# Flathead County, Montana

Flathead County is a county located in the U.S. state of Montana. At the 2020 census, its population was 104,357, making it the state's fourth most populous county. Its county seat is Kalispell. Its numerical designation (used in the issuance of license plates) is 7. Its northern border is on the state's north border, making it contiguous with the Canada–US border, facing British Columbia.
Flathead County comprises the Kalispell, Montana Micropolitan Statistical Area, with neighboring Lake County following soon after.

## History

Flathead County was founded in 1893. Some sources cite the supposed practice of the Salish tribe flattening infants' heads as the origin of the name Flathead, but there is no record of Salish Indians ever having that appearance.

## Geography

The county includes much of Flathead Lake, the Flathead Valley, and the Flathead River. These natural treasures were created by glacial activity which ended approximately 10,000 years ago. The Flathead Valley is the southern extension of a prominent valley called the Rocky Mountain Trench, which runs from the Yukon Territory in Canada as far south as Flathead Lake. The Trench in northwestern Montana was created by subsidence along a major extensional fault, which continues today. After the valley formed, glaciers flowing down the Trench from British Columbia, and into it from the surrounding mountain ranges left a flat valley floor and dammed the Flathead River drainage to create Flathead Lake. Several tribes have long used the Flathead Lake, and the Bitterroot Salish, Kootenai, and Pend d'Oreilles tribes are represented on the Flathead Reservation. The western part of Glacier National Park is located in the county.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 5,256 square miles (13,610 km$^2$), of which 5,088 square miles (13,180 km$^2$) is land and 169 square miles (440 km$^2$) (3.2%) is water. It is the third-largest county in Montana by land area and second-largest by total area.

### Ecology

Wildlife includes bobcats, black bears, coyotes, deer, elk, grizzly bears, lynx, mountain lions, and wolves.

### National protected areas

* Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail (part)
* Flathead National Forest (part)
* Glacier National Park (part)
* Kootenai National Forest (part)
* Lolo National Forest (part)
* Lost Trail National Wildlife Refuge

## Demographics
### 2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 104,357 people living in the county.

### 2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 90,928 people, 37,504 households, and 24,817 families living in the county. The population density was 17.9 inhabitants per square mile (6.9/km$^2$). There were 46,963 housing units at an average density of 9.2 per square mile (3.6/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the county was 95.5% white, 1.1% American Indian, 0.6% Asian, 0.2% black or African American, 0.1% Pacific islander, 0.4% from other races, and 2.1% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 2.3% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 28.1% were German, 15.0% were English, 14.8% were Irish, 9.3% were Norwegian, and 4.6% were American.
Of the 37,504 households, 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.8% were married couples living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 33.8% were non-families, and 27.2% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.40, and the average family size was 2.91. The median age was 41.2 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $44,998, and the median income for a family was $53,940. Males had a median income of $39,767 versus $28,026 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,721. About 8.4% of families and 11.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.8% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over.

## Politics

Along with Yellowstone County (home to Billings), Flathead County is one of Montana's more populous counties that leans heavily Republican. It has last voted Democratic in 1964, and has voted over 60% Republican in every presidential election since 1996 save 2008.
United States presidential election results for Flathead County, Montana :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 41,390 | 65.18% | 20,062 | 31.59% | 2,049 | 3.23% |
| 2020 | 38,321 | 63.93% | 20,274 | 33.82% | 1,343 | 2.24% |
| 2016 | 30,240 | 63.67% | 13,293 | 27.99% | 3,963 | 8.34% |
| 2012 | 28,309 | 64.47% | 13,892 | 31.64% | 1,708 | 3.89% |
| 2008 | 25,559 | 58.43% | 16,138 | 36.89% | 2,047 | 4.68% |
| 2004 | 26,019 | 67.27% | 11,587 | 29.96% | 1,072 | 2.77% |
| 2000 | 22,519 | 66.55% | 8,329 | 24.61% | 2,991 | 8.84% |
| 1996 | 16,542 | 51.33% | 10,452 | 32.43% | 5,231 | 16.23% |
| 1992 | 11,699 | 37.24% | 9,746 | 31.02% | 9,971 | 31.74% |
| 1988 | 14,461 | 57.33% | 10,202 | 40.44% | 562 | 2.23% |
| 1984 | 17,012 | 65.93% | 8,310 | 32.21% | 481 | 1.86% |
| 1980 | 15,102 | 63.54% | 6,349 | 26.71% | 2,316 | 9.74% |
| 1976 | 10,494 | 55.69% | 7,827 | 41.53% | 524 | 2.78% |
| 1972 | 10,417 | 60.72% | 5,412 | 31.55% | 1,327 | 7.73% |
| 1968 | 7,215 | 51.54% | 5,253 | 37.52% | 1,532 | 10.94% |
| 1964 | 6,325 | 44.02% | 8,015 | 55.78% | 30 | 0.21% |
| 1960 | 7,554 | 52.95% | 6,689 | 46.88% | 24 | 0.17% |
| 1956 | 8,088 | 57.40% | 6,003 | 42.60% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 7,372 | 59.09% | 4,994 | 40.03% | 110 | 0.88% |
| 1948 | 4,240 | 46.12% | 4,546 | 49.45% | 407 | 4.43% |
| 1944 | 4,066 | 52.22% | 3,608 | 46.34% | 112 | 1.44% |
| 1940 | 4,403 | 45.06% | 5,217 | 53.39% | 151 | 1.55% |
| 1936 | 2,460 | 28.83% | 5,408 | 63.38% | 664 | 7.78% |
| 1932 | 2,978 | 38.76% | 4,026 | 52.40% | 679 | 8.84% |
| 1928 | 4,098 | 66.61% | 1,972 | 32.05% | 82 | 1.33% |
| 1924 | 2,541 | 43.28% | 788 | 13.42% | 2,542 | 43.30% |
| 1920 | 3,900 | 59.26% | 2,241 | 34.05% | 440 | 6.69% |
| 1916 | 2,913 | 45.33% | 2,978 | 46.34% | 535 | 8.33% |
| 1912 | 493 | 14.93% | 1,106 | 33.50% | 1,702 | 51.56% |
| 1908 | 1,838 | 49.45% | 1,480 | 39.82% | 399 | 10.73% |
| 1904 | 1,969 | 64.54% | 861 | 28.22% | 221 | 7.24% |
| 1900 | 1,104 | 47.08% | 1,201 | 51.22% | 40 | 1.71% |
| 1896 | 413 | 23.22% | 1,360 | 76.45% | 6 | 0.34% |

## Infrastructure

* Kalispell Regional Medical Center is the county's largest hospital.
* North Valley Hospital is located in Whitefish
* Flathead County Library System has 4 locations:
** BigforkColumbia FallsKalispellMarion
** Whitefish Library is separate
* Flathead County Solid Waste (Landfill) is located between Kalispell and Whitefish
* There are 16 Fire Districts and 3 Fire Service Areas
* There are 6 High Schools including private
* There are 21 Public School Districts
* Legislature
** 3 County Commissioner Districts
** 11 House Districts
** 7 Senate Districts

## Communities
### Cities

* Columbia Falls
* Kalispell (county seat)
* Whitefish

### Census-designated places

* Batavia
* Bigfork
* Coram
* Essex
* Evergreen
* Forest Hill Village
* Helena Flats
* Hungry Horse
* Kila
* Lakeside
* Little Bitterroot Lake
* Marion
* Martin City
* Niarada
* Olney
* Pinnacle
* Polebridge
* Rhodes
* Snowslip
* Somers
* West Glacier

### Other unincorporated communities

* Apgar Village
* Lake McDonald

### Adjacent counties

* Regional District of East Kootenay, British Columbia – north
* Waterton Lakes National Park (Improvement District No. 4), Alberta – northeast
* Glacier County – east
* Pondera County – east
* Teton County – east
* Lewis and Clark County – southeast
* Powell County – southeast
* Missoula County – southeast
* Lake County – south
* Sanders County – southwest
* Lincoln County – west

## Education

High school districts include:
* Bigfork High School District
* Columbia Falls High School District
* Flathead High School District
* Whitefish High School District
Elementary school districts include:
* Bigfork Elementary School District
* Cayuse Prairie Elementary School District
* Columbia Falls Elementary School District
* Creston Elementary School District
* Deer Park Elementary School District
* Fair-Mont-Egan Elementary School District
* Evergreen Elementary School District
* Helena Flats Elementary School District
* Kalispell Elementary School District
* Kila Elementary School District
* Marion Elementary School District
* Olney-Bissell Elementary School District
* Pleasant Valley Elementary School District
* Smith Valley Elementary School District
* Somers Elementary School District
* Swan River Elementary School District
* West Glacier Elementary School District
* West Valley Elementary School District
* Whitefish Elementary School District
Flathead Valley Community College is a tertiary institution.

## Notable people

* Joe Bereta, member of the sketch comedy duo Barats and Bereta based in Spokane, Washington. Currently co-hosts SourceFed on YouTube.
* Phil Jackson, NBA coach and player
* Dorothy M. Johnson, writer of Westerns
* Maury Povich, talk show host known for his TV show Maury
* Keith Regier, Montana state senator
* Alice Ritzman, LPGA golf professional
* Michelle Williams, actress
* Derek Skees, Montana state representative

## In popular culture

Miami Herald columnist Dave Barry frequently cites the police blotter of the Flathead Beacon in Flathead County as a source of humorous material. It is written in a spare, surrealist style by local man Micah Drew, following the pattern set by earlier writers Christie Burns and Justin Franz.