Life in Phillips County
Phillips County includes approximately 1.6 million acres of public (state & federal) lands mingled with 1.6 million acres of private lands. Land use in the county is mainly farming and ranching with mineral activity within the county. Population for the county is approximately 4,253 (less than 1 person per square mile).
Famous for wide-open spaces and diversity in landscape, Phillips County offers a variety of wildlife and cultural history. The C.M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge (including the western portion of Fort Peck Lake) and Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge are just a short drive from the county seat at Malta. The Little Rocky Mountains are rich in mining history and offer a diverse mountain experience. Visitors and residents can pan for gold, hike and camp. Fishermen find that Nelson Reservoir, the two rivers and local ponds a haven for walleye, historic paddlefish, trout and more. Prehistoric remains of Ceratopsian dinosaurs and other dinosaur species are currently under excavation and are on display locally at the Great Plains Dinosaur Museum and the Phillips County Museum, both located on US Highway 2. Excellent opportunities for golf recreation are offered at the Marion Hills golf course (open to public) in Malta.
Residents of Phillips County place considerable value upon the positive attributes of small-town life such as: friendly people, uncrowded surroundings, good schools for children, access to outdoor recreation and lack of crime.
Malta, the county seat is at the crossroad of US Highways #2 and, #191 providing direct highway access to the US/Canadian Border at the Port of Morgan and urban communities of Billings and Great Falls, Montana. This North/South route, identified as a principal arterial route within the National Highway System, also crosses paths with BNSF Rail and daily Amtrak passenger service. Our airport has global positioning non-precision approach and comfortably lands small jets and prop planes. Access to the fiber optics network is available within the city limits of Malta and other locations throughout the county.
The Phillips County Hospital and Hi-Line Retirement Center provide excellent health care and medical job opportunities. The hospital has working relationships with regional hospitals and shares many specialists on a regular basis. The county has its own volunteer fire, ambulance and rescue squads.
In addition to the excellent pre-K through 12 grade school systems in Malta, the communities of Saco, Dodson and Whitewater offer exceptional opportunities in rural settings. The Malta Junior and Senior High School complex offers the latest educational opportunities including state of the art technology and science programs. College level courses are offered less than two hours away at the Ft. Belknap Community College and Montana State University-Northern or via Interactive TV available through Malta Schools.