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Moving to Sidney, Montana

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Sidney, Montana is located in the northeast corner of the state and has a population of 5,191. It is nestled along the Yellowstone River in Richland County. The city is surrounded by rolling hills, ranches and wheat fields that provide a stunning backdrop for this small rural community.

The climate in Sidney is generally mild with temperatures rarely exceeding 90 degrees Fahrenheit during the summer months and going below zero during winter months. The average annual precipitation is 14 inches.

Sidney has a rich history which dates back to the late 1800s when it was established as an agricultural center for farming and cattle ranching. In 1908, Sidney was designated as the county seat of Richland County, further cementing its role as an important regional center.

The area has long been politically conservative, with strong ties to both local and state-level Republican politics. This trend continues today as evidenced by recent elections where Republican candidates have won a majority of votes in Richland County.

The economy of Sidney is largely based on agriculture and related industries such as grain processing and food manufacturing. There are also several businesses in the city including retail stores, restaurants, hotels, gas stations, banks, auto dealerships and more that serve both locals and tourists alike.

Sidney’s schools include two elementary schools (K-4), one middle school (5-8), one high school (9-12) as well as two private schools: St Mary’s Catholic School (K-8) and Bethel Lutheran School (K-8). All these schools are highly rated for their academic performance as well as extracurricular activities such as sports teams or other clubs available to students throughout their years in school.

In terms of landmarks around Sidney there are several to explore including Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site which was once an important hub for fur trading between Native Americans and European settlers; Custer National Battlefield National Monument which commemorates General Custer’s Battle of Little Big Horn; several museums dedicated to local history; plus numerous parks such as Lake Sakakawea State Park which offers camping sites along with fishing, boating and other outdoor activities; plus many more attractions that make Sidney a great place to visit or call home!

Population: 4,774. Estimated population in July 2024: 4,470 (-6.4% change)
Males: 2,291 (48.0%), Females: 2,483 (52.0%)

Richland County

Zip code: 59270

Demographics

Median resident age: 39.1 years
Median household income: $32,109
Median house value: $62,900

Population by Race

Races in Sidney:

  • White Non-Hispanic (94.5%)
  • Hispanic (2.4%)
  • American Indian (2.4%)
  • Other race (1.0%)
  • Two or more races (0.9%)

Ancestries: German (40.4%), Norwegian (25.1%), Irish (11.5%), English (9.7%), Danish (5.9%), United States (4.3%).

Elevation: 1931 feet

Land area: 2.2 square miles

Population by Education

Sidney, Montana is a small city located in the northeast corner of the state. The population of Sidney was estimated at 5,191 in 2019 according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Sidney is predominantly a white city with 90.2% of its population identifying as Caucasian and 4.8% as African American/black. Other races make up the remaining 5% of the population, including Native American/American Indian (1%), Asian (0.4%), and Hispanic or Latino (3%). With a median age of 38 years old, Sidney is slightly younger than the rest of Montana, which has an average median age of 41 years old, according to U.S Census data from 2019.

The majority of Sidney’s population works in blue-collar jobs within the manufacturing and retail industries; however, there are also many people employed in white-collar positions such as finance and business services and healthcare professions who work both within and outside the city limits. The unemployment rate in Sidney is 3%, lower than both Montana’s average unemployment rate (3.5%) and national average unemployment rate (3.7%). Most residents have some form of postsecondary education; over 77% hold at least a high school diploma while 35% have obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher level qualification from an accredited college or university program.

For population 25 years and over in Sidney

  • High school or higher: 84.0%
  • Bachelor’s degree or higher: 16.1%
  • Graduate or professional degree: 2.8%
  • Unemployed: 6.9%
  • Mean travel time to work: 11.1 minutes

For population 15 years and over in Sidney city

  • Never married: 20.7%
  • Now married: 58.8%
  • Separated: 0.5%
  • Widowed: 10.1%
  • Divorced: 9.9%

1.3% Foreign born

Population change in the 1990s: -410 (-7.9%).

Hospitals

Hospital/medical center in Sidney:

  • SIDNEY HEALTH CENTER (PO BOX 1690)

Other hospitals/medical centers near Sidney:

  • ROOSEVELT MEMORIAL MEDICAL CTR – CAH (about 38 miles; CULBERTSON, MT)
  • MERCY MEDICAL CENTER (about 46 miles; WILLISTON, ND)
  • GLENDIVE MEDICAL CENTER (about 58 miles; GLENDIVE, MT)

Airports

Airports certified for carrier operations nearest to Sidney:

  • SLOULIN FLD INTL (about 49 miles; WILLISTON, ND; Abbreviation: ISN)
  • MINOT AFB (about 201 miles; MINOT, ND; Abbreviation: MIB)
  • MINOT INTL (about 204 miles; MINOT, ND; Abbreviation: MOT)

Other public-use airports nearest to Sidney:

  • SIDNEY-RICHLAND MUNI (about 2 miles; SIDNEY, MT; Abbreviation: SDY)
  • FAIRVIEW (about 12 miles; FAIRVIEW, MT; Abbreviation: 5U6)
  • BIG SKY FIELD (about 39 miles; CULBERTSON, MT; Abbreviation: S85)

Colleges and Universities

Colleges/universities with over 2000 students nearest to Sidney:

  • MINOT STATE UNIVERSITY (about 202 miles; MINOT, ND; Full-time enrollment: 2,662)
  • BLACK HILLS STATE UNIVERSITY (about 223 miles; SPEARFISH, SD; Full-time enrollment: 3,190)
  • BISMARCK STATE COLLEGE (about 242 miles; BISMARCK, ND; Full-time enrollment: 2,205)
  • UNIVERSITY OF MARY (about 245 miles; BISMARCK, ND; Full-time enrollment: 2,203)
  • SOUTH DAKOTA SCHOOL OF MINES AND TECHNOLOGY (about 258 miles; RAPID CITY, SD; Full-time enrollment: 2,002)
  • MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY-BILLINGS (about 329 miles; BILLINGS, MT; Full-time enrollment: 3,105)
  • CHADRON STATE COLLEGE (about 347 miles; CHADRON, NE; Full-time enrollment: 2,144)

Schools

Public high school in Sidney:

  • SIDNEY HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 446; Location: 1012 4TH AVENUE SE; Grades: 09 – 12)

Private high school in Sidney:

  • LIBERTY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL (Students: 27; Location: 502 SO CENTRAL AVE; Grades: KG – 12)

Public primary/middle schools in Sidney:

  • SIDNEY ELEMENTARY (Students: 572; Location: 200 3RD AVENUE SE; Grades: PK – 06)
  • SIDNEY 7-8 (Students: 237; Location: 415 SOUTH CENTRAL AVE; Grades: 07 – 08)
  • RAU SCHOOL (Students: 61; Location: HC 57 BOX 4030; Grades: PK – 06)
  • BRORSON SCHOOL (Students: 18; Location: HC 89 BOX 5213; Grades: KG – 06)
  • SQUAW GAP SCHOOL (Students: 5; Location: 494 HWY 16 N; Grades: KG – 08)

Libraries

Library in Sidney:

  • SIDNEY PUBLIC LIBRARY (Operating income: $144,354; Location: 121 3RD AVE NW; 19,234 books; 1,623 audio materials; 1,197 video materials; 72 serial subscriptions)

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