Sidney - Scenic View

Sidney

The Sunrise City

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Quick Facts
Population
6,171
County
Richland County
Region
Eastern Montana
Elevation
1,939 ft
Top Industry
Education & Healthcare
Nearest Hospital
Sidney Health Center (in town)
Zip Code
59270
Area Code
406
Time Zone
Mountain Time (MT)
Industry: Census ACS 5-Year 2019–2023 · Hospital: MT DPHHS 2024
Current Weather
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Airport Distances

Nearest Major Airports

🛩️ Sidney (SDY)
5 miles
~17m drive
🛩️ Glendive (GDV)
60 miles
~1h 15m drive
🛩️ Wolf Point (OLF)
85 miles
~1h 39m drive
Browse recreation

Map & Nearby

Explore Sidney on the interactive map with 3 nearby towns and 10 highlighted recreation sites. Use the zoom controls or select a recreation item to focus it on the map.

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Outdoor Recreation Near Sidney

Outdoor Recreation Near Sidney

Jump to map →
6.6/10
Very Good
19 sites within 30 mi
7 categories

Distances are straight-line estimates. Driving distances may be longer. Data: OpenStreetMap contributors & editorial research.

History & Heritage

History & Heritage

Settlement began in the 1870s along the Yellowstone River. Sidney was founded in 1888 with a post office; the name honors six-year-old Sidney Walters. Incorporated in 1911 (pop. 386). Richland County created in 1914 with Sidney as seat. The Lower Yellowstone Irrigation Project delivered water in 1909, transforming agriculture. Northern Pacific Railway arrived in the early 1910s. Holly Sugar opened a beet refinery in 1925 (later American Crystal Sugar; closed April 2023). Bakken oil booms in the late 1970s–80s and mid-2000s drove population growth; Sidney nearly doubled from ~5,000 (2010) to over 6,000 by the mid-2010s.

Official historic markers tied to Sidney in our statewide dataset. Expand the list to read inscriptions and follow links to full pages or deep reads where available. Browse Richland County on the map · History trails

Historic markers in Sidney (1)tap to expand
The Elm Coulee Oil FieldDeep Read

Northeastern Montana is part of the Williston Basin geologic structure, a slightly irregular, bowl-shaped depression centered in North Dakota that slowly subsided over hundreds of millions of years. It served as a locus for sediment accumulation, and now has up to 16,000 feet of sedimentary rock in the deepest part of the basin. The Williston Basin is a major oil and natural gas province because it has all the right components and conditions for oil and gas formation and accumulation: organic-rich deposits such as black shale to generate the oil and gas, reservoir rocks, such as porous sandstone where oil and gas can accumulate, and geologic traps. The traps are faults, folds, and lateral changes in the rock that keep the oil and gas from moving out of the area of accumulation.

The Bakken formation is one of many geologic units deeply buried in the subsurface in the Williston Basin. It is comprised of a dolomite bed sandwiched between two organic-rich shales that were deposited in deep and coastal waters about 350 million years ago during the Late Devonian age. Discovered in 2000, the Elm Coulee Oil Field covers an area of approximately 750 square miles with the oil located at depths of 8,500 to 10,500 feet; the oil-bearing rock is only about 45 feet thick. The technologies used to extract the oil involve horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing (fracking). Oil production from the Elm Coulee Oil Field began in 2001 and doubled Montana's oil output in a few short years. Nearly 150 million barrels of oil had been extracted by 2013.

Geo-facts:

  • The Bakken Formation is named after Henry Bakken, a farmer in Tioga, North Dakota on whose land the formation was originally discovered in an oil well drilled in 1951.
  • Induced hydraulic fracturing (fracking) is a process where water mixed with sand and chemicals is injected under high pressure into a well to create fractures or cracks in deep, subsurface rock formations in order to allow natural gas and oil to migrate into the well.
  • In the United States and Canada, oil production is measured in barrels. A barrel holds approximately 42 gallons of crude oil. The barrel as a unit of measurement came into use in the Pennsylvania oil fields in the early 1860s.
  • The Bakken Formation in Williston Basin is estimated to contain over 500 billion barrels of oil in place, making it one of the largest oil accumulations in the world. Only about 7 billion barrels are deemed to be recoverable using current technology.

Geo-activity:

  • The first forests and seed-bearing plants appeared during the Devonian Age. It is sometimes called the Age of Fish because of the enormous variety of fish that lived in the oceans then. As you pass through this area in your car, imagine the different types of fish and other animals that once lived in that ancient ocean.

Erected by Montana Department of Transportation.

Industryscience

Historic markers map

Open the interactive map filtered to Sidney. The view zooms to the markers for this community.

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Events & Festivals in Sidney

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Montana statewide events & festivals calendar

Browse the statewide calendar for festivals, fairs, rodeos, and concerts across Montana.

View all Montana events · Where to stay in Sidney

Sidney, Montana: Sunrise City of the Yellowstone Valley

Gateway to the Bakken and MonDak Region

Sidney is the county seat of Richland County in northeastern Montana, located along the Yellowstone River about 10 miles south of the North Dakota border. With a population of 6,031 (2024), it is the second-largest city in eastern Montana and a key retail and service hub for the surrounding region, including western North Dakota. Nicknamed the "Sunrise City" for its position as one of Montana's easternmost communities, Sidney grew from homesteading and railroad roots into a center for agriculture, sugar beet processing, and—since the 2000s—oil and gas activity in the nearby Bakken Formation.

Quick Facts

  • Population: 6,031 (2024 est.); 6,346 (2020 Census)
  • County: Richland County
  • Founded: 1888 (post office); incorporated 1911
  • Elevation: 1,967 ft (599 m)
  • Known For: Bakken oil hub, Lower Yellowstone Irrigation Project, MonDak Heritage Center, sugar beet history
  • Nearby Landmarks: Yellowstone River, Fort Union Trading Post (ND), Williston (ND)
  • Fun Fact: Sidney was named by Justice of the Peace Hiram Otis after six-year-old Sidney Walters, the son of pioneer boarders in his home, during a fishing outing. The Holly Sugar refinery operated from 1925 until American Crystal Sugar closed it in April 2023.

Notable People & Pop Culture

  • Donald G. Nutter – 23rd Governor of Montana (1961–1962); raised in Sidney after his family moved there in 1918. Died in a plane crash.
  • Roger A. Markle – Director of the U.S. Bureau of Mines (1978–1981), born in Sidney.
  • Donald Steinbeisser – Republican Montana State Senator representing Sidney (2005–2011).
  • Clyde Lamb – Gag cartoonist and syndicated comic strip artist known for Herman; born in Sidney.

Top Things to Do in Sidney

  • MonDak Heritage Center – Explore local history, art, and the "Main Street" Historical Town replica of pioneer settlement
  • Yellowstone River – Fishing for paddlefish at Sidney Bridge Fishing Access; birdwatching at Fox Lake and Seven Sisters WMAs
  • Historic Downtown – Boutique shops, eateries, and preserved early-20th-century buildings
  • Water Tower Park & Quilling's Park – Picnic areas, playgrounds, and sports fields

Local Industry & Economy

Sidney's economy is driven by agriculture (sugar beets historically, now grains, livestock, and irrigated crops), oil and gas extraction in the Bakken Formation, retail, construction, and health care. Richland County ranks as Montana's top oil-producing county. The Lower Yellowstone Irrigation Project irrigates ~58,000 acres, enabling intensive crop production. Median household income: $62,992 (2023). The 2023 closure of Sidney Sugars eliminated ~300 jobs; farmers have pivoted to corn, soybeans, and sunflowers.

Getting There & Nearby Destinations

  • Getting There: U.S. Highway 2 passes through Sidney; Montana Highway 16 provides north-south access. Sidney-Richland Regional Airport offers Cape Air flights to Billings.
  • Nearby Destinations: Williston, ND (50 miles); Fort Union Trading Post NHS (21 miles); Glendive (50 miles); Billings (269 miles)

Where to Stay in Sidney

Sidney offers motels, hotels, and limited commercial lodging. Many visitors stay in Williston, ND, for extended stays. Camping available at nearby public lands and wildlife management areas.

Vacation Rentals via VRBO Hotels via Expedia

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Plan Your Visit

Ready to explore Sidney? Add it to your Montana travel itinerary and discover the charm, history, and adventure waiting in Big Sky Country. From the MonDak Heritage Center to Yellowstone River recreation and the legacy of the Bakken oil era, Sidney offers a genuine eastern Montana experience.

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Sidney Climate

Average Monthly Climate: Sidney

MonthAvg HighAvg LowPrecipSnow
Jan31°F14°F0.6"1.2"
Feb27°F7°F0.7"1.7"
Mar41°F19°F0.5"1.1"
Apr51°F30°F1.7"2.9"
May66°F43°F2.8"0.1"
Jun79°F56°F1.8"0"
Jul85°F62°F1.6"0"
Aug84°F60°F1.1"0"
Sep74°F52°F2.2"0"
Oct54°F36°F1.7"1.8"
Nov41°F23°F0.6"1.1"
Dec31°F14°F0.8"1.9"
Housing & Economy

Housing & Cost of Living

$279,363
Typical Home Value
Census (2019–23): $249,100
$1,070/mo
Typical Rent
Census (2019–23): $890/mo
$62,992
Median Household Income
National Rankings
Home Value50th percentile
Rent61st percentile
Income47th percentile
Affordability Ratio (home price ÷ income)4.4xModerate
Percentile among ~21,000 U.S. cities. Higher = more expensive (home/rent) or higher earning (income).
Housing Availability
Updated Jan 2026
24
Homes for Sale
↑ 4.3% vs last year
$278,333
Median List Price
6
New Listings/Month
3,260
Total Housing Units
20.2%
Vacancy Rate
Employment & Economy
ACS 5-Year 2019–2023
4.1%
Unemployment Rate
MT avg: ~3.5%
72.3%
Labor Force Participation
3,468
Employed Residents
Top Industries
Education & Healthcare
13.9%
Retail
11.4%
Tourism & Hospitality
11%
Home values from Zillow ZHVI (May 2026). Inventory, list prices & new listings from Zillow Research (Jan 2026). Income, vacancy,, employment, industry, from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2019–2023. Data may not reflect current conditions. Check Zillow for the latest market data.
Schools
🏫
Sidney Public Schools
~1,200 students
Grad Rate
91%
Graduation rate: OPI/NCES 2022–23. MT state avg: ~87%.
Sidney in Rankings & Guides
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