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MISSOULA, MONTANA - USA
Missoula is a city located in Missoula County, Montana. As of the 2000
census, the city had a total population of 57,053. It is the birthplace of
Jeannette Rankin (1880 - 1973). The state flower of Montana, the bitterroot,
grows only near Missoula. It is the county seat of Missoula County.
Other Points & Pieces of Interest
Local ski areas: Montana Snowbowl & Marshall Ski Area
Higher Education: Home of the University of Montana and the Grizzlies
Other Famous People: Mike and Maureen Mansfield, former US Senator and US
Ambassador to Japan and his wife called Missoula home for many years and the
University of Montana's Mike and Maureen Mansfield Memorial Library is named
after them.
Geography
Missoula is located at 46°51'45" North, 114°0'42" West (46.862633,
-114.011593).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of
61.9 km˛ (23.9 mi˛). 61.6 km˛ (23.8 mi˛) of it is land and 0.3 km˛ (0.1 mi˛)
of it is water. The total area is 0.46% water.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there are 57,053 people, 24,141 households, and
12,336 families residing in the city. The population density is 925.6/km˛
(2,397.1/mi˛). There are 25,225 housing units at an average density of
409.2/km˛ (1,059.8/mi˛). The racial makeup of the city is 93.57% White,
0.36% African American, 2.35% Native American, 1.23% Asian, 0.10% Pacific
Islander, 0.51% from other races, and 1.87% from two or more races. 1.76% of
the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 24,141 households out of which 24.6% have children under the age
of 18 living with them, 37.9% are married couples living together, 10.0%
have a female householder with no husband present, and 48.9% are non-families.
33.6% of all households are made up of individuals and 8.9% have someone
living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is
2.23 and the average family size is 2.88.
In the city the population is spread out with 19.7% under the age of 18,
20.7% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 10.4% who
are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 30 years. For every 100
females there are 98.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there
are 97.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $30,366, and the median
income for a family is $42,103. Males have a median income of $30,686 versus
$21,559 for females. The per capita income for the city is $17,166. 19.7% of
the population and 11.7% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the
total people living in poverty, 20.5% are under the age of 18 and 9.3% are
65 or older.
Politics
Missoula has a reputation in Montana as a liberal college town and in fact
holds the highest Democratic voting district in the state and was one of the
counties with the highest percentages of votes for left-wing candidate Ralph
Nader in the country in the 2000 election. In addition to the yearly Hemp
Festival, NORML's state office is in Missoula ([1] (http://www.montananorml.org/)).
The Garden City is also home to quite a few community gardens run by Garden
City Harvest ([2] (http://www.gardencityharvest.org/)) and one by MUD (Missoula
Urban Demonstration Project, [3] (http://www.sustainable.doe.gov/database/813.html)),
which seek to improve both urban environments and agricultural practices.
Missoula is also home to the Jeanette Rankin Peace Center (http://www.jrpc.org/),
a WEEL office (a low-income and welfare advocacy group, Working for Equality
and Economic Liberation, [4] (http://www.weelempowers.org/)), and the
Western Montana Gay & Lesbian Community Center ([5] (http://www.gaymontana.com/)).
Notable eateries
The Oxford.
Tipu's Tiger, Buddhist founded vegetarian Indian resturaunt. The founders
where with the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order and modeled the
business on Right Livelihood Businesses. From the opening of a second
location in 1999 until the closing of the first location in 2002 the staff
was gender segregated between the two locations: Tipu's, and Tipu's Tiger.
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