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Flathead County, MT has most diverse job base in the West
Flathead County has the most balanced employment in the Rocky Mountain West, according to a new university study.
Balanced employment, or economic diversity, means that jobs are not concentrated in one or two areas. Such diversity protects communities against economic downturns.
By Alan Choate
The Daily Inter Lake
Colorado College’s 2004 State of the Rockies Report Card lists Flathead County ahead of 282 other counties in Colorado, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada and Utah. Gallatin County, where Bozeman is located, was ranked fourth.
The county was also third in small business vitality and public lands quality, and 10th in "recreation hot spots," said Patrick Holmes, one of the study’s authors.
Those qualities contributed to Flathead County having balanced employment, he added — a high quality of life attracts people and investment, which promotes a diversity of job opportunities. The challenge is maintaining that quality of life.
"Having balanced employment is one of the most difficult economic development problems, especially in non-metro areas," Holmes said.
Communities in the Rockies historically have often relied on a single industry for economic support — mining, logging, oil and gas extraction, for example, or tourism.
Flathead County’s economy is the exact opposite, spreading employment across several sectors. Construction, retail, education and arts/entertainment/recreation account for the largest numbers of jobs.
As the economy diversifies, however, more people find out that the Flathead is an attractive place to live, Holmes said.
"The growth issue is the down side," Holmes said. "What sorts of strains are the people coming here putting on local infrastructure?"
So far those strains aren’t showing, he said. For example, the county has been doing better than many other areas in land use, although that data doesn’t include the large retail projects initiated in the last few years. The county also got a "B" in a separate quality of life ranking that measured things like the unemployment and poverty rates, income distribution, education and small business growth, Holmes said.
The good news comes with a word of caution, however. Places like Flathead County should look to places such as Denver and Colorado Springs — where air pollution, urban sprawl and traffic congestion are major issues — for lessons on how to preserve the elements that create a livable community and a diverse economy.
"Your economy might be very vibrant right now. Your amenities are ranked very high," he said. "But in the long run, you might start dealing with some of the issues facing Colorado’s front range."
Reporter Alan Choate may be reached at 758-4438 or by e-mail at [email protected]
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