Montana Cities by Population 2026

Montana’s governance structure includes 56 counties and around 130 incorporated cities and towns. Montana’s counties play a prominent role in managing services over its large rural areas, while cities provide governance within their own boundaries.

Billings, Montana‘s largest city, operates under a mayor-council system, where the mayor oversees services like public works and public safety, while the city council manages legislative duties and budgeting. This model allows Billings to offer services independently while adhering to state regulations and guidelines.

In smaller cities, like Missoula and Bozeman, Montana frequently employs the council-manager model. In this structure, the elected council sets policies, and a professional city manager handles day-to-day administration. This approach balances local representation and expertise, ensuring effective service provision without overextending limited municipal resources.

Montana’s counties, particularly in rural areas like Glacier County and Fergus County, manage unincorporated areas and offer services like law enforcement, health, and land use regulation. County commissioners oversee these functions, addressing local needs across vast, sparsely populated territories, where establishing city governance is impractical.

Unincorporated areas in Montana rely heavily on county governance for essential services. These areas, often sparsely populated, depend on county-provided law enforcement, infrastructure, and emergency services, with minimal local control unless residents petition to form a new municipality.

Regional councils and planning boards work across counties in Montana to coordinate land use, transportation, and economic development, especially in areas near national parks and natural reserves. This coordination ensures sustainable growth aligned with Montana‘s conservation priorities.