With 5,428 people, Polson is a city in Montana. Growth has run 34% since 2000, or 1,387 more people. The foreign-born share is 2%. The median age is 43.0, about 4 years above the US median. 55% of homes are owner-occupied. Households here earn about 26% less than in Montana as a whole.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $53,418, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 43.0
US median: 38.9
Less educated
30% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 127%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Polson
What changed most since 1990
Median home value (2024 dollars)$114,003 → $356,300(+213%)US over the same years: +67%
Median household income (2024 dollars)$34,155 → $53,418(+56%)US over the same years: +14%
Population3,254 → 5,428(+67%)US over the same years: +35%
Its weight in Lake County
Polson's population equals 17% of Lake County's. Its number of people who work from home equals 6.1% of the county's.
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)36%(169)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)31.5%(148)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era38.1%(179)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War2.3%(11)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 470 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
Over time
Polson, decade by decade
Polson population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
3,254
$34,155
$114,003
14.1%
34.8
2000
4,041
$39,840
$157,027
18.2%
45.2
2010
4,488
$44,344
$255,346
23.3%
55.0
2020
5,148
$48,002
$234,166
27.2%
57.2
2024
5,428
$53,418
$356,300
29.6%
60.0
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
