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Flathead County, MT: population growth, jobs and income

Flathead County gained 1,062 residents between 2024 and 2025 (+0.9%).

Flathead County had an estimated 115,429 residents in 2025, up 10.1% (10,556 more people) since 2020. That is faster than Montana as a whole (+5.3%), and the 9th fastest growth of 52 counties in Montana.

Data as of 2025 · updated

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In the Flathead County report

One-time $99 PDF: everything on this page for Flathead County, ranked against Montana and the U.S., plus these figures that are not on the free page:

  • Median gross rent$1,142/mo2020–24
  • Vacant homes, incl. seasonal and second homes14.4%2020–24
  • New homes permitted, last 12 months7932025-10/2026-09
  • Rent growth, 5 yearsIn the report
  • Permits in 5+ unit buildingsIn the report
  • IRS income moving in (net AGI)In the report
  • Neighbouring-county comparison tableIn the report

What's inside: 5 pages

  1. 1 Summary, headline numbers and ranks (free preview)
  2. 2 Ranks and the neighbouring-county table
  3. 3 Migration, with IRS mover and income flows
  4. 4 Rent, vacant homes, permits and employers
  5. 5 Every source and the methods
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Headline numbers

What the numbers say

Net domestic migration added 914 people in 2025: more people moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out.

Private employers had 45,165 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +14.0% since 2018 (County Business Patterns).

Unemployment averaged 3.5% in 2025, 0.8 points lower than in 2019 (before the pandemic).

Builders were authorized to start 830 new homes in 2025, or 7.2 per 1,000 residents.

Median household income was $73,925 in the 2020–24 American Community Survey, +28.0% since 2016–20.

Across the 3,107 U.S. counties with a comparable estimate, its population growth ranks 195th.

Part of the Kalispell, MT micro area.

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Flathead County population by year

Resident population, July 1 estimate (Census Bureau)
YearPopulationChange
2025115,429+1,062
2024114,367+986
2023113,381+1,694
2022111,687+2,927
2021108,760+3,887
2020104,873–

Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year.

What drove the change in Flathead County

Flathead County grew by 10,556 people since 2020; the largest part came from domestic migration (+10,147).

Components of population change, people (Census Bureau)
Component20252020–25Share
Natural changebirths minus deaths+101+141
International migrationfrom and to other countries+53+342
Domestic migrationfrom and to other U.S. counties+914+10,147
Census adjustmentbalancing residual−6−74
Total change+1,062+10,556

Census Bureau population estimates, components of change, each year July 1 to June 30. The components add up to the change in the estimate; the Census adjustment is the small balancing figure the Bureau publishes.

How it ranks

MeasureIn MontanaAmong U.S. counties
Population growth9th of 52195th of 3,107
Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents18th of 52734th of 3,108
Private-sector job growth13th of 52411th of 3,092
Median household income11th of 52915th of 3,107
Lowest unemployment rate35th of 52947th of 3,108
New homes permitted per 1,000 residents3rd of 44317th of 3,005

1st = highest (lowest for unemployment). Counties are ranked only against others with a figure for the same period.

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The County Growth and Demographics Report for Flathead County, MT as a PDF, from federal data: population and migration, housing and rents, permits, private employers and jobs, unemployment, ranks in the state and the country, and neighbouring counties, with a source next to every number. Pay once, no subscription.

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Neighbouring counties

Over 2020–25, Flathead County's population change (+10.1%) was ahead of 7 of its 9 neighbouring counties and behind 2 (Sanders County and Lincoln County).

2 of its 9 neighbouring counties had a higher median household income than Flathead County's $73,925 (2020–24).

Flathead County, MT and its 9 neighbouring counties: public federal figures
CountyPopulation2025Population change2020–25Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents2025Homes permitted per 1,000 residents2025Median household income2020–24
Flathead County, MT This county115,429+10.1%7.97.2$73,925
Lake County, MT33,392+6.9%2.72.3$63,360
Glacier County, MT13,463−2.0%−3.60.0$46,875
Missoula County, MT123,513+4.4%6.27.2$75,598
Sanders County, MT14,062+12.9%14.9–$57,476
Lincoln County, MT22,328+13.1%14.01.2$47,143
Pondera County, MT6,072+3.2%4.00.0$52,338
Powell County, MT7,157+3.1%10.312.3$66,923
Lewis and Clark County, MT75,331+5.8%3.52.6$78,237
Teton County, MT6,496+3.9%10.00.3$70,430

Census Bureau population estimates and building permits, American Community Survey 5-year income. Rates per 1,000 residents. – means no figure, or a base too small for a change or rate (it would swing on a few people). A figure from another period shows its year and is left out of the comparison.

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Questions

Is Flathead County growing?

Yes. Its population grew 10.1% between 2020 and 2025, about 10,556 more people (Census Bureau population estimates). Montana as a whole changed +5.3% over the same years. That ranks 9th of 52 counties in Montana for population growth.

How many people moved to Flathead County?

On net, about 914 people in 2025: that many more moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out (Census Bureau net domestic migration estimate).

What is the unemployment rate in Flathead County?

It averaged 3.5% in 2025 (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average).

What is the population of Flathead County?

About 115,429 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate for July 1, 2025.

How many jobs are in Flathead County?

Private employers there had 45,165 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +14.0% since 2018 (Census Bureau County Business Patterns; government jobs and the self-employed are not counted).

What Beacon CRE covers in Montana

Map, parcel and listing layers cover North and South Carolina only for now. This page and the other Montana county pages carry the public federal growth figures.

Flathead County data alerts

Email me when Flathead County gets new Census numbers: population, building permits, jobs and income. About 4 emails a year, one click to stop.

We use your address only to email you when new data for Flathead County is out: what changed, with a link to that county's report. No newsletter, no other sales emails. Delete it any time with the link in every email. We'll email you a link to confirm first; nothing starts until you click it. Privacy notice.

Sources and method

Each number shows its own period. Changes compare the latest period with five years earlier (or the earliest period available). Beacon CRE last refreshed these figures on 2026-11-05. Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how we compute every number. More on every layer: data sources and licences.

Jobs outside North and South Carolina use County Business Patterns (paid private-sector employees in mid-March); wages and government jobs are not included.