CensusEasy
METRO AREA · 2010 ACS

Helena Metro

Helena, MT · 3 counties · 80,413 residents · 6,308 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO
Compare
The short version

With 80,413 people, Helena is a metro area. The median age is 42.0, about 5 years above the US median. The foreign-born share is 2%. 72% of homes are owner-occupied. Getting to work takes 18 minutes on average. About 33% of adults have finished a four-year degree.

At a glance
Average income
near the US median
US median: $52,703
Older
median age 42.0
US median: 37.2
More educated
33% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 28%
Less affordable
home values up 39%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $225,659
Section 01

Population & growth

80,413
+15%since 2000
from 70,150 in 2000
1990 – 2025
13 / sq mi
+15%since 2000
from 11 / sq mi in 2000
42.0
+9%since 2000
from 38.5 in 2000
US average: 37.2
Land area
6,308 sq mi
Population, 19902024
55K66K76K87K97K19902000201020202024Helena
202494K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2010
Under 56%(4,854)
US avg: 6.5%
5 to 96.2%(5,000)
US avg: 6.6%
10 to 146.5%(5,190)
US avg: 6.7%
15 to 196.6%(5,291)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 245.5%(4,444)
US avg: 7%
25 to 3411.1%(8,947)
US avg: 13.3%
35 to 4411.7%(9,438)
US avg: 13.3%
45 to 5416.5%(13,292)
US avg: 14.6%
55 to 6415.7%(12,598)
US avg: 11.8%
65 to 748.2%(6,589)
US avg: 7%
75 to 844.1%(3,289)
US avg: 4.2%
85 and over1.8%(1,481)
US avg: 1.8%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$50,765
+6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $37,662 in 2000
US average: $52,703
1990 – 2024
$25,532
+38%since 2000
from $18,532 in 2000
US average: $27,286
Households earning $100K+
29.0%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 28.6% in 2009
US average: 33.3%
10.2%
−0.4 ptssince 2000
from 10.6% in 2000
US average: 13.8%
0.397
US average: 0.461
Workforce by industry, 2010
Information10%
US avg: 11.5%
Other services7.8%
US avg: 7%
Wholesale trade7.5%
US avg: 7.2%
Public administration6.8%
US avg: 4.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing4.4%
US avg: 1.9%
Finance & insurance4%
US avg: 5.1%
Retail trade3.5%
US avg: 10.9%
Professional, scientific, technical3.4%
US avg: 4.2%
Construction3.3%
US avg: 1.4%
Transportation & warehousing1.6%
US avg: 3.1%
Arts, entertainment, food1.4%
US avg: 2.4%
Manufacturing1.1%
US avg: 0.5%
Education & health services0.5%
US avg: 0.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$189,345
+39%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $107,581 in 2000
US average: $225,659
1990 – 2024
$648
+14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $449 in 2000
US average: $853
71.9%
−0.6 ptssince 2000
from 72.5% in 2000
28.1% rent
11.3%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 11.8% in 2009
US average: 12.1%
2.32 people
−9%since 2009
from 2.56 people in 2009
US average: 2.60
24.1%
+0.9 ptssince 2009
from 23.2% in 2009
US average: 30.9%
40.9%
+2.4 ptssince 2009
from 38.5% in 2009
US average: 46.8%
3.7
+8%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.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic94.6%(66,349)
Black0.2%(129)
Hispanic / Latino1.5%(1,050)
Asian0.5%(329)
Other0%
2010
White, non-Hispanic92.8%(74,633)
Black0.3%(234)
Hispanic / Latino2.4%(1,932)
Asian0.5%(398)
Other3.7%(2,970)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican1.5%(1,158)
Spaniard0.2%(175)
Puerto Rican0.2%(134)
Cuban0.2%(125)
Chilean0%(17)
Peruvian0%(14)
Colombian0%(11)
Ancestry
German30.2%(23,542)
Irish19%(14,847)
English15.4%(12,029)
Norwegian9.1%(7,093)
American4.8%(3,728)
French4.7%(3,698)
Scottish4.3%(3,380)
Italian4.3%(3,364)
Swedish4%(3,147)
Scotch-Irish3.1%(2,415)
Polish2.8%(2,175)
Dutch2.3%(1,823)
+ 34 more ancestry groups with data
Danish1.5%(1,157)
Welsh1%(820)
Czech0.8%(654)
Finnish0.8%(649)
Austrian0.7%(533)
Russian0.7%(488)
Swiss0.6%(427)
Portuguese0.5%(363)
Greek0.4%(352)
Ukrainian0.4%(301)
British0.4%(295)
Croatian0.4%(295)
Slovene0.3%(253)
Arab0.3%(192)
Canadian0.2%(180)
Hungarian0.2%(142)
Lebanese0.2%(128)
Slovak0.2%(116)
Belgian0.1%(100)
Australian0.1%(98)
Lithuanian0.1%(94)
Romanian0.2%(94)
Serbian0.1%(50)
Ethiopian0.1%(40)
Iraqi0.2%(27)
Bulgarian0%(21)
Iranian0%(20)
Brazilian0%(18)
Latvian0%(12)
Syrian0%(2)
Section 05

Education

33.0%
+3.0 ptssince 2000
from 30.0% in 2000
US average: 27.9%
High school or higher
93.7%
+2.9 ptssince 2000
from 90.8% in 2000
US average: 84.9%
11.2%
+1.5 ptssince 2000
from 9.7% in 2000
US average: 10.2%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

18.3 min
+53%since 2000
from 12.0 min in 2000
US average: 25.2
73.0%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 72.6% in 2009
US average: 76.2%
12.8%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 12.7% in 2009
US average: 10.4%
0.2%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 4.7%
6.1%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 5.8% in 2009
US average: 4.1%
5.2%
−0.7 ptssince 2009
from 5.9% in 2009
US average: 2.8%
1.3%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 1.3% in 2009
US average: 0.5%
4.7%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 4.2% in 2009
US average: 8.7%
Section 07

Work & employment

18.7%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 18.9% in 2009
US average: 12.9%
41.4%
+1.9 ptssince 2009
from 39.6% in 2009
US average: 35.2%
Section 08

People & community

49.8%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 49.5% in 2009
50.2%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 50.5% in 2009
1.8%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 1.8% in 2009
US average: 12.8%
15.0%
−0.7 ptssince 2009
from 15.7% in 2009
US average: 9.9%
Marital status (2024)
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

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

5.9%
−5.1 ptssince 2013
from 11.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
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%
21.7%
+0.6 ptssince 2020
from 21.1% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
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

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

Metros similar to Helena

Head to head

Compare Helena side by side

Frequently asked

How many people live in Helena, MT?

Helena, MT has about 80,413 residents according to the 2010 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Helena, MT?

The typical household in Helena, MT earns about $50,765 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 $189,345, and the typical rent is about $648 a month.

How educated are people in Helena, MT?

About 33.0% 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 10.2% 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 21,661 residents, a change of about 37 percent over that period.

Keep going

Explore from here

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

How we source and harmonize this data →