Total enrollment
14,957
+618 (+4%) vs SY 2017-18
Flathead County
Montana · Public K-12
Public education in Flathead County reaches 14,957 students across 48 schools. Kalispell Elem is the largest district at 3,097 students. That works out to 25 elementary, 16 middle, and 7 high schools.
7-year change in Flathead County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
48
+3 (+7%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
88%
was 91%
% Hispanic
5%
was 3%
% Black
0%
was 1%
% Asian
1%
was 1%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
48
23 districts
Enrollment
14,957
NCES CCD
Median income
$73,925
Above Montana avg
Free/reduced lunch
75.1%
Above Montana avg
Elementary
25
6,594 students
Middle
16
3,745 students
High
7
4,618 students
Combined / other
0
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
Kalispell Elem
3,097 students · 23 districts in Flathead County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Flathead County residents (Census ACS 5-year). Right bar is the enrollment-weighted makeup of public schools in the county (NCES CCD). NCES systematically under-reports Hispanic, Pacific Islander, and Native American enrollment for many schools; where the resident share is meaningful but the reported school share is zero, we mark the school bar "not reported".
County residents
School enrollment
Bachelor's+
37.2%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
5.3%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
2.9%
civilian labor
Median age
42
21.6% under 18
Test scores in Flathead County
Latest 2020-21 ELA proficiency, 43 schools ranked. Montana state average: 47.2%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Deer Park 6-8· 74.5%
- Bigfork 6-8· 72.0%
- Deer Park School· 67.0%
- Edgerton School· 66.0%
- Creston School· 64.5%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Marion School· 32.0%
- Smith Valley Primary Schl· 32.0%
- Helena Flats 7-8· 34.5%
- Glacier Gateway Elem· 35.0%
- Columbia Falls High Schl· 37.0%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flathead High School | Kalispell | High | 09-12 | 1,541 | · |
| Glacier High School | Kalispell | High | 09-12 | 1,402 | · |
| Kalispell Middle School | Kalispell | Middle | 06-08 | 1,049 | · |
| Columbia Falls High Schl | Columbia Falls | High | 09-12 | 691 | · |
| L A Muldown School | Whitefish | Elementary | PK-04 | 661 | · |
| Whitefish Middle 5-8 | Whitefish | Middle | 05-08 | 657 | · |
| Whitefish High School | Whitefish | High | 09-12 | 618 | · |
| Columbia Falls Jr HS | Columbia Falls | Middle | 06-08 | 547 | · |
| Edgerton School | Kalispell | Elementary | PK-05 | 509 | · |
| Ruder Elementary | Columbia Falls | Elementary | PK-05 | 487 | · |
| Glacier Gateway Elem | Columbia Falls | Elementary | PK-05 | 471 | · |
| West Valley School | Kalispell | Elementary | PK-04 | 434 | · |
| Jeannette Rankin Elementary Sc | Kalispell | Elementary | PK-05 | 415 | · |
| West Valley Middle School | Kalispell | Middle | 05-08 | 372 | · |
| East Evergreen School | Kalispell | Elementary | PK-04 | 360 | · |
| Lillian Peterson School | Kalispell | Elementary | PK-05 | 344 | · |
| Bigfork Elementary | Bigfork | Elementary | PK-05 | 343 | · |
| Bigfork High School | Bigfork | High | 09-12 | 333 | · |
| Cornelius Hedges School | Kalispell | Elementary | PK-05 | 320 | · |
| Lakeside Elementary School | Lakeside | Elementary | PK-04 | 303 | · |
| Evergreen Junior High | Kalispell | Middle | 05-08 | 285 | · |
| Cayuse Prairie School | Kalispell | Elementary | PK-06 | 254 | · |
| Helena Flats School | Kalispell | Elementary | PK-06 | 253 | · |
| Elrod School | Kalispell | Elementary | PK-05 | 237 | · |
| Bigfork 6-8 | Bigfork | Middle | 06-08 | 236 | · |
| Somers Middle School | Somers | Middle | 05-08 | 231 | · |
| Russell School | Kalispell | Elementary | PK-05 | 223 | · |
| Smith Valley Primary Schl | Kalispell | Elementary | PK-06 | 148 | · |
| Kila School | Kila | Elementary | PK-06 | 142 | · |
| Deer Park School | Columbia Falls | Elementary | PK-05 | 120 | · |
| Fair-Mont-Egan School | Kalispell | Elementary | PK-05 | 115 | · |
| Marion School | Marion | Elementary | PK-06 | 114 | · |
| Swan River School | Bigfork | Elementary | PK-05 | 106 | · |
| Creston School | Kalispell | Elementary | PK-06 | 83 | · |
| Bissell School | Whitefish | Elementary | PK-06 | 78 | · |
| West Glacier School | West Glacier | Elementary | PK-06 | 65 | · |
| Cayuse Prairie 7-8 | Kalispell | Middle | 07-08 | 57 | · |
| Swan River 6-8 | Bigfork | Middle | 06-08 | 52 | · |
| Deer Park 6-8 | Columbia Falls | Middle | 06-08 | 48 | · |
| Kila 7-8 | Kila | Middle | 07-08 | 42 | · |
| Smith Valley 7-8 | Kalispell | Middle | 07-08 | 42 | · |
| Fair-Mont-Egan Middle School | Kalispell | Middle | 06-08 | 41 | · |
| Helena Flats 7-8 | Kalispell | Middle | 07-08 | 40 | · |
| Marion 7-8 | Marion | Middle | 07-08 | 29 | · |
| Flathead Pace Academy | Kalispell | High | 10-12 | 22 | · |
| Bissell 7-8 | Whitefish | Middle | 07-08 | 17 | · |
| Kalispell Rising Wolf Charter | Kalispell | High | 09-12 | 11 | · |
| Pleasant Valley School | Marion | Elementary | PK-08 | 9 | · |
Cities in Flathead County
About Flathead County
Flathead County is a medium-population county of about 110,695 residents in Montana. Its public-school system enrolls approximately 14,957 students across 48 schools.
Looking at the wider area, census numbers show typical household earnings sit around $73,925, about 37% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and the federal-poverty share is near 5%. That income level is 13% meaningfully above the Montana median.
On the school-mix side, Flathead County is built around 25 elementary schools (6,594 students), 16 middle schools (3,745), and 7 high schools (4,618).
The largest single district in Flathead County is Kalispell Elem, which alone enrolls about 3,097 students.
Looking at the last 7 years. Total public-school enrollment in Flathead County has expanded 4% since SY 2017-18, moving from about 14,339 students to 14,957. Over that span, Flathead County opened 3 schools, going from 45 to 48. The White share of public-school enrollment decreased from 91% to 88%.
Within the allk12 community for this area, the community for Flathead County discusses sports rivalries, cross-district programs, and shared facilities. Posts come from current and former families, staff, and alumni.
Frequently asked questions
Flathead County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data