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Helena, MT

Full City Profile · Montana · Jefferson County County

3.5 /5.0
B+ Good
33,126 Population 1,929/sq mi density
$69,341 Median Income $46,129 per capita
$355,100 Home Value $466,393 Zillow
$1,058 Median Rent 26.7% income on rent
40°F Avg Temperature 273 sunny days/yr
579 Violent Crime/100K 4,268 property/100K
B+
Overall
3.5 / 5.0
Good overall score based on economy, affordability, safety and education
A
Economy
4.4 / 5.0
$69,341 median income, 1.9% unemployment
B+
Affordability
3.8 / 5.0
$355,100 home value, $1,058/mo rent
F
Safety
1.0 / 5.0
579 violent crimes/100K (52% above avg)
A+
Education
5.0 / 5.0
50.4% bachelor's degree or higher

Helena, MT

At a Glance

Median Income
$69,341
8% below
$46,129 per capita
Home Value
$355,100
26% above
Zillow: $466,393
Median Rent
$1,058/mo
9% below
26.7% of income on rent
Violent Crime
579/100K
52% above
4,268/100K property
Bachelor's Degree+
50.4%
50% above
96.1% high school+
Unemployment
1.9%
47% below
4.2% poverty rate
Obesity Rate
30.4%
5% below
11.5% smoking rate
Avg Temperature
40°F
273 sunny days/yr

How Helena Compares to the U.S. Average

Each bar shows Helena's value as a percentage of the national average (100% = U.S. avg)

Income
92%
Home Value
126%
Rent
91%
Poverty
34%
Bachelor's
150%
Unemployment
53%
Crime
152%
Thin vertical line = U.S. national average (100%)

Is Helena a Good Place to Live?

B+
3.5 / 5.0 - Good
Based on economy, affordability, safety, and education metrics compared to national averages.

Economy & Jobs

Helena residents earn a median household income of $69,341 , which is 8% below the national average of $75,149. Per capita income is $46,129. The unemployment rate stands at 1.9% (47% below the U.S. rate of 3.6%). 4.2% of residents live below the poverty line. The area is home to 495 business establishments, including 34 restaurants.

Housing & Cost of Living

The median home value in Helena is $355,100 , 26% above the national median of $281,900. Zillow estimates the typical home at $466,393. Median rent is $1,058/month, with 26.7% of renters spending more than 30% of income on housing. The cost of living index is 94.6 (100 = national average). The median home was built in 1974.

Safety & Crime

Helena reports 579 violent crimes per 100,000 residents , which is 52% above the national average of 380/100K. Property crime is 4,268/100K. The murder rate is 0.0/100K.

Education

50.4% of adults in Helena hold a bachelor's degree or higher (50% above the national average). 96.1% have completed high school. Local schools score 6.5/10 in standardized testing.

Climate & Weather

Helena has an average annual temperature of 40°F (5°C). Winters average 21°F in January while summers reach 64°F in July. The area gets 273 sunny days per year. Annual precipitation totals 16.5 inches. Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 26.

Data Overview

People

Population33,126
Median Age40.4 yrs
Density1,929/mi²
Male / Female47% / 53%
Foreign Born13.6%
Veterans7.7%

Economy

A
Median Income$69,341
Per Capita$46,129
Unemployment1.9%
Poverty4.2%
County GDP$393M
Avg Weekly Wage$1,049

Housing

B+
Home Value$355,100
Rent$1,058
Ownership53.8%
Zillow$466,393
Housing Units16,243
Rent Burden26.7%

Crime

F
Violent579/100K
Property4,268/100K
Murder0.0/100K
Assault381/100K
Burglary381/100K

Health

Obesity30.4%
Diabetes7.3%
Smoking11.5%
Heart Disease4.5%
Premature Death7,802/100K

Climate

Avg Temp40°F
Sunny Days273/yr
Rain16.5 in/yr
AQI26 (Good)
Elevation3,993 ft

Education

A+
Bachelor's+50.4%
High School+96.1%
Graduate+19.4%
School Score6.5/10

Community

2024 VoteR 67% / D 30%
Commute14 min
Broadband87.2%
Internet Speed45 Mbps
EV Stations12
Libraries4

Did You Know?

Helena was founded in 1864.
The median home in Helena was built in 1974.
The nearest airport is Helena Regional (2 miles).
The Gini coefficient (income inequality) is 0.425 (U.S. avg: 0.490).
Natural hazard risk is rated "Very Low" by FEMA.
14.5% of the population has a disability.
13.6% of residents are foreign-born.
The county recorded 7 fatal vehicle crashes.
91 declared natural disasters on record.