Choteau, Montana
11 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1920 and the latest in 1987. It stands in the Choteau census division. It lies in ZIP code area 59422. The Survey maps it on the Choteau quadrangle. 1,721 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 3,819 feet above sea level.
Research this city
On record in Choteau
Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.
On the National Register 1 record
Teton County Courthouselisted 2006
Population over time
2 figuresChoteau grew from 1,684 to 1,721 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.
| Year | People | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 1,684 | |
| 2020 | 1,721 | +37 (+2%) |
Topographic sheets covering this place
9 surveys from 11 printed sheetsMatched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.
- 1920 USGS Choteau quadrangle1:125000
- 1955 USGS Choteau quadrangle1:250000
- 1957 USGS Choteau quadrangle1:250000
- 1958 USGS Choteau quadrangle1:250000, 2 printings
- 1960 USGS Choteau quadrangle1:62500, 2 printings
- 1962 USGS Choteau quadrangle1:250000
- 1976 USGS Choteau quadrangle1:250000
- 1984 USGS Choteau quadrangle1:100000
- 1987 USGS Choteau quadrangle1:24000
Fires near this place
6 since 2016Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 6 fires within 5 miles of Choteau between 2016 and 2017, burning about 11 acres in total. None started naturally. None was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Fireworks | 3 |
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1 |
| Power generation/transmission/distribution | 1 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 1 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 August 2016 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Southwestern Land Office | not named |
| 12 August 2017 | Power generation/transmission/distribution | under an acre | Central Land Office | CHOTEAU |
| 5 July 2017 | Fireworks | 2.0 acres | Central Land Office | CHOTEAU |
| 11 July 2017 | Fireworks | 2.0 acres | Central Land Office | CHOTEAU |
| 17 June 2017 | Fireworks | under an acre | Central Land Office | CHOTEAU |
| 24 October 2017 | Equipment and vehicle use | 6.0 acres | Central Land Office | CHOTEAU |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Mines and quarries near this place
1 within 5 milesRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 1 working within 5 miles of Choteau: 1 occurrence. None of them still produces. What was taken out: Iron, REE, Titanium. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iron-Titanium Occurrence | Iron, REE, Titanium | Occurrence |
Storms near this place
44 since 1994Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Choteau in 44 storm reports between 1994 and 2024: 18 hail, 17 thunderstorm wind, 4 flood, 2 flash flood. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 2020 | Flood | Choteau | $250,000 | An ice jam along the Spring Creek on the northeastern side of Choteau sent flood waters up to a couple feet in depth into a small section of the city with minor impacts. The flooding may have also played a partial role in the basement flooding reported by up to 80 houses in the city. Information was provided by the city of Choteau Facebook and by NWS field inspection. |
| August 2024 | Hail | Choteau | - | COOP observer reports quarter sized hail fell for about ten minutes. |
| July 2022 | Heavy Rain | Choteau | - | Trained spotter reported 1.01 inches of total rainfall today, with 0.74 inches falling in 1 hour. |
| July 2022 | Hail | Choteau | - | Public report from MPING for 1.75 inch hail. |
| July 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Choteau | - | The Choteau Ancantha Newspaper posted images of large healthy tree limbs and power lines taken down by thunderstorm winds. Power outages were also reported. |
| July 2021 | Flash Flood | Choteau | - | Flooding with debris on roadways near 4th Avenue SW and 1st St, with additional flooding at 7th Avenue NW and Division St. Both areas had impassable roads. Up to 1.82 inches of rain were reported with the thunderstorms. Pictures provided by Choteau Acantha Newspaper. |
| March 2018 | Flood | Choteau | - | Law enforcement reported snowmelt flooding forced closure of several roads in Teton County. Exact extent of flooding unknown. |
| July 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Choteau | - | Estimated peak gusts of 65 mph. Large trees knocked down in multiple locations in Choteau. |
| July 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Choteau | - | Delayed report of multiple trees down and no power in Choteau. Also reported pea-size hail. Estimated peak gusts of 60 mph. Time of report estimated via radar. |
| June 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Choteau | - | Mesonet station reported a wind gust 63 mph. |
| June 2016 | Hail | Choteau | - | A thunderstorm dropped 1 inch diameter hail at Choteau. Also, 1 inch diameter hail fell at Bynum 12WSW. Minor damage was reported to vehicles and roofs. |
| August 2014 | Heavy Rain | Choteau | - | Heavy rain, measuring 2.41 inches storm total, was reported. |
| August 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Choteau | - | High winds measuring 56KT (65MPH) were reported 10 miles SW of Choteau, MT. |
| July 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Choteau | - | High winds of 56KT (64MPH) were reported 10 mi SSW of Choteau, MT. |
| June 2012 | Hail | Choteau | - | Golf ball sized hail (1.75 inches) was reported mixed in with small hail 8 miles ENE of Choteau. |
| June 2012 | Hail | Choteau | - | Hail of 1 inch was reported 2 miles S of Choteau. |
| March 2011 | Flood | Choteau | - | Numerous road closures across Teton county. |
| August 2010 | Flash Flood | Choteau | - | National Weather Service 88D radar returns indicated heavy rainfall from a slow moving thunderstorm thus prompting a flash flood warning. No reports of damage were received. |
| July 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Choteau | - | A severe thunderstorm produced a wind gust to 60 mph at Choteau 2S. Large tree limbs were reported down within the city. |
| July 2009 | Hail | Choteau | - | A severe thunderstorm dropped 1.75 inch diameter hail at Choteau 9WSW. Windows were reported broken at several homes. |
| July 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Choteau | - | A thunderstorm produced a wind gust to 60 mph at Choteau. |
| July 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Choteau | - | A severe thunderstorm produced a wind gust to 60 mph at Choteau. |
| July 2008 | Hail | Choteau | - | A severe thunderstorm dropped .75 inch diameter hail at Choteau. |
| July 2008 | Hail | Choteau | - | A severe thunderstorm dropped 1.75 inch diameter hail at Choteau 4S. |
| May 2008 | Flood | Choteau | - | Storm total rainfall was 5.20 inches. Deep Creek was out of its banks and approached a home. |
| June 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Choteau | - | A severe thunderstorm produced a wind gust to 71 mph at the Choteau airport. |
| June 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Choteau | - | A severe thunderstorm produced a 60 mph wind gust at Choteau. |
| July 2002 | Hail | Choteau | - | A severe thunderstorm produced 0.88 inch hail at Choteau 6N. |
| June 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Choteau | - | Reported by spotter at Choteau Airport (actual location Choteau 2 S). |
| May 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Choteau | - | Actual spotter location Choteau 2 S. |
| September 2000 | Wildfire | Choteau | - | Ear Mountain fire, 1978 acres burned, lightning caused. |
| July 2022 | Hail | Choteau | - | no account filed |
| June 2005 | Hail | Choteau | - | no account filed |
| June 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Choteau | - | no account filed |
| September 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Choteau | - | no account filed |
| September 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Choteau | - | no account filed |
| June 2003 | Hail | Choteau | - | no account filed |
| June 2003 | Hail | Choteau | - | no account filed |
| August 1999 | Hail | Choteau | - | no account filed |
| June 1997 | Hail | Choteau | - | no account filed |
| June 1997 | Hail | Choteau | - | no account filed |
| June 1997 | Hail | Choteau | - | no account filed |
| June 1994 | Hail | Choteau | - | no account filed |
| June 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Choteau | - | no account filed |
Nearest settlements
The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.
| Map | Place | Distance | Sheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Choteau Junction | 0.6 miles | 11 | |
| Truchot Hill | 1.7 miles | 11 | |
| Farmington | 5.2 miles | 11 | |
| Burton (historical) | 6.3 miles | 11 | |
| Koyl | 7.4 miles | 11 | |
| Eastham Junction | 7.5 miles | 11 | |
| Malone | 9.0 miles | 11 | |
| New Rockport Colony | 9.2 miles | 11 |
Elsewhere
Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.
| Wikipedia article on Choteau | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q967215 | The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0). |
Provenance
This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 800592. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.








