Helena, Montana Housing Market Prices
Helena Home Prices and Rent at a Glance
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
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Median home price 26% above the Montana median$314,913
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Median rent 1% above the Montana median$1,087
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Helena | Montana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $314,913 | $249,140 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | -1.6% | 3.8% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $1,087 | $1,081 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 4.8% | 5.0% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Helena is about 26% higher than in Montana. Rent is about 1% higher than the Montana average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2024
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2024
Home prices and rent are moving in opposite directions in Helena: home prices fell about 1.6% a year while rent rose about 4.8% a year. That is an unusual pattern worth watching.
Median rent in Helena rose about 49.1% between 2015 and 2024, from $729 to $1,087. Over the same span, rent in Montana rose about 52.0%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 4.3 yearly household incomes in Helena.
Buying the median-priced home in Helena costs roughly 24.1 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in Helena. The price-to-rent ratio in Montana is about 19.2.
| Metric | Helena | Montana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $314,913 | $249,140 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $73,465 | $72,476 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 4.3 | 3.4 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2024, the median home price in Helena fell about 36.4%, while median household income rose about 63.3% between 2009 and 2025 — income grew faster than the home price.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | Helena | Montana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 55.6% | 60.1% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 38.9% | 26.8% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 5.4% | 13.2% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 11.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2015 | 2011 | 2011 |
Helena has a homeownership rate of 55.6%, lower than the Montana average of 60.1%. Its housing vacancy rate is 5.4%, compared with 13.2% in Montana.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Helena | Montana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.16 people | 2.37 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1969 | 1981 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 5.4 | 5.6 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Helena was built around 1969. On average, 2.2 people live in a home with about 5.4 rooms, staying for about 11.0 years on average.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Helena, Montana.
What is the median home price in Helena, Montana?
The median home price in Helena, Montana is $314,913, higher than the Montana average of $249,140.
What is the average home price in Helena, Montana?
The typical home price in Helena, Montana, reported as the median sale price, is $314,913. The median is used instead of a mathematical average because it is not skewed by a small number of very expensive or very cheap homes, so it better reflects what a typical buyer pays.
What is the median rent in Helena, Montana?
The median gross rent in Helena, Montana is $1,087 per month, higher than the Montana average of $1,081.
What was the median gross rent in Helena in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Helena, Montana was $856 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Helena, Montana?
The price-to-rent ratio in Helena, Montana is about 24.1, meaning it would take roughly 24.1 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in Helena.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Helena, Montana?
Home prices and rent are moving in opposite directions in Helena: home prices fell about 1.6% a year while rent rose about 4.8% a year. That is an unusual pattern worth watching.
What is the homeownership rate in Helena, Montana?
55.6% of households in Helena, Montana own their home, lower than the Montana average of 60.1%.
What is the vacancy rate in Helena, Montana?
The housing vacancy rate in Helena, Montana is 5.4%, lower than the Montana average of 13.2%.
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