Montana's college hub swings Democratic in a reliably red state
Home to the University of Montana, Missoula County has voted Democratic in recent presidential cycles by double-digit margins, making it one of the sharpest blue outliers in a state that leans heavily Republican statewide.
| County | Pop. | Margin | Dem | Rep | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missoula | 121K | D+21.4 | 42,903 | 27,306 | 72,773 | 24.1% |
| Missoula | 113K | D+21.4 | 42,903 | 27,306 | 72,773 | 24.1% |
| Missoula | 106K | D+21.4 | 42,903 | 27,306 | 72,773 | 24.1% |
| Missoula | 96K | D+21.4 | 42,903 | 27,306 | 72,773 | 24.1% |
| Mineral | 5K | R+48.0 | 689 | 2,049 | 2,833 | 0.9% |
| Mineral | 4K | R+48.0 | 689 | 2,049 | 2,833 | 0.9% |
| Mineral | 4K | R+48.0 | 689 | 2,049 | 2,833 | 0.9% |
| Mineral | 4K | R+48.0 | 689 | 2,049 | 2,833 | 0.9% |
| Group | Missoula, MT | National |
|---|---|---|
▶White (Non-Hispanic)(13) | 89.9% | 57.4% |
▶Hispanic / Latino(17) | 3.1% | 19.3% |
Multiracial / Other | 3.1% | 4.0% |
▶Native American / Alaska Native(7) | 2.2% | 0.9% |
▶Asian(6) | 1.2% | 6.0% |
▶Black / African American(5) | 0.4% | 12.2% |
▶Middle Eastern / North African(7) | 0.3% | 0.9% |
| Tradition | % Pop | % Adherents | US Pop | US Adherents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.9% | 34.3% | — | — | |
| 8.4% | 32.4% | — | — | |
| 5.5% | 21.1% | — | — | |
LDS (Mormon) | 4.2% | 16.1% | — | — |
| 2.9% | 11.3% | — | — | |
| 0.2% | 0.8% | — | — | |
Non-religiousPopulation | 74.0% | — | — | — |
Who lives in the Missoula, MT metro area? 452,176 residents across 8 counties.
39% of adults hold a bachelor's degree — 6pp above the national average. Places with similar education levels vote D+8 on average nationally.
Scale, voting-age share, and this geography's footprint inside the national electorate.
Income, attainment, and ownership indicators that often shape coalition structure and turnout behavior.
Age structure, language use, and nativity signals that explain how this geography differs from state and nation.
| Offices | Margin A | Margin B | Split |
|---|---|---|---|
| President vs Senate | D+18.8 | D+31.2 | 12.4pp |
| Senate vs Governor | D+31.2 | D+19.0 | 12.2pp |
| President vs Governor | D+18.8 | D+19.0 | 0.2pp |