1991, enrollment in high school has 

 increased more than 23 percent, to 

 the 2001 level of 4,369 students. 

 Most of this growth has occurred in 

 the Kalispell High School, where 

 enrollment has increased by more 

 than 500 students over the last 10 

 years. Elementary school enrollment 

 is at about the same level as in 

 1991, 9,000 students. In the period 

 between 1991 and 2001, elementary 

 enrollment grew and peaked during 

 the middle 90s, but since then has 

 declined and is currently at 9,000 

 students. This trend is much the 

 same as school trends for the rest 

 of the country. High school 

 enrollment is likely to drop in the 

 next few years, as the end of the 

 children of the "baby boomers" 

 finish their secondary education. 

 Some of the other County high 

 schools are already experiencing a 

 decline in enrollment. 



Flathead County is widely known for 

 its production of "Flathead 

 cherries" and Christmas tree farms; 

 according to the University of 

 Montana Bureau of Business and 

 Economics, these other agricultural 

 activities account for about 8 



percent of the County gross product. 

 The wood-products industry is the 

 largest producer in the County, 

 accounting for about 21 percent of 

 the County's gross product. Other 

 areas of economic importance include 

 transportation (16 percent) , Federal 

 government (10.1 percent), tourism 

 (10.8 percent), and metal production 

 (11.2 percent). The County gross 

 product figures are substantiated by 

 the personal income, employment, and 

 wage and salary data. 



The data in TABLE F-1 - FLATHEAD 

 COUNTY COVERED WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT 

 1999 - SELECTED INDUSTRIES shows 

 employment and income in different 

 industry categories for Flathead 

 County. Total employment shows that 

 nearly 30,100 workers earned $697 

 million in wages, with an average 

 annual wage of $23,152. The average 

 annual wage is nearly identical to 

 the Statewide average wage of 

 $23,253. 



Industry wages related to forest 

 products and harvesting are paid at 

 rates substantially above the 

 average; only workers in the metal 

 industry have higher annual wages 



TABLE F-1 - FLATHEAD COUNTY COVERED WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT 1999 - SELECTED 

 INDUSTRIES 



Page F-2 



Dog/Meadow Timber Sale Project Draft EA 



