Browning, Montana, United States

🇺🇸 Browning is a former town and current unincorporated community in Glacier County, Montana, United States. It is the headquarters for the Blackfeet Indian Reservation and was the only incorporated town on the Reservation.

The town was named in 1885 for Commissioner of Indian Affairs Daniel M. Browning. The post office was established in 1895. The town was disincorporated on September 26, 2018, after the town's government collapsed financially.

Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.27 square miles (0.70 km²), all land.

Demographics As of the census of 2010, there were 1,016 people, 360 households, and 243 families living in the town. The population density was 3,763 inhabitants per square mile (1,452.9/km²). There were 394 housing units at an average density of 1,459.3 per square mile (563.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 5.5% White, 92.7% Native American, and 1.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.7% of the population.

There were 360 households, of which 45.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 28.6% were married couples living together, 28.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 10.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 32.5% were non-families. 27.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.43.

The median age in the town was 29.8 years. 33.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.6% were from 25 to 44; 23% were from 45 to 64; and 10.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 46.1% male and 53.9% female.

Education The area school district is Browning Public Schools, with its components being Browning Elementary School District and Browning High School District. The two districts, under the name "Browning Public Schools", educate students from kindergarten through 12th grade. They are known as the Indians. Browning High School is a Class A school.

Browning is home to Blackfeet Community College.

Media Browning is home to low-power radio station KBWG-LP, broadcasting at 107.5 FM.

The Glacier Reporter is a newspaper serving Browning and all of Glacier County. It is offered both in print and online.

Transport • US Route 2 comes into Browning from East Glacier from the west. • US Route 89 comes into Browning from St. Mary from the north. • The two US Routes meet on the western end of Browning and run through town together, splitting on the eastern end of town, with US 2 headed east towards Cut Bank and Shelby and US 89 headed south towards Choteau and Great Falls. • US Route 87 ran through Browning until 1934, when US 89 replaced its original routing north of Great Falls. US 87 then ended in Great Falls until 1945, when it was changed to run from Great Falls to Havre. • Amtrak's Chicago to Portland/Seattle Empire Builder serves Browning from October to April at a station just south of town. East Glacier receives passengers just a few miles west, from April to October.