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CITY

Helena Valley West Central

Montana · 8,056 residents · 26.4 sq mi
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Part of the Helena metro area
The short version

Helena Valley West Central is home to 8,056 people in Montana. 85% of homes are owner-occupied. Few US cities rank higher on income. The foreign-born share is 2%. Households here earn about 24% more than in Montana as a whole. Getting to work takes 20 minutes on average.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 39.3
US median: 38.9
More educated
41% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 76%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
8,056
+15%since 2000
from 6,983 in 2000
1990 – 2024
Population density
305 / sq mi
+5%since 2009
from 290 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
39.3
+4%since 2000
from 37.9 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
26.4 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
6K7K8K8K9K19902000201020202024Helena Valley West Central
20248K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.8%(470)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 97.2%(583)
US avg: 6%
10 to 147%(563)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 197.1%(571)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 243.9%(315)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3410.4%(834)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4415.3%(1,234)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5411.5%(924)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6413.1%(1,056)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7413.5%(1,088)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 844.5%(359)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over0.7%(59)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$90,082
+13%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $43,881 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$41,857
+121%since 2000
from $18,920 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
60.0%
+28.5 ptssince 2009
from 31.5% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
7.1%
+0.7 ptssince 2000
from 6.4% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.377
Unchangedsince 2010
from 0.376 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Wholesale trade9.3%
US avg: 6.9%
Information7.6%
US avg: 10.8%
Other services4.8%
US avg: 6.7%
Finance & insurance4.6%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical4.6%
US avg: 5.1%
Transportation & warehousing4.1%
US avg: 2.2%
Public administration3.7%
US avg: 4.8%
Retail trade2.6%
US avg: 9.9%
Arts, entertainment, food2.4%
US avg: 1.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.8%
US avg: 1.6%
Manufacturing0.4%
US avg: 0.4%
Construction0.3%
US avg: 1.2%
Education & health services0%
US avg: 0.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$367,200
+76%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $114,300 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,327
+41%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $516 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
85.2%
−1.7 ptssince 2000
from 86.9% in 2000
14.8% rent
Vacancy rate
2.1%
−1.8 ptssince 2009
from 3.9% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.72 people
−7%since 2009
from 2.92 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
18.1%
−6.1 ptssince 2009
from 24.2% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
28.8%
−17.8 ptssince 2009
from 46.6% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
4.1
+22%since 2009
from 3.3 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
70
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic96.2%(6,719)
Black0.2%(11)
Hispanic / Latino1%(68)
Asian0.2%(16)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic87.9%(7,082)
Black0.4%(35)
Hispanic / Latino5.1%(409)
Asian0.2%(19)
Other6.3%(511)
Diversity Score
28
+136%since 2009
from 12 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
Mexican4.1%(327)
Puerto Rican0.4%(33)
Cuban0.1%(8)
Asian origin
Filipino0.2%(16)
Korean0%(3)
Ancestry
German28.2%(2,270)
English17.2%(1,385)
Irish11.8%(954)
Italian5.4%(439)
American4.6%(367)
Norwegian3.6%(289)
Scottish3.4%(275)
Austrian2.5%(205)
Swedish2%(161)
French1.5%(123)
Finnish1.3%(105)
Danish1.2%(97)
+ 20 more ancestry groups with data
Polish1.2%(94)
Russian1.1%(89)
Dutch1%(77)
British0.8%(64)
Czech0.7%(58)
Swiss0.7%(54)
Portuguese0.6%(52)
Scotch-Irish0.6%(46)
Belgian0.6%(45)
Hungarian0.5%(41)
Croatian0.4%(32)
Lithuanian0.4%(31)
Armenian0.3%(21)
Welsh0.3%(21)
Ukrainian0.2%(13)
Greek0.1%(11)
Slovene0.1%(11)
Australian0.1%(7)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
41.1%
+12.2 ptssince 2000
from 28.9% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
96.4%
+3.4 ptssince 2000
from 93.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
14.1%
+7.1 ptssince 2000
from 7.1% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
19.6 min
+101%since 2000
from 9.8 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
76.3%
−0.8 ptssince 2009
from 77.1% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
6.5%
−10.9 ptssince 2009
from 17.4% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
14.8%
+11.2 ptssince 2009
from 3.6% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
0.2%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.8%
+0.8 ptssince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
1.1%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
3.8%
−1.2 ptssince 2011
from 5.0% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
66.4%
−3.0 ptssince 2011
from 69.4% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
79.6%
+3.1 ptssince 2020
from 76.5% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
14.3%
−6.4 ptssince 2009
from 20.7% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
47.6%
+8.9 ptssince 2009
from 38.8% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
53.7%
+2.0 ptssince 2009
from 51.7% in 2009
Female
46.3%
−2.0 ptssince 2009
from 48.3% in 2009
Foreign born
2.2%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 2.5% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
12.0%
−6.0 ptssince 2009
from 18.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
11.7%
−2.4 ptssince 2012
from 14.1% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
6.4%
−8.7 ptssince 2013
from 15.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
95.3%
+10.9 ptssince 2017
from 84.4% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
97.4%
+5.6 ptssince 2020
from 91.8% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
92.3%
+3.0 ptssince 2020
from 89.4% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
97.4%
−1.2 ptssince 2016
from 98.6% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
0.7%
+0.1 ptssince 2016
from 0.6% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married27.3%(920)
Married57.7%(1,947)
Widowed1.9%(64)
Divorced13.2%(445)
Women 15+
Never married17.1%(523)
Married63.5%(1,946)
Widowed7.8%(238)
Divorced11.7%(357)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
6.4%
−8.7 ptssince 2013
from 15.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
54.2%
−0.1 ptssince 2020
from 54.3% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
19.5%
+1.8 ptssince 2020
from 17.7% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
19.8%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 19.8% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
21.3%
−3.1 ptssince 2020
from 24.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
7.0%
−1.8 ptssince 2020
from 8.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
69.3%
−0.7 ptssince 2020
from 70.0% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
43.3%
−0.1 ptssince 2020
from 43.4% 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)42.4%(306)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)20.4%(147)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era32.1%(232)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War1.4%(10)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.4%(10)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 722 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
Drill deeper

Places similar to Helena Valley West Central

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Pop 8,582
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Head to head

Compare Helena Valley West Central to nearby cities

HELENA VALLEY WEST CENTRAL VS
Helena
Income$71,036−21%
Home value$387,300+5%
Population35,138+336%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HELENA VALLEY WEST CENTRAL VS
Helena Valley Southeast
Income$74,075−18%
Home value$331,500−10%
Population9,108+13%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HELENA VALLEY WEST CENTRAL VS
Butte-Silver Bow
Income$61,857−31%
Home value$257,800−30%
Population35,469+340%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HELENA VALLEY WEST CENTRAL VS
Anaconda-Deer Lodge County
Income$57,527−36%
Home value$231,700−37%
Population9,709+21%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Helena Valley West Central, Montana?

Helena Valley West Central, Montana has about 8,056 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Helena Valley West Central, Montana earns about $90,082 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Helena Valley West Central, Montana expensive?

In Helena Valley West Central, Montana, the median home is worth about $367,200, and the typical rent is about $1,327 a month.

How educated are people in Helena Valley West Central, Montana?

About 41.1% of adults age 25 and over in Helena Valley West Central, Montana hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Helena Valley West Central, Montana?

About 7.1% of people in Helena Valley West Central, Montana live below the federal poverty line.

Has Helena Valley West Central, Montana grown since 1990?

Yes, Helena Valley West Central, Montana has grown since 1990. The population has added about 1,729 residents, a change of about 27 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 →