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Helena, MT
Key Indicators
A quick look at key numbers
Population
33,639
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates
Median Age
40.5
years ∙ half population younger than 40.5, half older
Diversity Index
24.8%
chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity
Nativity
1.6%
foreign-born population
Geographic Context
Location, size, and surroundings
About
Helena is a city within Lewis and Clark County, Montana, United States.
Co-ordinates
DEC46.596556° N, 112.021765° W
DMS46° 35′ 47.60″ N, 112° 01′ 18.35″ W
Population Density & area
1,956/sq mi
(755.9/km²)
Demographics & Living
Who lives here, how households are formed, and community composition
Population Composition
Key characteristics of the population
Sex Distribution
47.8%
male
Male
47.8%
Female
52.2%
males per 100 females
Helena
91.7
Lewis and Clark County
98.5
Montana
102.7
Nativity
1.6%
foreign-born population
% Foreign-born
Helena
1.6%
Lewis and Clark County
1.9%
Montana
2.3%
Age Distribution
How the population is spread across age groups
Median Age
40.5
years ∙ half population younger than 40.5, half older
Dependency ratio
68.8
dependents per 100 working-age adults
Helena
68.8
Lewis and Clark County
70.6
Montana
69.9
AGE DISTRIBUTION
Distribution of age group
Median age
| Helena | Lewis and Clark County | Montana | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age Group | |||
| Children (Under 18) | 19.1% | 21.2% | 21% |
| Working age (18-64) | 59.2% | 58.6% | 58.9% |
| Senior (65+) | 21.7% | 20.2% | 20.1% |
| Dependency ratio | |||
| Total dependency ratio | 68.8 | 70.6 | 69.9 |
| Child dependency ratio | 32.2 | 36.2 | 35.7 |
| Old-age dependency ratio | 36.6 | 34.5 | 34.2 |
Racial & Ethnic Composition
Racial and ethnic makeup and how it compares
Race & Ethnicity
Note: White, Black, and Asian refer to individuals belonging to a single race and not of Hispanic origin. Hispanics may be of any race.
Diversity Index
24.8%
chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity
Helena
24.8%
Lewis and Clark County
21.1%
Montana
29.4%
Note: The Diversity Index (DI), based on the Blau Index, measures the probability that two randomly selected individuals differ in race and ethnicity. Values range from 0 (no diversity) to 1 (high diversity) and are shown as percentages.
RACIAL & ETHNIC COMPOSITION
Race & Ethnicity
Percentage of Helena population
| Helena | Lewis and Clark County | Montana | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic or Latino | 4.7% | 4% | 4.6% |
| Mexican | 2.7% | 2.4% | 2.9% |
| Puerto Rican | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.2% |
| Cuban | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Other Hispanic / Latino | 1.2% | 1.1% | 1.3% |
| Not Hispanic or Latino | 95.3% | 96% | 95.4% |
| One race | 90% | 91.3% | 90.7% |
| White | 86.4% | 88.6% | 83.6% |
| Black or African American | 0.8% | 0.5% | 0.4% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 2% | 1.3% | 5.3% |
| Asian | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.8% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Some Other Race | 0.3% | 0.4% | 0.5% |
| Two or more races (Multiracial) | 5.3% | 4.7% | 4.7% |
Household & Families Composition
Household size, type, and family structure
Household structure
47.5%
family
Family
47.5%
Non family
52.5%
% family households
Helena
47.5%
Lewis and Clark County
59.4%
Montana
60.3%
Average household size
2.04
persons per household
Household & Family COMPOSITION
Households
Percentage of Helena population
| Helena | Lewis and Clark County | Montana | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total households | 15,774 | 31,215 | 458,859 |
| Average houshold size | 2.04 | 2.3 | 2.37 |
| Family households | 7,490 | 18,533 | 276,731 |
| Average family size | 2.85 | 2.92 | 3 |
| Married couple family | 5,650 | 14,946 | 222,207 |
| Other families | 1,840 | 3,587 | 54,524 |
| Male householder | 465 | 1,346 | 19,995 |
| Female householder | 1,375 | 2,241 | 34,529 |
| Non-family households | 8,284 | 12,682 | 182,128 |
| One-person households | 6,943 | 10,255 | 144,042 |
| Male householder | 2,938 | 4,802 | 71,216 |
| Senior (65+) living alone | 988 | 1,753 | 24,799 |
| Female householder | 4,005 | 5,453 | 72,826 |
| Senior (65+) living alone | 2,025 | 2,749 | 38,387 |
| Other living arrangements | 1,341 | 2,427 | 38,086 |
Housing Profile
Housing stock, ownership, rentals, and cost burdens
Total housing units
16,591
housing units
Helena
16,591
Lewis and Clark County
34,082
Montana
528,419
Occupancy status
95.1%
occupied
Occupied
95.1%
Vacant
4.9%
vacancy rate
Helena
4.9%
Lewis and Clark County
8.4%
Montana
13.2%
Housing Characteristics
How the housing supply is structured and used
Types of Housing unit
57.3%
Single family houses
Median Year Built
1975
Half of houses were built before 1975, and half after.
Note: Median year built reflects occupied units only; distribution includes all units.
Housing Characteristics
Units, rooms & bedrooms
Physical characteristics of housing units
| Helena | Lewis and Clark County | Montana | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rooms per unit | |||
| Median rooms | 5.1 | 5.5 | 5.6 |
| 1–3 rooms | 20.7% | 14.6% | 14.6% |
| 4–6 rooms | 48.3% | 49% | 49.7% |
| 7+ rooms | 30.8% | 36.2% | 35.9% |
| Bedrooms | |||
| No bedroom / studio | 4.6% | 3.3% | 2.7% |
| 1 bedroom | 14.4% | 10% | 10.3% |
| 2 bedrooms | 33.6% | 25.6% | 25.7% |
| 3 bedrooms | 25.9% | 35.4% | 36.5% |
| 4+ bedrooms | 21.5% | 25.8% | 24.8% |
| At a glance | |||
| Median year built | 1975 | 1983 | 1981 |
| Total housing units | 16,591 | 34,082 | 528,419 |
Occupancy Profile
Who is inside and how they use it
Homeownership
52.6%
owners
Renter-occupied
47.4%
Owner-occupied
52.6%
homeownership rate
Helena
52.6%
Lewis and Clark County
70.1%
Montana
69.2%
Average household size
2.21
Owner-occupied
1.86
Renter-occupied
owner-occupied average size
Helena
2.21
Lewis and Clark County
2.43
Montana
2.49
Housing Characteristics
Occupied unit characteristics
Tenure, crowding, and utilities
| Helena | Lewis and Clark County | Montana | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total occupied units | 15,774 | 31,215 | 458,859 |
| Year moved in | |||
| 2020 or later | 33.1% | 26.6% | 25.5% |
| 2010 to 2019 | 41.3% | 41.4% | 39.7% |
| 2000 to 2009 | 10.8% | 15.1% | 15.9% |
| 1999 or earlier | 14.8% | 16.9% | 18.9% |
| Occupants per room | |||
| 1.00 or fewer | 98.5% | 98.6% | 98.2% |
| 1.01 to 1.50 | 0.9% | 0.9% | 1.2% |
| 1.51 or more | 0.6% | 0.5% | 0.7% |
| Vehicles availability | |||
| No vehicles | 8.6% | 5.3% | 4.7% |
| 1 vehicle | 41.8% | 27.7% | 26.9% |
| 2 vehicles | 35% | 37.4% | 36.9% |
| 3 or more vehicles | 14.6% | 29.6% | 31.5% |
| House heating fuel used | |||
| Gas | 63.6% | 66.9% | 63.5% |
| Electricity | 34% | 26.9% | 27.3% |
| Solar | 0.3% | 0.4% | 0.2% |
| Fuel oil, kerosene etc | 0% | 0.1% | 0.6% |
| All other fuels | 1.2% | 5.2% | 7.9% |
| No fuel used | 1% | 0.6% | 0.5% |
| Selected characteristics | |||
| Lacking complete plumbing | 0.3% | 0.5% | 0.5% |
| Lacking complete kitchen | 1.9% | 1.2% | 0.9% |
| No telephone service available | 1.6% | 1% | 1.1% |
Housing Value
What owner-occupied units are worth
Median home value
$387,300
owner-occupied units
Housing Cost Burden
26.5%
of homeowners with a mortgage are cost-burdened
Note: Households spending 30% or more of their income on housing costs are considered cost-burdened.
Financial characteristics
Property value and housing costs
Tenure, crowding, and utilities
| Helena | Lewis and Clark County | Montana | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property value | |||
| Median Value | $387,300 | $393,500 | $375,800 |
| Under $100,000 | 3.7% | 7.1% | 10.2% |
| $100,000 - $200,000 | 5.1% | 5.5% | 11.2% |
| $200,000 - $300,000 | 16.4% | 14.5% | 15.9% |
| $300,000 - $500,000 | 53.2% | 46.9% | 30.8% |
| $500,000 - $1,000,000 | 19.3% | 21.6% | 24.9% |
| $1,000,000 and more | 2.3% | 4.3% | 7% |
| Owner-occupied households | |||
| With a mortgage | 54.7% | 60.7% | 54.5% |
| Without a mortgage | 45.3% | 39.3% | 45.5% |
| Median monthly owner costs | |||
| With a mortgage | $1,844 | $1,883 | $1,798 |
| Without a mortgage | $673 | $626 | $571 |
| Gross rent | |||
| Median rent | $1,092 | $1,102 | $1,081 |
Education Profile
How educated is the community and how education pays off
Adults with a college degree
50.6%
of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher
Helena
50.6%
Lewis and Clark County
43%
Montana
35.2%
Adults without a high school diploma
4.8%
of adults (25+) without a high school diploma
Helena
4.8%
Lewis and Clark County
5.1%
Montana
5.4%
School Enrollment
Who is enrolled in school and at what level
School enrollment
7,496
population (age 3+) enrolled in school
College-going rate (18-24 yr olds)
53.7%
of 18-24-year-olds in college or graduate school
Enrollment & school type
Enrollment levels, college-going rate, and public vs private school split
Population 3+ currently enrolled in a school
| Helena | Lewis and Clark County | Montana | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total enrolled (age 3+) | 7,496 | 15,944 | 240,826 |
| Nursery / preschool | 5.5% | 6.7% | 5.2% |
| K–12 | 62.5% | 68.8% | 70.6% |
| Kindergarten | 5.2% | 6% | 5.3% |
| Elementary: Grades 1–4 | 19.2% | 20.2% | 21.7% |
| Elementary: Grades 5–8 | 20.3% | 22.3% | 22% |
| High School: Grades 9–12 | 17.8% | 20.3% | 21.7% |
| College or graduate school | 32% | 24.5% | 24.2% |
| College, undergraduate | 25.7% | 19.5% | 19.1% |
| Graduate, professional school | 6.3% | 4.9% | 5% |
| College-going rate · 18-24 yr olds | 53.7% | 43.7% | 34.5% |
| School type | |||
| Public school | 74.5% | 79.4% | 84% |
| Private school | 25.5% | 20.6% | 16% |
Education Attainment by Level & Gender
What is the highest level of education completed among adults
Education attainment
24,006
population 25 years and over
Attainment by gender
Male vs Female
Adults (25+) · Share within each education level
Educational Attainment Overview
Distribution and key education attainment rates for adults (25+)
Highest credential completed · adults 25+
| Helena | Lewis and Clark County | Montana | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population (25+) | 24,006 | 52,407 | 781,264 |
| Less than 9th grade | 0.7% | 0.9% | 1.6% |
| 9th–12th, no diploma | 4.1% | 4.2% | 3.8% |
| High school diploma or GED | 19.6% | 22.8% | 27.5% |
| Some college, no degree | 16.4% | 19% | 22.4% |
| Associate's degree | 8.5% | 10% | 9.6% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 50.6% | 43% | 35.2% |
| Bachelor's degree | 32.1% | 28.5% | 23.2% |
| Graduate or professional | 18.5% | 14.6% | 12% |
| High School or higher | 95.1% | 94.8% | 94.6% |
Earnings by education level
percentage as applicable
Median Earnings
$53,300
Median earnings for adults 25+, by level
Poverty Rate
2.8%
for ages 25+, with bachelors degree or higher
Outcomes by Education Level
Earnings and poverty rates across education levels (25+)
Adults 25+
| Helena | Lewis and Clark County | Montana | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median earnings | |||
| Population 25+, with earnings | $53,300 | $53,368 | $46,951 |
| Less than high school graduate | $40,392 | $35,603 | $33,639 |
| High school graduate (includes equivalency) | $39,368 | $42,364 | $38,073 |
| Some college or associate's degree | $43,757 | $46,618 | $42,611 |
| Bachelor's degree | $63,112 | $62,230 | $55,623 |
| Graduate or professional degree | $80,708 | $77,233 | $72,265 |
| Poverty rates | |||
| Less than high school graduate | 32.3% | 34.4% | 26.8% |
| High school graduate (includes equivalency) | 12.9% | 9.9% | 13.1% |
| Some college or associate's degree | 10% | 8% | 9.9% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 2.8% | 3.2% | 4.7% |
About Neilsberg Research
Neilsberg Research team are data scientists with expertise in processing, analysis and visualization of big data helping small businesses make right decisions.
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