Helena, Montana Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Helena, MT Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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A
Health Above average
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B
Income Around average
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A
Education Above average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Helena | Montana Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,377 | 1,116,812 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 1242.2 | 7.6 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 6.13% | 1.09% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 41.0 | 40.7 | 37.3 |
| Households | 9,678 | 458,835 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Helena grew by 77.1% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 21,377 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Helena is Millennials, aged 29–44, at 21.0% of residents. That is 0.5 points above Montana as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 4,209 19.7% -1.8 pts
- Millennials 29–44 4,490 21.0% +0.5 pts
- Gen X 45–60 4,305 20.1% +0.7 pts
- Boomers 61–79 4,195 19.6% +0.2 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Montana, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 52.0% of the people living in Helena and men 48.0%.
- Women 52.0% Montana 49.4%
- Men 48.0% Montana 50.6%
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Economy
Helena has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | Helena | Montana Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $73,465 | $72,476 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 3.90% | 5.17% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 3.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Helena is about 1% higher than in Montana.
Housing
| Metric | Helena | Montana Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $314,913 | $249,140 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,087 | $1,081 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 58.8% | 69.2% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Helena is about 24.1 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,087 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Helena spend about 25 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 104 hours, about 4.3 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Helena | Montana Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 12.5 | 16.0 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 25.0 | 32.1 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 104 | 134 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $3,225 | $4,143 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 16.2% | 12.5% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 5,899 | 2,162 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 3,462 | 403 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Helena is 12 minutes, shorter than the 16 minutes in Montana.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Helena has a education index of A, which means it is very educated.
| Metric | Helena | Montana Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 47.4% | 31.3% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.16 | 2.37 | 2.53 |
Health
Helena has a health index of A, which means it is very healthy.
| Metric | Helena | Montana Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 80.2 | 79.0 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 11.3% | 14.7% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 14.4% | 18.8% | 19.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Helena, Montana.
How many people live in Helena, Montana?
About 21,377 people live in Helena, Montana, in 9,678 households of 2.2 people on average. The median age is 41.0, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 4 years.
Is Helena, Montana mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Helena, Montana has 1,242 people per square mile, a density typical of urban and suburban areas. That is about 14 times the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Helena, Montana?
The median home costs 4.3 times the median household income ($314,913 against $73,465), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,087 a month takes about 18% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is unemployment high in Helena, Montana?
Unemployment in Helena, Montana is only 3.4%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
How common is a college degree in Helena, Montana?
47.4% of adults in Helena, Montana hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 2), well above the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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