Whitefish City Planner Alan Tiefenbach presented the demographic section of the city’s Growth Policy update at the Community Development Board work session last week.

Tiefenbach said the demographic section of the plan will be more comprehensive than in the past and that he gleaned the information from several sources including the Census and the Montana Department of Commerce and Economic Development and the Housing Needs Assessment. 

According to his presentation, Flathead County has been the fastest growing county in the state since 2020. For three decades before that, Gallatin County was the fastest growing. Flathead County is the fourth largest county in Montana with a population of 113,679. The population of full-time residents of Whitefish is 9,163. 

The Whitefish household median income is almost $70,000, which is more than the county’s median income, but lower than the national median income, $74,755.  

Tiefenbach pointed out that the national median home price is $412,000, while the median home price in Whitefish is $950,000. 

Three population projections for the city were presented. Model one projects a full-time resident population of 11,423 by 2045. The second model predicts 14,000 and the third 12,339, which is closer to the historic growth rate. 

“When I see these numbers, it feels like it’s not telling the full story,” commented Mallory Philips from Shelter WF. “I would like to know how many people who were living in Whitefish ... have been displaced over the past 10, 15 years.” 

She suggested the city consider how estimations for the future can ensure that displacement is not more likely. 

Dakota Whitman warned against using a lower population projection model because if the growth exceeds the number projected, it will result in sprawl. 

Concern was also voiced about the public being unaware of the Growth Policy updates and the monthly meetings to discuss the progress, even though there have been many newspaper articles written on the subject, including briefs about the Community Development Board each month among other media. 

“When we first started the process, we sent out 10,000 postcards to everybody within 59937,” Tiefenbach said.  “We put a flyer in every single utility bill. We sent out a public service announcement. We had it published in all three papers. We put it on the Facebook page and had a pretty well attended kick off meeting.  

The public can also keep abreast of the update by visiting www.engagewhitefish.com. 

Community Development Board members John Middleton, Whitney Beckham and Phil Boland were absent. Another work session about the environment chapter of the growth policy update will precede the next meeting of the board on Dec. 19.