Photo: Bugeater · CC BY 2.0Living in Alder, MT: what to set up and who to call
Alder has no town government of its own, so Madison County runs its elections and most services, and its children attend Sheridan High School District. 3 Rivers Communications wires most of Alder, and 97% of addresses can get fiber.
I’m new in town
What to set up in Alder, and who provides it. Tap an answer for the details and where they come from.
Power, water and internet
Who to call to start service at a new address in Alder.
Power comes from NorthWestern Energy
NorthWestern Energy (NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT)), an investor-owned utility, serves all of Alder. Its homes paid an average of 14.4¢ per kWh in 2025, about $102 a month (its average across Montana, for customers on its standard service). Montana lets you buy power from another supplier; 0% of NorthWestern Energy’s home customers do, and NorthWestern Energy still delivers it.
Start or move service: northwesternenergy.com · (888) 467-2669
Service territory: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map dated Aug 2023). Prices and customers: EIA-861, 2025.
3 home internet providers serve Alder
97% of 75 addresses can get 100/20 Mbps; 97% can get fiber.
| Provider | Technology | Addresses | Fastest (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Rivers Communications | Fiber | 95% | 1,000/1,000 |
| T-Mobile | Fixed wireless | 35% | 25/3 |
| Wisp West, Celerity Internet | Fixed wireless | 7% | 200/100 |
FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025. Availability as providers report it, not speeds people get.
We don’t have Alder’s trash rules yet
Pickup rules, the dump and recycling in Alder.
Where your child goes to school
Public school districts and the school path by grade.
Alder is in two districts that split the grades: Sheridan High School District and Alder Elementary School District.
Test scores and every school: see Schools →U.S. Department of Education, NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25. Enrollment rules and registration are the district’s.
No town hall: the county runs things
Alder is unincorporated, so Madison County is the local government.
Election office: FVAP local election office directory, updated Jun 2021; jurisdictions: EAC EAVS 2024. Registration rules and links: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Alder spans 2 ZIP codes
ZIP codes where Alder residents live, with the share of the town in each.
| ZIP | Post office name | Share of Alder | ZIP’s residents in Alder |
|---|---|---|---|
| 59710 | Alder, MT | 95% | 28% |
| 59749 | Sheridan, MT | 5% | 0% |
Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, by census block; post office names: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). ZIPs created since 2020 are missing.
Getting around, the ER and the library
One line each; the subject pages have the rest.
ER: CMS hospital data. Library: IMLS Public Libraries Survey, FY2024.
Questions about living in Alder
Who provides electricity in Alder?
NorthWestern Energy (NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT)), an investor-owned utility. Its homes paid about 14.4¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA).
What internet providers serve Alder?
3 Rivers Communications, T-Mobile, Wisp West, Celerity Internet (FCC, as of December 2025).
What ZIP codes are in Alder?
59710 (95%), 59749 (5%), by share of residents. Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.
What school district is Alder in?
Sheridan High School District and Alder Elementary School District. Parts of the city are in Sheridan Elementary School District.
How do I register to vote in Alder?
Montana has no online registration; you can register in person up to and including Election Day or by mail (postmarked 30 days before). Elections here are run by the Madison County Election Administrator. Check your registration at prodvoterportal.mt.gov.
Sources & dates
Every answer above names its source. Here they are with their dates.
- Power: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map Aug 2023); EIA-861 final 2025.
- Trash: OpenStreetMap, Geofabrik extract of Oct 9, 2026. © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
- ZIP codes: Census 2020 ZCTA relationship files; GeoNames postal codes (CC BY 4.0).
- Schools: NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25.
- Registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024 (read Oct 10, 2026). Official sites and area codes: Wikidata.
- Election office: FVAP local election office directory (fetched Oct 10, 2026; each record dated), EAC EAVS 2024 jurisdictions; registration and lookup links from vote.gov’s state data, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- Internet: FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025.