57
1.65
1980
 
13,075
102.4
0.41
1.66
1981
 
13,048
102.2
-0.21
1.64
1982
 
13,026
102.0
-0.17
1.62
1983
 
12,916
101.2
-0.84
1.59
1984
 
12,853
100.7
-0.49
1.57
1985
 
12,898
101.0
0.35
1.57
1986
 
12,620
98.8
-2.16
1.55
1987
 
12,420
97.3
-1.58
1.54
1988
 
12,210
95.6
-1.69
1.53
1989
 
12,165
95.3
-0.37
1.52
1990
 
12,080
94.6
-0.70
1.51
1991
 
12,307
96.4
1.88
1.52
1992
 
12,395
97.1
0.72
1.50
1993
 
12,369
96.9
-0.21
1.46
1994
 
12,519
98.0
1.21
1.45
1995
 
12,562
98.4
0.34
1.43
1996
 
12,528
98.1
-0.27
1.41
1997
 
12,335
96.6
-1.54
1.39
1998
 
12,125
95.0
-1.70
1.36
1999
 
11,979
93.8
-1.20
1.33
2000
 
11,902
93.2
-0.64
1.32
2001
 
11,736
91.9
-1.39
1.29
2002
 
11,666
91.4
-0.60
1.28
2003
 
11,565
90.6
-0.87
1.26
2004
 
11,546
90.4
-0.16
1.24
2005
 
11,444
89.6
-0.88
1.22
2006
 
11,501
90.1
0.50
1.21
2007
 
11,463
89.8
-0.33
1.19
2008
 
11,448
89.7
-0.13
1.17
2009
 
11,571
90.6
1.07
1.18
2010
 
11,594
90.8
0.20
1.17
2011
 
11,508
90.1
-0.74
1.15
2012
 
11,474
89.9
-0.30
1.14
2013
 
11,585
90.7
0.97
1.14
2014
 
11,485
90.0
-0.86
1.12
2015
 
11,499
90.1
0.12
1.11
2016
 
11,553
90.5
0.47
1.10
2017
 
11,534
90.3
-0.16
1.09
2018
 
11,373
89.1
-1.40
1.07
2019
 
11,351
88.9
-0.19
1.06
2020
 
11,469
89.8
1.04
1.06
2021
 
11,609
90.9
1.22
1.05
2022
 
11,663
91.3
0.47
1.04
Source: Calculations by the Montana Regional Economic Analysis Project (MT-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_100_PSN
 
   

Interactive TableTip: To augment your analysis click on the column headers in the following table to rank and/or sort the data.

   
 
Montana:
Population, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
694,000
100.0
N
0.34
1970
 
697,172
100.5
0.46
0.34
1971
 
711,037
102.5
1.99
0.34
1972
 
719,138
103.6
1.14
0.34
1973
 
727,389
104.8
1.15
0.34
1974
 
737,203
106.2
1.35
0.35
1975
 
749,208
108.0
1.63
0.35
1976
 
758,521
109.3
1.24
0.35
1977
 
771,354
111.1
1.69
0.35
1978
 
784,043
113.0
1.65
0.35
1979
 
789,167
113.7
0.65
0.35
1980
 
788,752
113.7
-0.05
0.35
1981
 
795,325
114.6
0.83
0.35
1982
 
803,984
115.8
1.09
0.35
1983
 
814,029
117.3
1.25
0.35
1984
 
820,904
118.3
0.84
0.35
1985
 
822,320
118.5
0.17
0.35
1986
 
813,738
117.3
-1.04
0.34
1987
 
805,064
116.0
-1.07
0.33
1988
 
800,200
115.3
-0.60
0.33
1989
 
799,634
115.2
-0.07
0.32
1990
 
800,204
115.3
0.07
0.32
1991
 
809,680
116.7
1.18
0.32
1992
 
825,770
119.0
1.99
0.32
1993
 
844,761
121.7
2.30
0.33
1994
 
861,306
124.1
1.96
0.33
1995
 
876,553
126.3
1.77
0.33
1996
 
886,254
127.7
1.11
0.33
1997
 
889,865
128.2
0.41
0.33
1998
 
892,431
128.6
0.29
0.32
1999
 
897,507
129.3
0.57
0.32
2000
 
903,773
130.2
0.70
0.32
2001
 
906,961
130.7
0.35
0.32
2002
 
911,667
131.4
0.52
0.32
2003
 
919,630
132.5
0.87
0.32
2004
 
930,009
134.0
1.13
0.32
2005
 
940,102
135.5
1.09
0.32
2006
 
952,692
137.3
1.34
0.32
2007
 
964,706
139.0
1.26
0.32
2008
 
976,415
140.7
1.21
0.32
2009
 
983,982
141.8
0.77
0.32
2010
 
990,863
142.8
0.70
0.32
2011
 
998,188
143.8
0.74
0.32
2012
 
1,005,385
144.9
0.72
0.32
2013
 
1,015,933
146.4
1.05
0.32
2014
 
1,024,998
147.7
0.89
0.32
2015
 
1,034,413
149.1
0.92
0.32
2016
 
1,045,648
150.7
1.09
0.32
2017
 
1,057,982
152.4
1.18
0.32
2018
 
1,066,542
153.7
0.81
0.32
2019
 
1,075,462
155.0
0.84
0.33
2020
 
1,087,075
156.6
1.08
0.33
2021
 
1,106,227
159.4
1.76
0.33
2022
 
1,122,867
161.8
1.50
0.34
Source: Calculations by the Montana Regional Economic Analysis Project (MT-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_100_PSN
 
   

Interactive TableTip: To augment your analysis click on the column headers in the following table to rank and/or sort the data.

   
 
United States:
Population, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
201,298,000
100.0
N
1970
 
203,798,722
101.2
1.24
1971
 
206,817,509
102.7
1.48
1972
 
209,274,882
104.0
1.19
1973
 
211,349,205
105.0
0.99
1974
 
213,333,635
106.0
0.94
1975
 
215,456,585
107.0
1.00
1976
 
217,553,859
108.1
0.97
1977
 
219,760,875
109.2
1.01
1978
 
222,098,244
110.3
1.06
1979
 
224,568,579
111.6
1.11
1980
 
227,224,719
112.9
1.18
1981
 
229,465,744
114.0
0.99
1982
 
231,664,432
115.1
0.96
1983
 
233,792,014
116.1
0.92
1984
 
235,824,907
117.2
0.87
1985
 
237,923,734
118.2
0.89
1986
 
240,132,831
119.3
0.93
1987
 
242,288,936
120.4
0.90
1988
 
244,499,004
121.5
0.91
1989
 
246,819,222
122.6
0.95
1990
 
249,622,814
124.0
1.14
1991
 
252,980,941
125.7
1.35
1992
 
256,514,224
127.4
1.40
1993
 
259,918,588
129.1
1.33
1994
 
263,125,821
130.7
1.23
1995
 
266,278,393
132.3
1.20
1996
 
269,394,284
133.8
1.17
1997
 
272,646,925
135.4
1.21
1998
 
275,854,104
137.0
1.18
1999
 
279,040,168
138.6
1.15
2000
 
282,162,411
140.2
1.12
2001
 
284,968,955
141.6
0.99
2002
 
287,625,193
142.9
0.93
2003
 
290,107,933
144.1
0.86
2004
 
292,805,298
145.5
0.93
2005
 
295,516,599
146.8
0.93
2006
 
298,379,912
148.2
0.97
2007
 
301,231,207
149.6
0.96
2008
 
304,093,966
151.1
0.95
2009
 
306,771,529
152.4
0.88
2010
 
309,378,433
153.7
0.85
2011
 
311,841,632
154.9
0.80
2012
 
314,344,331
156.2
0.80
2013
 
316,735,375
157.3
0.76
2014
 
319,270,047
158.6
0.80
2015
 
321,829,327
159.9
0.80
2016
 
324,367,742
161.1
0.79
2017
 
326,623,063
162.3
0.70
2018
 
328,542,157
163.2
0.59
2019
 
330,233,102
164.1
0.51
2020
 
331,511,512
164.7
0.39
2021
 
332,031,554
164.9
0.16
2022
 
333,287,557
165.6
0.38
Source: Calculations by the Montana Regional Economic Analysis Project (MT-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_100_PN
 
   
Copyright © 2023. Pacific Northwest Regional Economic Analysis Project (PNREAP). All Rights Reserved.

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