Big Sky

Big Sky is an unincorporated census-designated place (CDP) in Gallatin and Madison counties in southwestern Montana, United States. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 2,308. It is 45 miles (72 km) southwest of Bozeman. The community had two large ski resorts that are sited in the "Mountain" area: Big Sky Resort and Moonlight Basin. The combined terrain of the two resorts allows them to market themselves as the "Biggest Skiing in America", with over 5,800 acres of terrain. Several dude ranches (320 Guest Ranch, Elkhorn Ranch, Cinnamon Lodge and 9 Quarter Circle) operate in the Gallatin Canyon. Big Sky is located at 45°1612N 111°1759W (45.269940, -111.299725) and 15 miles (24 km) from the northwestern border of Yellowstone National Park. It has a borderline humid continental (Dfb) / alpine subarctic climate (Dfc) for most of the area, but the lower elevations may be closer to a dry continental climate. Most of the CDP drains to the east into theGallatin River, while the westernmost portions drain west via Cedar Creek and Jack Creek to the Madison River. The primary industry of the region is tourism. In addition to outdoor activities, the community offers a variety of recreational venues, such as the Warren Miller Performing Arts Center, a school, a community center and a movie theater.

Geography

Big Sky is located at 45°1612N 111°1759W (45.269940, -111.299725), approximately midway between West Yellowstone and Bozeman on U.S. Highway 191. The community had two large ski resorts that are sited in the "Mountain" area: Big Sky Resort and Moonlight Basin. In October 2013, these resorts merged: both are now managed by BigSky Resort, and both are alpine ski and golf resorts. The combined terrain of the two resorts allows them to market themselves as the "Biggest Skiing in America", with over 5,800 acres of terrain. The Gallatin River, named after Albert Gallatin who was the Secretary of the Treasury during the Lewis and Clark Expedition, is a Blue Ribbon trout stream that attracts fly-fishers from around the world. Several dude ranches (320 Guest Ranch, Elkhorn Ranch, Cinnamon Lodge and 9 Quarter Circle) operate in the Gallatin Canyon. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Big Sky has a borderline humid continental (Dfb) / alpine subarctic climate (Dfc) for most of the area, but the lower elevations may be closer to a dry continental climate. Most of the CDP drains to the east into the GallATin River, while the westernmost portions drain west via Cedar Creek and Jack Creek to the Madison River. The CDP has a total area of 120.2 square miles (311.4 km²), of which 120.0 squaremile (310.8 km²) is land and 0.2 sq mi (0.6km²), or 0.18%, is water.

Demographics

At the 2010 census, there were 2,308 people living in the CDP. The population density was 10.1 per square mile. The CDP is located in the northern part of the town of Bakersfield, California. The town has a population of 2,307 people, according to the 2010 Census. It is located at the intersection of Interstate 91 and I-91, and the town's population is 2,309. The census-designated place has a total area of 2.1 square miles, and its population density is 10.0 per square miles. The city is located on the eastern edge of the city of Beverly City, California, and is located near the city's northern border with Bakersfield and the town of Bakerfield, California on the U.S. Interstate 91. At the 2010 census, the population was 2, 308 people, with the population densely doubled from in the previous decade and in the 2010  Census code for Bachelor County and census county #1, CDP 2,308. In 2010, the city had a population density of 10.4 per square mile. The 2010 census courier reported that the town had 2,306 residents, with a population density of 10.5 per square Mile.

Activities

Hiking trails thread throughout the landscape and into neighboring national forests. Elk, deer, black bears, grizzlies, upland birds, waterfowl, and wolves call this area home. Hunting is prohibited in Big Sky proper, but it is permitted throughout the National Forests that surround the area. In mid-summer, Big Sky hosts the Big Sky PBR (Professional Bull Riders) event. The Big Sky Farmers Market features live music, children's activities, and over 90 vendors selling fresh, locally grown food, and crafts each Wednesday during the summer months in Town Center's Fire Pit Park. In the winter months, Town Center Park hosts Big Sky's hockey and ice skating rink that is operated by the BigSky Skating and Hockey Association. Each August, the Arts Council holds a four-day classical music festival. A wide variety of music can be heard year-round at the resorts and local restaurants and bars. Several art galleries feature local and regional photography and other visual media. For the history buff, the Historic Crail Ranch Buildings, built by Montana pioneer Frank Crail and his family, offer a glimpse of life in BigSky more than 100 years ago. The authentic cabins are preserved as part of the Crail ranch Homestead Museum. The museum displays artifacts, photographs and documents, along with extensive information about the pioneerCrail and Creek families. The Warren Miller Performing Arts Center, a community and school-based facility, is located at the school on US Highway 191.

Education

The area is served by a K-12 public school district, called the Big Sky School District #72, and a preK-6 non-profit private school, Big Sky Discovery Academy. There are three public schools: Ophir Elementary School, O phir Middle School and Lone Peak High School. The district educates approximately 425 students. The school district also has a pre-k-6 private school called Big Skyiscovery Academy. The private school is open to children from birth to 12 years of age. It is located in the town of Big Sky, which has a population of about 2,000. The public schools have a total of 425 students, and the district has a budget of about $30 million for the year. It has three high schools: Lone Peak, Ophirs Peak and O phirs Peak, as well as an elementary school and middle school. It also has an after-school program for children who live in the area, which is open until 8 p.m. every day. The high school has an estimated 1,200 students. It was founded in the 1950s. The elementary school has a capacity of about 100 students, while the high school educates about 300. The pre-K-12 private school has about 50 students, with an enrollment of about 150. It offers a variety of programs for students from all walks of life, including music, art, sports and business. It opened in the mid-1970s and has an annual budget of around $10 million.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Big Sky, Gallatin County, Montana = 31.4. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 52. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 81. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Big Sky = 3.8 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 34,114 individuals with a median age of 40.1 age the population grows by 29.71% in Big Sky, Gallatin County, Montana population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 29.92 residents per square mile of area (11.55/km²). There are average 2.12 people per household in the 746 households with an average household income of $53,676 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 5.80% of the available work force and has dropped -0.71% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 32.78%. The number of physicians in Big Sky per 100,000 population = 222.5.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Big Sky = 19.3 inches and the annual snowfall = 138.9 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 105. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 187. 78 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 7.4 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 74, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Big Sky, Gallatin County, Montana which are owned by the occupant = 19.88%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 17 years with median home cost = $329,970 and home appreciation of -5.18%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $10.25 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $5,070 per student. There are 12.7 students for each teacher in the school, 404 students for each Librarian and 399 students for each Counselor. 8.72% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 38.10% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 9.12% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).