METRO AREA
Helena Metro
Helena, MT · 3 counties · 97,153 residents (2025 est.) · 6,308 sq mi
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Notable rankings
#38Lowest poverty rateof 9258.1%The short version
Helena is a metro area of 93,906 people. That puts it in the top 4% of US metro areas for household income. There are 15 people per square mile. Growth has run 34% since 2000, or 23,756 more people. The foreign-born share is 2%. The median age is 42.9, about 4 years above the US median.
At a glance
Average income
near the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 42.9
US median: 38.9
More educated
40% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 106%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth
93,906
+34%since 2000
from 70,150 in 2000
97,153 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Land area
6,308 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
202494K
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.1%(4,768)
5 to 95.7%(5,393)
10 to 146.2%(5,823)
15 to 196.1%(5,755)
20 to 244.9%(4,598)
25 to 3411.7%(10,987)
35 to 4413.2%(12,376)
45 to 5411.8%(11,040)
55 to 6414.5%(13,580)
65 to 7413.3%(12,488)
75 to 846.2%(5,819)
85 and over1.4%(1,279)
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy
$79,942
+17%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $37,662 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Households earning $100K+
52.2%
+23.6 ptssince 2009
from 28.6% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information9.7%
Wholesale trade9.2%
Other services6%
Public administration4.6%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing3.4%
Retail trade3.2%
Finance & insurance3%
Professional, scientific, technical2.6%
Construction2.6%
Transportation & warehousing1.5%
Arts, entertainment, food1.4%
Manufacturing0.9%
Education & health services0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03
Housing
$403,467
+106%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $107,581 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
5.1
+47%since 2009
from 3.5 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.
79
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity
2000
White, non-Hispanic94.6%(66,349)
Black0.2%(129)
Hispanic / Latino1.5%(1,050)
Asian0.5%(329)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic88.9%(83,490)
Black0.4%(406)
Hispanic / Latino3.8%(3,555)
Asian0.5%(424)
Other6.4%(6,031)
25
+66%since 2009
from 15 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
13
−25%since 2020
from 18 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry
Hispanic origin
Mexican2.3%(2,190)
Puerto Rican0.3%(286)
South American0.2%(173)
Spaniard0.2%(152)
Cuban0.1%(117)
Colombian0.1%(69)
Peruvian0.1%(52)
Venezuelan0.4%(47)
Central American0%(24)
Guatemalan0%(24)
Ecuadorian0%(5)
Asian origin
Thai0.1%(108)
Filipino0.1%(83)
Korean0.1%(68)
Asian Indian0.1%(40)
Vietnamese0%(27)
Japanese0%(26)
Taiwanese0%(19)
Cambodian0%(18)
Chinese0%(17)
Pacific Islander origin
Native Hawaiian0%(33)
Ancestry
German24.2%(22,731)
Irish16.4%(15,366)
English16%(14,982)
Norwegian7%(6,610)
American5.2%(4,838)
Swedish3.7%(3,475)
Italian3.5%(3,257)
Scottish3.3%(3,092)
French3.1%(2,881)
Polish1.9%(1,740)
Scotch-Irish1.8%(1,681)
Dutch1.5%(1,429)
+ 35 more ancestry groups with data
Danish1%(981)
Welsh0.9%(892)
Finnish0.9%(869)
British0.7%(642)
Russian0.7%(617)
French Canadian0.6%(586)
Swiss0.5%(479)
Czech0.5%(463)
Ukrainian0.5%(448)
Romanian0.5%(419)
Austrian0.4%(375)
Greek0.3%(316)
Hungarian0.3%(278)
Croatian0.3%(276)
Lithuanian0.2%(184)
Belgian0.2%(160)
Slovak0.2%(151)
West Indian0.1%(127)
Slovene0.1%(107)
Subsaharan African0.1%(106)
Portuguese0.1%(95)
Canadian0.1%(93)
Armenian0.1%(64)
Bulgarian0.1%(55)
Serbian0.1%(49)
Arab0.1%(39)
Trinidadian & Tobagonian0%(20)
Brazilian0%(16)
Jamaican0.1%(13)
Macedonian0%(12)
Nigerian0%(12)
Ethiopian0%(10)
Latvian0%(9)
Australian0%(7)
Lebanese0%(3)
Section 05
Education
High school or higher
94.5%
+3.7 ptssince 2000
from 90.8% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Section 06
Commute & transportation
Section 07
Work & employment
Women 20-64 in the labor force
77.7%
−0.7 ptssince 2020
from 78.3% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Section 08
People & community
Computer in household
94.7%
+2.7 ptssince 2020
from 92.0% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married28.9%(11,189)
Married55%(21,262)
Widowed2.5%(980)
Divorced13.6%(5,247)
Women 15+
Never married22.6%(8,852)
Married54.4%(21,346)
Widowed8.9%(3,481)
Divorced14.2%(5,565)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage
Direct-purchase
16.8%
+0.3 ptssince 2020
from 16.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
VA health care
5.1%
−1.0 ptssince 2020
from 6.1% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
72.1%
−0.8 ptssince 2020
from 72.9% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
39.0%
+0.8 ptssince 2020
from 38.2% 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)32.8%(2,380)
Gulf War (1990s)27.9%(2,025)
Vietnam era35%(2,540)
Korean War2.1%(151)
World War II0.5%(36)
Share of the 7,254 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
In this metro
Largest cities
HelenaCENTRAL35,138Helena Valley Southeast9,108Helena Valley West Central8,056Helena Valley Northwest5,183Helena Valley Northeast4,659Montana City3,092East Helena2,325Townsend2,272Clancy1,874Wheatland1,661Helena West Side1,417Boulder1,305Whitehall1,131Lincoln908Spokane Creek740South Hills620The Silos579Jefferson City533Unionville412Toston368Basin352Rader Creek310York182Craig172Augusta165Marysville160Rimini118Winston81Milford Colony40Radersburg35
The 30 most populous of 35 cities and towns in this metro. CENTRAL marks the metro's principal cities.
What's inside
3 component counties
Drill deeper
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HELENA VS
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HELENA VS
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HELENA VS
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Helena, MT?
Helena, MT has about 93,906 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Helena, MT?
The typical household in Helena, MT earns about $79,942 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Helena, MT expensive?
In Helena, MT, the median home is worth about $403,467, and the typical rent is about $1,066 a month.
How educated are people in Helena, MT?
About 40.3% of adults age 25 and over in Helena, MT hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Helena, MT?
About 8.1% of people in Helena, MT live below the federal poverty line.
Has Helena, MT grown since 1990?
Yes, Helena, MT has grown since 1990. The population has added about 35,154 residents, a change of about 60 percent over that period.
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024