United States › Montana › Polson CITY
Polson Montana · 5,653 residents (2025 est.) · 4.49 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
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
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
Section 01
Population & growth from 4,041 in 2000
5,653 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,208 / sq mi
+8%since 2009
from 1,117 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 38.6 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
3K 4K 4K 5K 6K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Polson Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $53,418
+34%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $21,870 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $13,777 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 10.7% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 19.8% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.410 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Arts, entertainment, food 4.6%
Public administration 4.6%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 3.2%
Transportation & warehousing 1.1%
Professional, scientific, technical 0.4%
Education & health services 0%
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$356,300
+127%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $86,200 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$912
+25%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $401 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 53.9% in 2000
45.4% rent
from 14.0% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.24 people
−10%since 2009
from 2.50 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 31.5% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 36.6% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 4.8 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 77.3%(3,125)
Hispanic / Latino 2.3%(91)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 67.4%(3,661)
Hispanic / Latino 7.6%(415)
from 43 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 10 more ancestry groups with data from 18.2% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 83.5% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 5.2% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 9.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 73.6% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 7.9% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 5.1% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 9.3% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 3.5% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 8.4% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 5.4% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 54.9% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 75.8% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 10.7% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 20.5% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 1.2% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 16.4% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 18.4% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 24.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 67.4% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 87.3% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 80.6% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 96.2% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.6% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 24.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 36.8% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 24.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 25.9% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 24.2% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 4.6% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 60.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 46.1% 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) 36%(169)
Gulf War (1990s) 31.5%(148)
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.
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Drill deeper
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POLSON VS
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Polson, Montana? Polson, Montana has about 5,428 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Polson, Montana? The typical household in Polson, Montana earns about $53,418 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Polson, Montana expensive? In Polson, Montana, the median home is worth about $356,300, and the typical rent is about $912 a month.
How educated are people in Polson, Montana? About 29.6% of adults age 25 and over in Polson, Montana hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Polson, Montana? About 17.5% of people in Polson, Montana live below the federal poverty line.
Has Polson, Montana grown since 1990? Yes, Polson, Montana has grown since 1990. The population has added about 2,174 residents, a change of about 67 percent over that period.
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