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CITY

Helena Valley Northwest

Montana · 5,183 residents · 16.4 sq mi
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Part of the Helena metro area
The short version

With 5,183 people, Helena Valley Northwest is a city in Montana. Since 2000 the city has more than doubled, up 3,101 people. 95% of homes are owner-occupied. Few US cities rank higher on income. Households here earn about 39% more than in Montana as a whole. The foreign-born share is 0%.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 35.7
US median: 38.9
Average education
36% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 103%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
5,183
+149%since 2000
from 2,082 in 2000
1990 – 2024
Population density
316 / sq mi
+67%since 2009
from 190 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
35.7
+1%since 2000
from 35.4 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
16.4 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
8362K3K4K6K19902000201020202024Helena Valley Northwest
20245K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 56.6%(344)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 99.1%(470)
US avg: 6%
10 to 149.4%(485)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.3%(326)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 242.2%(113)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3415.1%(781)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4416.9%(877)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 548.7%(450)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6413.8%(713)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 746.6%(341)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 844.4%(229)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1%(54)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$100,605
+22%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $45,385 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$35,059
+96%since 2000
from $17,910 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
71.6%
+40.3 ptssince 2009
from 31.3% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
2.6%
−5.5 ptssince 2000
from 8.2% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.252
−20%since 2010
from 0.315 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Wholesale trade12.9%
US avg: 6.9%
Information12.7%
US avg: 10.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing3.4%
US avg: 1.6%
Manufacturing3%
US avg: 0.4%
Transportation & warehousing1.7%
US avg: 2.2%
Other services1.3%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration1.3%
US avg: 4.8%
Arts, entertainment, food0.9%
US avg: 1.9%
Finance & insurance0.8%
US avg: 5.9%
Education & health services0.8%
US avg: 0.9%
Retail trade0.7%
US avg: 9.9%
Construction0.4%
US avg: 1.2%
Professional, scientific, technical0%
US avg: 5.1%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$404,200
+103%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $109,400 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,603
+41%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $625 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
94.9%
+3.0 ptssince 2000
from 91.9% in 2000
5.1% rent
Vacancy rate
0.6%
−4.4 ptssince 2009
from 5.0% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
3.08 people
Unchangedsince 2009
from 3.08 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
30.4%
+2.3 ptssince 2009
from 28.1% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
10.6%
−45.8 ptssince 2009
from 56.4% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
4.0
+41%since 2009
from 2.8 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
74
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic95.4%(1,987)
Black0.1%(2)
Hispanic / Latino1.4%(30)
Asian0.7%(15)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic91.8%(4,757)
Black0%(0)
Hispanic / Latino1.7%(87)
Asian0%(0)
Other6.5%(339)
Diversity Score
19
−21%since 2009
from 24 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican0.4%(20)
Puerto Rican0.2%(12)
Ancestry
German21.7%(1,126)
Irish11.6%(599)
Swedish6.8%(355)
American6%(309)
Norwegian5.1%(265)
English4.2%(220)
Italian3.8%(195)
French1.3%(69)
Scotch-Irish1.2%(64)
Polish0.9%(49)
Scottish0.8%(44)
Russian0.7%(35)
+ 5 more ancestry groups with data
Bulgarian0.7%(34)
British0.6%(33)
Dutch0.5%(24)
Czech0.4%(21)
Portuguese0.2%(12)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
35.7%
+12.6 ptssince 2000
from 23.1% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
94.8%
+3.2 ptssince 2000
from 91.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
6.3%
+1.6 ptssince 2000
from 4.7% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
22.0 min
+67%since 2000
from 13.1 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
77.3%
−9.5 ptssince 2009
from 86.8% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
16.2%
+7.8 ptssince 2009
from 8.4% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
5.2%
+1.1 ptssince 2009
from 4.1% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
4.5%
+3.1 ptssince 2011
from 1.4% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
70.3%
Unchangedsince 2011
from 70.3% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
87.6%
+4.2 ptssince 2020
from 83.4% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
26.3%
+5.1 ptssince 2009
from 21.2% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
44.7%
+9.5 ptssince 2009
from 35.2% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
47.5%
−1.7 ptssince 2009
from 49.2% in 2009
Female
52.5%
+1.7 ptssince 2009
from 50.8% in 2009
Foreign born
0.3%
−1.0 ptssince 2009
from 1.3% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
11.3%
−2.1 ptssince 2009
from 13.3% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
10.6%
+3.9 ptssince 2012
from 6.7% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
9.6%
−3.0 ptssince 2013
from 12.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
94.9%
+7.8 ptssince 2017
from 87.1% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
99.1%
+4.9 ptssince 2020
from 94.2% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
89.9%
+2.7 ptssince 2020
from 87.2% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
99.4%
+2.0 ptssince 2016
from 97.4% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
0.4%
−1.2 ptssince 2016
from 1.6% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married12.4%(225)
Married71.6%(1,302)
Widowed1.6%(29)
Divorced14.4%(262)
Women 15+
Never married23.7%(489)
Married68.6%(1,417)
Widowed4.9%(102)
Divorced2.8%(58)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
9.6%
−3.0 ptssince 2013
from 12.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
74.7%
−1.0 ptssince 2020
from 75.7% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
8.0%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 8.0% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
12.0%
+0.6 ptssince 2020
from 11.4% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
15.6%
+6.9 ptssince 2020
from 8.7% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
6.2%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 6.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
79.9%
−6.1 ptssince 2020
from 86.0% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
29.5%
+6.5 ptssince 2020
from 23.0% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)47.9%(196)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)49.9%(204)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era20.3%(83)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War0%(0)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 409 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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Head to head

Compare Helena Valley Northwest to nearby cities

HELENA VALLEY NORTHWEST VS
Helena Valley West Central
Income$90,082−10%
Home value$367,200−9%
Population8,056+55%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HELENA VALLEY NORTHWEST VS
Helena
Income$71,036−29%
Home value$387,300−4%
Population35,138+578%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HELENA VALLEY NORTHWEST VS
Helena Valley Southeast
Income$74,075−26%
Home value$331,500−18%
Population9,108+76%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HELENA VALLEY NORTHWEST VS
Great Falls
Income$63,373−37%
Home value$257,000−36%
Population60,208+1062%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Helena Valley Northwest, Montana?

Helena Valley Northwest, Montana has about 5,183 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Helena Valley Northwest, Montana?

The typical household in Helena Valley Northwest, Montana earns about $100,605 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Helena Valley Northwest, Montana expensive?

In Helena Valley Northwest, Montana, the median home is worth about $404,200, and the typical rent is about $1,603 a month.

How educated are people in Helena Valley Northwest, Montana?

About 35.7% of adults age 25 and over in Helena Valley Northwest, Montana hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Helena Valley Northwest, Montana?

About 2.6% of people in Helena Valley Northwest, Montana live below the federal poverty line.

Has Helena Valley Northwest, Montana grown since 1990?

Yes, Helena Valley Northwest, Montana has grown since 1990. The population has added about 3,952 residents, a change of about 321 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →