Flathead again the fastest growing county in Montana

Flathead County was the fastest growing county in Montana from July 2021 to July 2022, with 3,089 new residents counted in that time according to recently released Census data.

In the period going back to July 2020, the county gained 7,465 residents.

The growth was driven entirely by net migration as deaths outpaced births in the county during that time frame.

Almost all of the migration was domestic, with only around 300 of the county’s new residents coming from overseas.

Yellowstone, Gallatin, Missoula and Lewis and Clark counties rounded out the top five growers during the period.

Although outpacing the rest of the state, the growth in Flathead County is largely in line with decade’s old predictions, according to figures cited by Kalispell City Manager Doug Russell in his speech at Monday’s Growth Summit, hosted by the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce.

The county also has not grown as much as counties in other parts of the country, with the fastest growth occurring in the south and southwest, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Notable growth areas include counties in Texas, Georgia and Florida.

Realtor Matthew Hohnberger said many of his clients moving to the county are attracted to the area’s world class outdoor and recreational amenities, a feeling of security and the ongoing remote work trend.

“They’re coming to an area that provides incredible recreation in the public lands,” Hohnberger said. “Every outdoor activity you can imagine, we basically have it.”

Hohnberger also thinks people are moving their families here from urban areas to escape from crime.

He shared a conversation he had with a man from Los Angeles who moved here after being the victim of property crimes and witnessing a shooting.

“People are retreating to Montana because they feel safe,” he said.

County Commissioner Brad Abell discussed his opinions on growth and its impacts in a recent blog post entitled “Can We Keep People From Moving To Flathead?”

In the March 17 post, which was published on the county’s website, Abell pushed back on anti-growth sentiment, saying migration is impossible to prevent and development is necessary in what he described as the county’s higher density areas.

“I don’t believe that limiting development will stop people from moving here,” Abell writes. “They are coming regardless. But the alternative to not building more houses will drive the cost of home ownership even higher, forcing our children and grandchildren to live somewhere further away.”

Reporter Adrian Knowler can be reached at 758-4407 or aknowler@dailyinterlake.com.