Whitefish Elem, MT - District Data

Original Research by School Decision on Whitefish Elem

Whitefish Elem is a Montana school district serving children from prekindergarten through eighth grade. It operates two schools in the Whitefish area: an elementary school and a middle school that serves grades five through eight. The district does not operate a high school; students continue to a separate high school district after eighth grade. This structure means the district’s academic picture is built entirely on elementary and middle school results, with no graduation rate to report because that measure does not apply here.

On state assessments in math and English language arts for grades three through eight, the district’s proficiency rates place it well above the midpoint among Flathead County’s districts. In fact, its overall proficiency index across tested subjects and grades lands in the top quartile of the county. Science results from a prior year also show a solid majority of students meeting proficiency. These numbers indicate a consistently strong academic foundation in the elementary and middle grades, though the state changed its assessment name and cut scores in recent years, so trend comparisons are uncertain.

A softer spot appears in attendance. The district’s chronic absenteeism rate sits in the bottom quartile of Flathead County districts, meaning a higher share of students miss enough school to be counted as chronically absent. This is a metric worth asking the district about directly, especially since no other student support or discipline data were available to round out the picture.

The student body is largely homogeneous. Most students are white, with very small shares of Hispanic, Asian, Black, and Native American students. Information on the share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price meals, receiving special education services, or learning English were not reported, so a family looking for details on economic or learning support should seek those from the district.

The housing market in Whitefish is expensive. Home values and rents are high relative to state and national benchmarks, and the area is a destination for tourism and second homes, which likely shapes the community’s character. Affordability metrics suggest that homeownership requires a high income-to-price ratio, and renting also takes a significant share of household income. Families moving into the district or already living there should factor this into their planning.

The district has made two notable changes that affect current and future families. Voters approved a general fund levy in May 2024, following a similar levy in May 2023. Both are recurring property-tax-supported funding for district programs and staffing, so they directly affect household costs and school operations. Separately, the district updated its strategic plan in spring 2024 with a priority of fully implementing the Project Lead The Way (PLTW) Launch STEM program at Muldown Elementary. PLTW modules in computer science, engineering, and biomedical science are now being rolled out across elementary, middle, and high school levels, representing a lasting curriculum shift.

For a parent or resident, Whitefish Elem offers a high-performing academic environment in the elementary and middle grades, backed by recent voter investment and a deliberate push into STEM programming. The housing market is a significant factor, and the absenteeism rate is a point a family may want to explore further with the school. The district is a solid choice for families who can manage the area’s cost of living and are looking for strong foundational academics and a growing emphasis on hands-on STEM learning.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

1,333

Grades

PK–08

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 5%

Black 0%

White 90%

Asian 0%

Two+ 4%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Schools in this District

2 schools are officially reported under this district.

L A Muldown School

Whitefish Middle 5-8

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

1 grade reported

64%

Grades 3-8

English Language Arts

1 grade reported

62%

Grades 3-8

Science

1 grade reported

60%

Grades 3-8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$771,202

Year-over-year change-1.2%

Range across 5 ZIP codes$551K to $878K

vs. state typical1.65x

vs. national typical2.09x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (5 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
59937	Whitefish	$878K	-0.8%	64.5%
59928		$581K	-2.4%	29.3%
59901	Kalispell	$553K	-0.1%	2.9%
59927	Whitefish	$551K	+0.5%	2.2%
59912	Columbia Falls	$606K	-0.6%	1.0%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$2,600/mo

Year-over-year change+1.6%

Range across 2 ZIP codes$1,972 to $2,629/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (2 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
59937	Whitefish	$2,629	+1.6%	64.5%
59901	Kalispell	$1,972	+1.9%	2.9%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$3,892/mo

Home price / national median income9.2x

Annual rent / national median income37.3%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$1,291/mo

Market Activity: Flathead County

Median listing price$895,000

Median listing price YoY-0.4%

Median price per sq ft$429

Median price per sq ft YoY-2.7%

Median days on market66.3 days

Median days on market YoY-3.3%

Active listings781

Active listings YoY-10.7%

New listings288

New listings YoY-5.3%

Pending listings242

Pending listings YoY+7.6%

Hotness: median listing price$880,625

Hotness: median listing price YoY+2.0%

Supply score20.3

Supply score YoY+39.6%

Demand score47.1

Demand score YoY+16.7%

Median listing price (12 months)

Median price per sq ft (12 months)

Median days on market (12 months)

Active listings (12 months)

New listings (12 months)

Pending listings (12 months)

Hotness: median listing price (12 months)

Supply score (12 months)

Demand score (12 months)

Comparison

State typical home value$467,919 (+1.3% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.