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METRO AREA · 2000 CENSUS

Helena Metro

Helena, MT · 3 counties · 70,150 residents · 6,308 sq mi
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The short version

With 70,150 people, Helena is a metro area. The median age is 38.5, about 3 years above the US median. Growth has run 19% since 1990, or 11,398 more people. Owners hold 73% of the housing stock. About 30% of adults have finished a four-year degree. The average commute runs 12 minutes.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $42,589
Older
median age 38.5
US median: 35.2
More educated
30% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
Less affordable
home values up 33%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
70,150
+19%since 1990
from 58,752 in 1990
1990 – 2025
Population density
11 / sq mi
+19%since 1990
from 9 / sq mi in 1990
Median age
38.5
+12%since 1990
from 34.3 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
6,308 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
55K66K76K87K97K19902000201020202024Helena
202494K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 56%(4,193)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 97%(4,918)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 147.9%(5,543)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 197.7%(5,421)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 245.1%(3,558)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3410.7%(7,515)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4416.9%(11,887)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5417%(11,937)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 649.8%(6,891)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 746.3%(4,442)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 844.1%(2,871)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over1.4%(974)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$37,662
+7%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $26,736 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$18,532
+50%since 1990
from $12,337 in 1990
US average: $21,522
Poverty rate
10.6%
−0.8 ptssince 1990
from 11.5% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$107,581
+33%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $61,303 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$449
+6%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $323 in 1990
US average: $602
Owner-occupied
72.5%
+2.0 ptssince 1990
from 70.5% in 1990
27.5% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic96.9%(56,927)
Black0.1%(51)
Hispanic / Latino1.1%(647)
Asian0.6%(355)
2000
White, non-Hispanic94.6%(66,349)
Black0.2%(129)
Hispanic / Latino1.5%(1,050)
Asian0.5%(329)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican2.3%(2,190)
Puerto Rican0.3%(286)
Spaniard0.2%(152)
Cuban0.1%(117)
Colombian0.1%(69)
Peruvian0.1%(52)
Venezuelan0.4%(47)
Asian origin
Thai0.1%(108)
Filipino0.1%(83)
Korean0.1%(68)
Asian Indian0.1%(40)
Japanese0%(26)
Taiwanese0%(19)
Cambodian0%(18)
Chinese0%(17)
Pacific Islander origin
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)
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)
Portuguese0.1%(95)
Canadian0.1%(93)
Armenian0.1%(64)
Bulgarian0.1%(55)
Serbian0.1%(49)
Arab0.1%(39)
Brazilian0%(16)
Jamaican0.1%(13)
Nigerian0%(12)
Ethiopian0%(10)
Latvian0%(9)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
30.0%
+3.9 ptssince 1990
from 26.1% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
90.8%
+5.0 ptssince 1990
from 85.8% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
Graduate degree
9.7%
+1.6 ptssince 1990
from 8.1% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
12.0 min
−29%since 1990
from 16.9 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married23.9%(6,535)
Married62.2%(16,981)
Widowed2%(538)
Divorced11.9%(3,246)
Women 15+
Never married18.5%(5,220)
Married59.6%(16,851)
Widowed8.6%(2,425)
Divorced13.3%(3,760)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
5.9%
−5.1 ptssince 2013
from 11.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
55.5%
−1.2 ptssince 2020
from 56.7% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
16.8%
+0.3 ptssince 2020
from 16.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
21.7%
+0.6 ptssince 2020
from 21.1% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
17.9%
+0.1 ptssince 2020
from 17.8% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
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)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)27.9%(2,025)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era35%(2,540)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War2.1%(151)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.5%(36)
US avg: 1%

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

Lewis and Clark CountyCENTRAL75,331Jefferson County13,329Broadwater County8,493
Drill deeper

Metros similar to Helena

Corvallis
Pop 97,728
Cheyenne
Pop 102,938
Dubuque
Pop 99,381
Columbus
Pop 85,729
Places similar to Helena
Head to head

Compare Helena side by side

HELENA VS
Corvallis
Income$77,702+106%
Home value$513,000+377%
Population97,728+1%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HELENA VS
Cheyenne
Income$80,173+113%
Home value$348,700+224%
Population102,938+6%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HELENA VS
Dubuque
Income$77,630+106%
Home value$237,300+121%
Population99,381+2%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HELENA VS
Columbus
Income$79,901+112%
Home value$232,800+116%
Population85,729−12%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Helena, MT?

Helena, MT has about 70,150 residents according to the 2000 Census.

What is the median household income in Helena, MT?

The typical household in Helena, MT earns about $37,662 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 $107,581, and the typical rent is about $449 a month.

How educated are people in Helena, MT?

About 30.0% 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 10.6% 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 11,398 residents, a change of about 19 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →