In Montana, the county of Fergus has a population of about 11,000 people. The largest city in the county and its seat of government is Lewistown. With 4,340 square miles of land and 10 square miles of water, the county has a total area of 4,350 square miles.
Fergus County had 160 crimes in total in 2020, of which 18 were considered violent crimes and 142 were classified as property crimes. There were 1.6 violent crimes for every 1,000 residents, compared to 12.9 property crimes for every 1,000 residents.
Interactive dashboards with a variety of crime statistics and trends for Fergus County and other Montana counties are available from the Montana Board of Crime Control (MBCC).
Based only on available data, identifying Fergus County’s most dangerous neighborhoods is difficult because crime reports don’t always include exact incident locations. However, a number of variables, including population density, unemployment, poverty, and the distance from large roads or highways, may indicate a higher risk of crime.
Fergus County has the following communities or places that might see greater crime rates than others:
Lewistown
Fergus County’s main city and county seat, Lewistown, has the highest population density and the highest level of economic activity. It does, however, face higher rates of unemployment (4.5%) and poverty (14.8%) than the county-wide norms of 3.8% and 11.9%, respectively.
Lewistown, which is connected to nearby cities including Great Falls and Billings, is situated along US Highway 87. 2020 saw 97 crimes reported in Lewistown, including 13 violent crimes and 84 property crimes.
Grass Range
About 100 people live in Grass Range, which is in Fergus County. With a poverty rate of 40.5% and an unemployment rate of 10.5%, respectively, higher than the county and state norms, the town is facing serious socioeconomic issues.
Grass Range, tucked away along Montana Highway 200, is nonetheless connected to nearby towns such as Winnett and Jordan. There was one violent crime case and one property crime case registered in the town in 2020.
Moore
Moore is a town in Fergus County with about 200 people living there. The town faces higher than average rates of poverty and unemployment (21% and 6%, respectively), both of which are higher than the county average.
Moore is conveniently located near Lewistown and Great Falls on US Highway 87. Moore documented two violent crime incidents and two property crime incidents in 2020.
Denton
In Fergus County, the town of Denton is home to about 300 people. With a poverty rate of 18% and an unemployment rate of 5%, respectively, higher than the county averages, the town is facing economic issues.
Denton is located next to Montana Highway 81, which serves as an important route connecting it to Stanford and Lewistown. Denton saw four property crimes and one violent crime incident in 2020.
Winifred
About 200 people live in the Fergus County town of Winifred. Compared to the county average, the town has a higher unemployment rate of 5% and poverty rate of 17%.
Winifred is connected to Roy and Grass Range by Montana Highway 236. The town recorded three instances of property crimes and zero violent crime events in 2020.
In summary
These neighborhoods or locations might not be the riskiest in Fergus County because crime rates could be influenced by other, unmeasured factors.
Furthermore, a variety of social and environmental factors might cause fluctuations in crime rates throughout time. As such, it is imperative that one use prudence and common sense whether one lives in or visits any neighborhood or place.