It’s common for municipalities to complain about the U.S. Census, and most often it regards population figures that critics contend are underreported. But in Flathead County, the latest count exceeded my modest expectations.
The Census says we grew by 16,457 people since 2000. And, in what I would consider a minor upset, this county still holds a slight edge over Gallatin and is now ranked the third most populous in the state.
The third most populous county? That’s a testament to Montana’s rural nature when a five-minute drive here in about any direction still takes you to the countryside. And, despite the state’s growth, we will once again have just one congressman or woman in the U.S. House over the next decade, though he or she will represent the most people in the country (all 989,415 Montanans).
But at the local level, Flathead’s growth should result in more influence in the Legislature when redistricting occurs. Sen. Bruce Tutvedt, R-Kalispell, has long argued the area is underrepresented by multiple seats, and he now may have the stats to back that up.
After the Census data was released, Joe Lamson, a member of the Districting and Apportionment Commission, argued that while Gallatin County’s growth could benefit Democrats, Flathead’s would do the same for Republicans. The counties are the two fastest growing in the state.
The growth in our area over the last decade, especially in the valley’s towns and cities, is truly staggering.
Kalispell grew by 40 percent; Evergreen by 22.5 percent; Whitefish by 26 percent; Columbia Falls by 29 percent; Bigfork by 200 percent; Lakeside by 59 percent and Somers by 99.5 percent.
The Flathead is unique in Montana in that it is home to several small and medium-sized towns, incorporated and unincorporated, interconnected but wholly individual. Add them all up and the county (home to 90,928 residents) has just 18,371 fewer people than Missoula County, which many would consider far more metropolitan.
There are some financial disadvantages to population growth. Kalispell City Manager Jane Howington pointed out at a recent city council meeting that the Census numbers mean the city is on the hook for more of the cost of the new county 911 Center. At the same time, Howington said the city is basing its budget on no growth over the next few years. Five years ago, when the economy was riding high and jobs were plentiful, that would be hard to imagine.
Yes, the benefits of growth still traditionally outweigh the costs. Often federal aid is based on Census numbers and, perhaps more importantly, population increases can impact the overall perception of a place. An area that is growing rapidly is often considered to have a healthy economy – regardless of whether that description is appropriate.
That’s also why when a city thinks its numbers are underreported it protests the results. When the Census announced that New York City’s population had grown just 2.1 percent over the last decade, the city’s Mayor Michael Bloomberg called the number “inconceivable” and vowed to formally challenge the findings. The city did the same thing in 2000 and was unsuccessful.
In Flathead County, as the recession has cost the area thousands of jobs and people have had to look elsewhere for work, the area may have actually lost people over the last several months. At best, our population and economy are stagnant. The last decade’s boom is long over. The challenge for our elected officials, of which we should have more at the state level, will simply be sustaining modest growth over the next 10 years.