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Buying land in Chouteau County, Montana: what to check

Chouteau County covers 3,973 square miles of land and 24 of water in Montana, with about 5,880 residents in 2024 (down 0.6% since 2020). The 2020 Census counted 100% of its land as rural and 0% of residents as living in urban areas. Farms operate 93% of the county's land. Below: how much of Chouteau County floods, what its soils allow, what farmland is worth and how often it's in drought, from free public data with every source linked.

Check a location in Chouteau CountySee a sample report

Chouteau County at a glance

In the 100-year floodplain

under 1%

About the state's county median (under 1%)

FEMA National Risk Index

Hydric (wetland-type) soils

1.8%

Above the state's county median (1.5%)

USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)

Soils very limited for septic

90%

USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)

Farm land value, 2022

$1,356/acre

Above the state's county median ($1,283)

USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture

Weeks in severe drought

39%

Share of weekly maps, 2021–2026

U.S. Drought Monitor county statistics

Land classed rural

100%

Census 2020 Census urban and rural classification

What to check before buying land in Chouteau County

Ordered by what Chouteau County's numbers point to. Every parcel differs, so treat this as where to look first.

  1. 1.Budget for a perc test and maybe an engineered septic

    USDA rates 90% of Chouteau County's mapped soils "very limited" for conventional septic absorption fields and 1.6% "not limited".

    Without city sewer you need a septic permit from the county or state health department. Make the offer contingent on a passing soil or perc test; mound and aerobic systems can cost several times a conventional one.

    Guide: Perc tests and septic systems

  2. 2.Prove the water supply before you buy

    At least half of Chouteau County was in severe drought (D2) or worse in 39% of the 262 weekly U.S. Drought Monitor maps from 2021 to 2026. Montana allocates water by permit or water right, so a well or pond isn't automatic.

    Ask whether the land has a public water connection, an existing well (and its log and yield), or neighbors' well depths from the state well database. For a new well, check permits and typical depth with the state agency first.

    Guide: Wells, public water and water rights

  3. 3.Confirm legal road access and power

    The 2020 Census classified 100% of Chouteau County's land area as rural.

    Rural tracts are often sold without recorded access or a power line nearby. Get the title company to confirm a recorded easement or public road frontage, and ask the electric co-op what a line extension costs.

    Guide: Road access and landlocked land

  4. 4.Check slope at the building site

    28% of Chouteau County's mapped soils have an average slope over 15% (USDA SSURGO).

    Steep ground means grading, retaining walls, longer driveways and erosion control. Compare the slope at the house site and along the access route, not just the parcel average.

    Guide: Terrain and slope

  5. 5.Check the soils if you plan to farm, graze or garden

    Farm real estate in Chouteau County averaged $1,356 an acre including buildings in the 2022 Census of Agriculture, and 34% of its mapped soils are prime or of statewide importance.

    Compare the asking price with recent sales of similar tracts, not the county average, which mixes cropland, pasture, timber and homesites. If an ag tax valuation applies, ask what the rollback taxes would be if you change the use.

    Guide: Land due diligence checklist

  6. 6.Confirm the flood zone at your exact spot

    under 1% of the county's area is in the 1%-annual-chance (100-year) floodplain FEMA's National Risk Index uses for inland flooding; 1.2% of its mapped soils flood occasionally or frequently.

    Even where little of the county floods, creeks and low spots do. Check the FEMA zone at the building site and the driveway route.

    Guide: Flood zones before buying land

Flood zones, wetlands and water in Chouteau County

Area in the 1%-annual-chance (100-year) floodplain
under 1%, 6th lowest of 56 in Montana FEMA National Risk Index
Mapped soils that flood occasionally or frequently
1.2% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Hydric soils (a federal wetland indicator)
1.8% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Poorly or very poorly drained soils
1.1% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Surface water (lakes, rivers, reservoirs)
24 sq mi Census 2024 Gazetteer Files
Drought on 2026-10-27
0% moderate or worse, 0% severe or worse U.S. Drought Monitor county statistics

The floodplain share is the area FEMA's National Risk Index counts as exposed to inland flooding, mostly mapped 100-year flood zones. It says how common flood-prone land is in Chouteau County, not whether a given parcel floods. For that, look up the zone at your exact point on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center or run the free check.

Soils and terrain

Prime farmland
8.9% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Prime only if drained, irrigated or protected
24% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Farmland of statewide importance
25% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Average slope over 15%
28% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Very limited for septic absorption fields
90% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Not limited for septic absorption fields
1.6% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)

Shares of Chouteau County's soil-surveyed land (about 2,510,977 acres, open water excluded), using each map unit's dominant condition in USDA's SSURGO soil survey. Soils change within a few hundred feet, so the soil at your building site is what matters.

Farms and land use

Farms (2022)
687 USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Share of the county's land in farms
93% USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Average farm size
3,434 acres (median 1,800) USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Average value of land and buildings
$1,356 per acre, 25th highest of 56 in Montana USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Cropland
1,481,908 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Pasture and rangeland
841,000 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Woodland on farms
33,486 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Irrigated land
22,510 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture

Natural hazard ratings

FEMA's National Risk Index rates each hazard for Chouteau County relative to every other U.S. county. Overall risk: Very Low.

  • Winter weatherRelatively Moderate
  • DroughtRelatively Low
  • River and inland floodingRelatively Low
  • LightningRelatively Low
  • WildfireRelatively Low
  • EarthquakeVery Low
  • HailVery Low
  • Heat waveVery Low
  • LandslideVery Low
  • Strong windVery Low
  • TornadoVery Low

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025

Questions about buying land in Chouteau County

How much of Chouteau County, MT is in a flood zone?

About under 1% of Chouteau County's area is in the 1%-annual-chance (100-year) floodplain used by FEMA's National Risk Index (December 2025), 6th lowest of 56 counties in Montana. Whether a given parcel is in a flood zone depends on its exact location, so check the FEMA map at your pin.

How much does land cost per acre in Chouteau County?

The 2022 Census of Agriculture put the average value of farm land and buildings in Chouteau County at $1,356 an acre, 25th highest of 56 counties in Montana (the median Montana county was $1,283). It's a self-reported average across farms, so small homesites and recreational tracts often sell for more per acre.

Will a septic system work on land in Chouteau County?

Often, but test first. USDA soil surveys rate 90% of Chouteau County's mapped soils very limited for conventional septic absorption fields, usually because of wetness, slow permeability, shallow rock or flooding. A perc or soil test on the parcel decides what system the health department will permit.

Is there good farmland in Chouteau County?

8.9% of Chouteau County's mapped soils are prime farmland, 24% are prime only if drained, irrigated or protected from flooding, and 25% are farmland of statewide importance (USDA SSURGO). The 2022 Census of Agriculture counted 687 farms averaging 3,434 acres.

How often is Chouteau County in drought?

Since 2021, at least half of the county was in severe drought or worse in 39% of weekly U.S. Drought Monitor maps, and in extreme drought in 13%. On 2026-10-27, 0% of the county was in moderate drought or worse.

Can I check a specific property in Chouteau County?

Yes. Enter the address or drop a pin anywhere in Chouteau County on the free check. It shows which checks return data at that exact point, and the full report costs $29: flood zone, slope, soils, wetlands, roads, power lines, wildfire and more, each with its source. It is a screen of public maps, not a survey, title search or perc test.

Check the parcel, not just the county

County numbers tell you what to look for. The free check looks at your exact point in Chouteau County: flood zone, slope, soils, wetlands, roads, power and more. The full report is $29.

Check a location in Chouteau County

What these numbers can't tell you

  • County shares describe Chouteau County as a whole; a parcel can be entirely in or out of a flood zone, wetland or poor soil.
  • It doesn't look at the whole parcel, its boundaries, title, easements, zoning or permits.
  • It isn't a survey, appraisal, elevation certificate, soil or perc test, or Phase I environmental site assessment.
  • It can't see local distribution power lines, driveways, legal access, wells or mineral rights.
  • Maps lag behind the ground, and distances are straight-line, not driving distance.

Sources and vintages

Summarized per county by our build script on 2026-10-31. County figures cover the whole county; checks on the report are at your point.