Wibaux, Montana Population, Hospitals, Airports, and Schools

Wibaux is a small town in eastern Montana, located within the rolling hills of the Great Plains. With a population of just over 600 people, it is one of the smallest towns in Montana. Despite its small size, Wibaux has a long history and has been an important part of the state’s development and economy for many years.

The town was founded in 1903 by French-Canadian immigrants who had moved to the area looking for farming opportunities. The town was named after Pierre Wibaux, an early settler who owned much of the land that would become Wibaux County. The town quickly grew into a bustling agricultural hub with many businesses such as saloons, banks, general stores, hotels, and even a movie theater.

In recent years, Wibaux has seen some changes as more businesses have opened up and technology has made its way into the small town. Agriculture still plays an important role in keeping Wibaux alive as it is home to several large farms that produce hay and grain for local sale and export throughout Montana and beyond. Oil and gas exploration has become increasingly popular in recent years due to advances in drilling technology which has helped bring new jobs to the area.

Wibaux also boasts one of the oldest rodeos in Montana which takes place each summer during fair week at their local fairgrounds. This event brings many visitors to the area from all over Montana and surrounding states who come out to see cowboys compete for prizes while enjoying live music and other festivities throughout the week-long event.

Despite its small size, Wibaux offers plenty of recreational activities for residents including golfing at their local nine-hole golf course or fishing at nearby Lake Sakakawea or Yellowstone National Park which is only a few hours drive away from Wibaux. There are also several historical sites around town such as Fort Buford which was built during the Indian Wars in 1866 or take a tour through downtown to see some of their original buildings still standing today like The Commercial Hotel which was built in 1906 or visit one of their many churches such as St Mary’s Catholic Church built back in 1912.

All these things make Wibaux an ideal place to visit if you are looking for something offbeat yet still full of life with plenty to do outdoors or indoors depending on your interests.

Population: 567. Estimated population in July 2024: 505 (-10.9% change)
Males: 253 (44.6%), Females: 314 (55.4%)

Wibaux County

Zip code: 59353

Demographics

Median resident age: 44.9 years
Median household income: $26,518
Median house value: $31,900

Population by Race

Races in Wibaux:

  • White Non-Hispanic (97.5%)
  • Two or more races (0.9%)
  • Hispanic (0.7%)
  • American Indian (0.7%)

Ancestries: German (25.4%), Norwegian (19.4%), Polish (10.9%), Irish (10.1%), English (9.5%), Swedish (5.1%).

Elevation: 2644 feet

Land area: 1.1 square miles

Population by Education

For population 25 years and over in Wibaux

  • High school or higher: 69.0%
  • Bachelor’s degree or higher: 15.0%
  • Graduate or professional degree: 4.2%
  • Unemployed: 8.5%
  • Mean travel time to work: 18.6 minutes

For population 15 years and over in Wibaux town

  • Never married: 21.0%
  • Now married: 53.6%
  • Separated: 1.3%
  • Widowed: 13.4%
  • Divorced: 10.8%

2.1% Foreign born (0.9% Europe, 0.9% North America, 0.4% Asia).

Population change in the 1990s: -60 (-9.6%).

Hospitals

Hospitals/medical centers near Wibaux:

  • GLENDIVE MEDICAL CENTER (about 39 miles; GLENDIVE, MT)
  • FALLON MEDICAL COMPLEX CAH (about 44 miles; BAKER, MT)
  • SIDNEY HEALTH CENTER (about 48 miles; SIDNEY, MT)

Airports

Airports certified for carrier operations nearest to Wibaux:

  • SLOULIN FLD INTL (about 90 miles; WILLISTON, ND; Abbreviation: ISN)
  • GILLETTE-CAMPBELL COUNTY (about 205 miles; GILLETTE, WY; Abbreviation: GCC)
  • ELLSWORTH AFB (about 211 miles; RAPID CITY, SD; Abbreviation: RCA)

Other public-use airports nearest to Wibaux:

  • BEACH (about 17 miles; BEACH, ND; Abbreviation: 20U)
  • DAWSON COMMUNITY (about 44 miles; GLENDIVE, MT; Abbreviation: GDV)
  • BAKER MUNI (about 46 miles; BAKER, MT; Abbreviation: BHK)

Colleges and Universities

Colleges/universities with over 2000 students nearest to Wibaux:

  • BLACK HILLS STATE UNIVERSITY (about 173 miles; SPEARFISH, SD; Full-time enrollment: 3,190)
  • SOUTH DAKOTA SCHOOL OF MINES AND TECHNOLOGY (about 211 miles; RAPID CITY, SD; Full-time enrollment: 2,002)
  • MINOT STATE UNIVERSITY (about 218 miles; MINOT, ND; Full-time enrollment: 2,662)
  • BISMARCK STATE COLLEGE (about 237 miles; BISMARCK, ND; Full-time enrollment: 2,205)
  • UNIVERSITY OF MARY (about 239 miles; BISMARCK, ND; Full-time enrollment: 2,203)
  • CHADRON STATE COLLEGE (about 299 miles; CHADRON, NE; Full-time enrollment: 2,144)
  • MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY-BILLINGS (about 310 miles; BILLINGS, MT; Full-time enrollment: 3,105)

Schools

Public high school in Wibaux:

  • WIBAUX HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 62; Location: 121 NORTH F ST; Grades: 09 – 12)

Public primary/middle schools in Wibaux:

  • WIBAUX SCHOOL (Students: 76; Location: 415 WEST NOLAN; Grades: PK – 06)
  • WIBAUX 7-8 (Students: 22; Location: 121 NORTH F ST; Grades: 07 – 08)

Libraries

Library in Wibaux:

  • WIBAUX PUBLIC LIBRARY (Operating income: $35,759; Location: 115 S WIBAUX; 12,780 books; 42 audio materials; 295 video materials; 8 serial subscriptions)