Silver bow-deer lodge economy: serving Southwestern Montana.

• Author: Polzin, Paul E.
• Position: Statistical data

Butte-Anaconda serves as a regional center for Southwestern Montana. Almost a quarter of its economic base is derived from trade center activities. They include people coming to town for retail shopping and obtaining health care services. There are also several professional service and management firms serving clients in surrounding rural areas.

Mining continues as a major industry throughout Southwestern Montana. The Montana Resources mine accounts for more than a quarter the economic base in Butte-Anaconda. The Golden Sunlight mine is located near Whitehall. A talc mine is near Dillon. Finally, a number of small- and medium-size gold and nonmetallic mines are scattered throughout Madison County.

Southwestern Montana was the most economically developed area when Montana became a state, and many of the state government facilities are located there. There are many colorful (and perhaps apocryphal) stories about how the locations were chosen. Even so, these state facilities provide welcome jobs in rural areas and small towns. These include:

* Montana Tech in Butte (500 jobs);

* Warm Springs State Hospital near Anaconda (500 jobs);

* Montana State Prison in Deer Lodge (700 jobs);

* University of Montana - Western in Dillon (260 jobs); and,

* Montana Developmental Center in Boulder (290 jobs).

The forecasts call for 2.2 percent to 2.5 percent overall growth in the five counties of Southwestern Montana.

This projection may be too optimistic if commodity prices continue downward and one or more of the mines in the area are impacted. O

Paul E. Polzin is the director emeritus at the Bureau of Business and Economic Research.

Butte-Silver Bow County Profile Total Population, 2014 34,700 Percent Change in Population, 2010-2014 1.3% Median Age, 2013 41.6 Percent 65 or Older, 2013 16.3%...