The students of Manhattan High School (MHS) are residents of Gallatin County in southwest Montana. These students are primarily from the town of Manhattan and outlying communities of Amsterdam, Churchill, Logan, and Maudlow. The Manhattan Public Schools do not accept out of district enrollments.

Manhattan has been an agricultural community from its beginnings. Families from the Netherlands moved in to grow barley for malters near the new little town of Manhattan – named by a group of New York City investors who operated the Manhattan Malting Company. They settled together in a tightly knit society that flourishes today. This extensive farm was located next to the city and was the “largest body of productive land between Dakota and Puget Sound.” Prohibition eventually ended a profitable twenty-three years in the malting business, but by 1898, Manhattan was becoming quite important to the Gallatin Valley with about 150 inhabitants and a school enrollment of 75. There was a general store, two hotels, on meat market, two blacksmith ships and one saloon. Today, Manhattan’s most productive industries are seed potatoes, dairy and wheat farms, commercial beef, registered cattle along with some unique cottage businesses such as food specialties, woodcarving, artisans, and antiques.

The 2015-2016 final enrollment at Manhattan High School was 217 and the enrollment at the first count in this school year was 240.