After census, Montana picks up another seat in U.S. House

By IRIS SAMUELS

Associated Press

Montana’s recent population boom will let the state regain the second U.S. House seat it lost nearly 30 years ago, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures released Monday.

With over 1 million people, the state’s current at-large congressional district is the most populous in the U.S. and is second only to Alaska’s in geographic size.

Montana was one of six

states to gain an additional U.S. House seat along with Texas, Colorado, Florida, North Carolina and Oregon. Texas gained two seats while the other states received one new seat.

The state had two congressional districts until it lost one after the 1990 census, as population growth stagnated during the 1980s. The at-large district has been held by Republicans consecutively for more than two decades.

Montana’s growth has been led by towns known for their proximity to

outdoor recreation, including Bozeman, Missoula and Kalispell.

The overall population has grown to over 1.08 million — about a 10% increase.