Census tracks gains for smaller towns
The population of some communities in the Flathead exploded in the last decade, according to data from the 2010 census.
While Kalispell’s 40.1 percent growth led large cities in Montana, that increase was eclipsed by the growth in some smaller communities in and around the Flathead Valley.
Bigfork’s population nearly tripled, increasing from 1,421 residents in 2000 to 4,270 in 2010.
Most of that increase, however, can be attributed to a change in the boundaries that constitute the Bigfork “census designated place.”
Communities that are not incorporated cities may be classified as census designated places, at the request of the community, and then a population is determined for that area.
The boundaries used to count the Bigfork population in 2000 differed from those used in 2010, according to Census Bureau spokesman Doug Wayland of Denver.
The new boundaries increase the Bigfork census designated place to a size about four times larger than the area used in 2000, according to a map from the Census and Economic Information Center at the Montana Department of Commerce. The boundaries were expanded mostly to the east and north and now stretch south to the Flathead-Lake county border, west to Montana 83 and north to Echo Lake.
The biggest percentage population increase was reflected at Kerr Dam — 1,376 percent. The population in 2000 was 17 and in 2010 it increased to 251. Kerr Dam is not an incorporated community.
Growth also was reflected in Somers’ population, which grew 99.5 percent. A decade ago, 556 people called Somers home, compared to 1,109 today.
Evergreen, an unincorporated area adjacent to Kalispell, held its spot as the second-largest community in Flathead County with 7,616 residents. That represented a 22.5 percent growth rate in the decade.
Whitefish grew by 26 percent to reach a population of 6,357 in 2010 compared to 5,032 in 2000. Columbia Falls now has a listed population of 4,688, a 28 percent increase from 3,645 in 2000.
The small community of Fortine nearly doubled its size. A decade ago, Fortine had 169 residents but grew to 325 in 2010, a 92 percent boost.
Coram grew by 60 percent, increasing from 337 in 2000 to 539 in 2010.
Lakeside grew from 1,679 to 2,669, a 59 percent increase.
Martin City grew at a rate of 51 percent, increasing from 331 residents to 500.
The population of the nearby Canyon town of Hungry Horse dropped. The 826 people who lived there on April 1, 2010, were 11 percent fewer than the 934 residents in 2000.
Overall, Flathead County’s population increased by 22 percent to 90,928, compared to 74,471 in 2000.
Several area communities are listed as census designated places in the 2010 census but were not in 2000, so no comparison of population changes can be made.
Those communities and their 2010 populations include Babb, 174; Happy’s Inn, 164; Helena Flats, 1,043; Kila, 392; Lake Mary Ronan, 65; Little Bitterroot Lake, 194; Marion, 886; Olney, 191; Stryker, 26; Swan Lake, 113; West Glacier, 227; and Yaak, 248.
Community 2000 2010 Change
Big Arm 131 177 +35%
Bigfork 1,421 4,270 +200%
Columbia Falls 3,645 4,688 +28%
Coram 337 539 +60%
Dayton 95 84 -11%
East Glacier Park 396 363 -8%
Elmo 143 180 +26%
Eureka 1,017 1,037 +2%
Evergreen 6,215 7,616 +22.5%
Finley Point 493 480 -2.6%
Fortine 169 325 +92%
Hot Springs 531 544 +2%
Hungry Horse 934 826 -11%
Jette 267 253 -5%
Kalispell 14,223 19,927 +40%
Kerr 17 251 +1,376%
Lakeside 1,679 2,669 +59%
Libby 2,626 2,628 +.07%
Lonepine 137 162 +18%
Martin City 331 500 +51%
Niarada 50 54 +8%
Pablo 1,814 2,254 +24%
Polson 4,041 4,488 +11%
Rocky Point 107 97 -9%
Rollins 183 209 +14%
Ronan 1,812 1,871 +3%
Seeley Lake 1,436 1,659 +15%
Somers 556 1,109 +99.5%
Troy 957 938 -1.9%
Whitefish 5,032 6,357 +26%
Woods Bay 748 661 -11.6%
Reporter Shelley Ridenour may be reached at 758-4439 or by email at sridenour@dailyinterlake.com.