Dewey, Montana, 1942
Dewey’s story
132 years in pictures
The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 1942 and 3 maps from 1961 on.
- 1894Dewey is settled
DeweyMT
A town of 26, settled in 1894.
Is Dewey a good place to live?
39% of residents live below the poverty line in Dewey, above both Montana’s towns (10%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). No town among the 43 in Montana we compare has a higher median age than Dewey. Dewey has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
26 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Butte-Silver BowDewey
Getting set up
Moving to Dewey: who provides what
Dewey is unincorporated, so Beaverhead County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerVigilante Electric CoopEIAHIFLD · EIA
Internet1 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesBeaverhead CountyBeaverhead County provides services here
SchoolsBeaverhead County High School DistrictWise River Elementary School District2 districts serve Dewey; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
Register to voteIn personMontana has no online registration; you can register in person up to and including Election Day or by mail (postmarked 30 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereBeaverhead County Election AdministratorBeaverhead County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Oct 2023
ZIP code5972759727 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Dewey.
Natural hazards
Avalanches leads a high hazard risk in Dewey
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 75% of U.S. communities.
75risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
AvalanchesInland floodingWildfire
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
In Dewey, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Dewey has cold winters and pleasant summers, with very little rain. At 77°F, Dewey’s July high is against 85°F in Montana’s towns and 85°F across U.S. towns.
15″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter13–31°
Spring27–49°
Summer43–73°
Fall28–52°
Sep 7
typical first frost
Jun 10
typical last frost
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Dewey is
Dewey beats the Montana average on 9 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 3. 27% of Dewey adults feel lonely. Among 42 Montana towns, just 2 have a lower share of adults who have been diagnosed with depression than Dewey.
| Dewey | Montana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 31% | 33% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 18% | 17% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 32% | 36% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 76% | 72% | 79% |
32 measures vs. Montana
9 better20 too close to call3 worse
| What stands out | Dewey | MT |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 5.1% | 6.5% |
| Fewer adults without reliable transportation | 5.9% | 7.5% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 11% | 9.3% |
St. James Hospital
21.8 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Dewey
13pages on Dewey
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Dewey; the nearest are
Highlands College of Montana TechCommunity college · Public · Butte20 mi$4,130 in-state tuitionMontana Technological UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Butte21.6 mi$8,340 in-state tuition
About 0 of every 100 Dewey residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across Montana.
About Dewey
Census-designated place in Montana, United States
Dewey is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Beaverhead County, Montana, United States. It is in the northeast part of the county, on the south side of the Big Hole River, and bordered to the north, across the river, by Silver Bow County. Montana Highway 43 passes through Dewey, leading east 7 miles (11 km) to Interstate 15 at Divide, and west up the Big Hole River valley 5.5 miles (8.9 km) to Wise River and 44 miles (71 km) to Wisdom. As of the 2020 census, Dewey had a population of 25. Dewey was first listed as a CDP prior to the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 5,515 ft
Questions about Dewey
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Dewey, MT a good place to live?
Dewey has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.