Located in south central Montana, Yellowstone County is Montana's most populous with 129,352 residents, according to the 2000 Census.

Billings, the county seat, is the state's largest city with a population of 89,847 and is a major retail and wholesale trade, financial, energy, transportation and medical center. According to the Montana Almanac, by authors Andrea Merrill and Judy Jacobson, the county was established in 1883. The Yellowstone River, the authors say, was called by early French trappers, Roche Jaune for "yellow rock." Pompeys Pillar, an area landmark, was originally called Pompy's Tower by Captain William Clark. The authors add he named it after Sacajawea's son Baptiste, whom he called "Little Pomp." And Billings was named for lawyer, philanthropist and former Northern Pacific Railroad President Frederick Billings.

According to the U.S. Bureau of the Census, median income for Yellowstone County households in 1989 was $25,942. The county is 2,666 square miles in area; 2,635 square miles in land area and 31 miles in inland water area.

County residents experience the four distinct seasons. According to the Montana Almanac, the average daily low in January between 1980 and 1989 was 13.3 degrees above zero and average January snowfall 9.3 inches. The average daily high in July was 87.0 degrees above. The annual precipitation in 1995 was 16.73 inches and the length of the growing season 131 days.

For more detailed information, please visit the Research & Analysis Bureau web site provided by the Montana Department of Labor & Industry.