Helena, MT

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

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2021 Population

82,397

2% 1-year growth

US Senator

Jon Tester

Democratic Party

US Senator

Steve Daines

Republican Party

2021 Median Age

42.1

0.473% 1-year decrease

2021 Poverty Rate

8.06%

10.7% 1-year decrease

2021 Median Household Income

$66,862

0.476% 1-year growth

2021 Median Property Value

$283,600

5.7% 1-year growth

2021 Employed Population

41,500

0.956% 1-year growth

About

In 2021, Helena, MT had a population of 82.4k people with a median age of 42.1 and a median household income of $66,862. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Helena, MT grew from 80,783 to 82,397, a 2% increase and its median household income grew from $66,545 to $66,862, a 0.476% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Helena, MT are White (Non-Hispanic) (90.3%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (3.88%), White (Hispanic) (2.43%), American Indian & Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic) (1.1%), and Two+ (Hispanic) (0.566%).

None of the households in Helena, MT reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

99.5% of the residents in Helena, MT are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Helena, MT are Carroll College (308 degrees awarded in 2021) and Helena College University of Montana (210 degrees).

In 2021, the median property value in Helena, MT was $283,600, and the homeownership rate was 73.1%.

Most people in Helena, MT drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 18.1 minutes. The average car ownership in Helena, MT was 2 cars per household.

Helena, MT borders Bozeman, MT, Butte-Silver Bow, MT, Great Falls, MT, and Kalispell, MT.

United States Montana

Population & Diversity

Helena, MT is home to a population of 82.4k people, from which 99.5% are citizens. As of 2021, 1.5% of Helena, MT residents were born outside of the country (1.24k people).

In 2021, there were 23.3 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (74.4k people) in Helena, MT than any other race or ethnicity. There were 3.2k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) and 2.01k White (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

99.5%

2021 Citizenship

99.4%

2020 Citizenship

As of 2021, 99.5% of Helena, MT residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2020, the percentage of US citizens in Helena, MT was 99.4%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Helena, MT compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Helena, MT

White (Non-Hispanic)
74.4k ± 318
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
3.2k ± 322
White (Hispanic)
2.01k ± 210

3.49%

Hispanic Population

2.87k people

3.49% of the people in Helena, MT are hispanic (2.87k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Helena, MT as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the MSA level, so we are showing data for Montana.

Most Common Origin

Canada
3,423 ± 1,434 people
Mexico
3,107 ± 1,367 people
Germany
1,917 ± 1,074 people

In 2021, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Montana was Canada, the natal country of 3,423 Montana residents, followed by Mexico with 3,107 and Germany with 1,917.

Foreign-Born Population

1.5%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

1.24k people

1.52%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

1.23k people

As of 2021, 1.5% of Helena, MT residents (1.24k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2020, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Helena, MT was 1.52%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Helena, MT compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
2,533 ± 284
Gulf War (2001-)
1,934 ± 382
Gulf War (1990s)
1,077 ± 235

Helena, MT has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.31 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Helena, MT employs 41.5k people. The largest industries in Helena, MT are Public Administration (6,711 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (6,473 people), and Retail Trade (4,341 people), and the highest paying industries are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($100,212), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($71,623), and Finance & Insurance ($69,390).

Males in Montana have an average income that is 1.34 times higher than the average income of females, which is $47,951. The income inequality in Montana (measured using the Gini index) is 0.463, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

41.5k

2021 Value

± 1,463

0.956%

1 Year growth

± 4.96%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Helena, MT grew at a rate of 0.956%, from 41.1k employees to 41.5k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Helena, MT, are Management Occupations (4,994 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (4,312 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (3,422 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Helena, MT.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Montana (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

41.5k

2021 Value

± 1,463

0.956%

1 Year growth

± 4.96%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Helena, MT grew at a rate of 0.956%, from 41.1k employees to 41.5k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Helena, MT, are Public Administration (6,711 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (6,473 people), and Retail Trade (4,341 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Helena, MT, though some of these residents may live in Helena, MT and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$46,831

Median earning men ± $3,289

$34,962

Median earning women ± $1,722

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($87,969), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($71,406), and Public Administration ($69,716).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Public Administration ($53,222), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($50,776), and Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($47,708).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

Y-Axis

2.75%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in Montana. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Montana.

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

1,039
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
563
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services
529
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$610k
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
$387k
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
$178k
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Montana to other states, or from other states to Montana.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound Montana product (by dollars) was Coal-n.e.c. with $7.07B, followed by Crude petroleum ($6.71B) and Cereal grains ($4.29B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Montana products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Montana.

$50.5B

2020 Value in Montana

$81.2B

Projected 2050 Value in Montana

60.9% growth

In 2020, total outbound Montana trade was $50.5B. This is expected to increase 60.9% to $81.2B by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Montana trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Montana to other states, or from other states to Montana.

Most Common Trade Partners

Washington
$4.3B
Idaho
$2.87B
Colorado
$2.59B

In 2020, the top outbound Montana domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Washington with $4.3B, followed by Idaho with $2.87B and Colorado and $2.59B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Montana shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Montana went to Donald J. Trump with 56.9% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (40.5%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (2.53%).

Jon Tester and Steve Daines are the senators currently representing the state of Montana. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Montana is currently represented by 2 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Helena, MT. Showing the available data for Montana.

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (56.9%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (40.5%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (2.53%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Montana went to Donald J. Trump with 56.9% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (40.5%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (2.53%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Montana for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Montana

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Montana.

Jon Tester

Senator from Montana

Assumed office on January 3, 2007

Steve Daines

Senator from Montana

Assumed office on January 3, 2015

Jon Tester and Steve Daines are the senators currently representing Montana.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Montana over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Montana

Montana is currently represented by 2 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Montana have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2021, universities in Helena, MT awarded 518 degrees. The student population of Helena, MT in 2021 is skewed towards women, with 1,034 male students and 1,555 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Helena, MT are White (426 and 83.7%), followed by Unknown (33 and 6.48%), Hispanic or Latino (24 and 4.72%), and Two or More Races (14 and 2.75%).

The largest universities in Helena, MT by number of degrees awarded are Carroll College (308 and 59.5%) and Helena College University of Montana (210 and 40.5%).

The most popular majors in Helena, MT are Registered Nursing (75 and 14.5%), General Studies (67 and 12.9%), and General Biological Sciences (34 and 6.56%).

The median tuition cost in Helena, MT for private four year colleges is $36,906.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2021 in Helena, MT, the percentage of applicants admitted was 83.9%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 22.3%. The number of students enrolled in 2021 was 2,589 (39.9% men and 60.1% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2021 there were 2,589 students enrolled in Helena, MT, 39.9% men and 60.1% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 2,057 records, of which 60.8% were women and 39.2% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Animal-Assisted Therapy
24 degree-majors awarded
Registered Nursing
43 degree-majors awarded
General Biological Sciences
34 degree-majors awarded

In 2021, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Helena, MT was Animal-Assisted Therapy with 24 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Helena, MT according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Carroll College
308 degrees awarded
Helena College University of Montana
210 degrees awarded

In 2021, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Carroll College with 308 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2021, 209 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Helena, MT, which is 0.676 times less than the 309 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2021 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 426 degrees mean that there were 12.9 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Unknown, with 33 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($36,906) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2021.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,200) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2021.

Public, 2-year ($1,420) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Montana.

Measure

In 2021, 0.385% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.262% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Montana.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2021 were High School or Equivalent (246k), Some college (211k), and Bachelors Degree (174k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Helena, MT was $283,600 in 2021, which is 1.16 times larger than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $268,300 to $283,600, a 5.7% increase. The homeownership rate in Helena, MT is 73.1%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in Helena, MT have an average commute time of 18.1 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Helena, MT is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Helena, MT is $66,862. In 2021, the county with the highest Median Household Income in Helena, MT was Fallon County, MT with a value of $83,750, followed by Gallatin County, MT and Stillwater County, MT, with respective values of $76,208 and $72,906.

Housing

Property

$283,600

Median Property Value 2021

±$6,874

$25,303

Median Property Taxes

±$1,101

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Helena, MT the largest share of households pay taxes in the $2k - $3k range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Helena, MT compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

73.1%

Homeownership

2021

66.7%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2021

In 2021, 73.1% of the housing units in Helena, MT were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 73.4%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Helena, MT compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

In 2021, the county with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Helena, MT was Fallon County, MT with a value of $83,750, followed by Gallatin County, MT and Stillwater County, MT, with respective values of $76,208 and $72,906.

The following map shows all of the counties in Helena, MT colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$66,862

Median Household Income

± $2,683

34.6k

Number of Households

± 1,240

In 2021, the median household income of the 34.6k households in Helena, MT grew to $66,862 from the previous year's value of $66,545.

The following chart displays the households in Helena, MT distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Helena, MT is from Montana.

0.463

2021 Wage GINI in Montana

0.459

2020 Wage GINI in Montana

In 2021, the income inequality in Montana was 0.463 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.762% growth from 2020 to 2021, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for Montana was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Montana in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Montana across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2021

Drove Alone (72.4%)
Carpooled (11.1%)
Worked At Home (10.1%)

In 2021, 72.4% of workers in Helena, MT drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (11.1%) and those who worked at home (10.1%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

18.1 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Helena, MT have a shorter commute time (18.1 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 1.72% of the workforce in Helena, MT have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Helena, MT compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Helena, MT distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Helena, MT have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

8.06% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Helena, MT (6.51k out of 80.7k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.6%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Males 55 - 64 and then Males 35 - 44.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Helena, MT is White, followed by Hispanic and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

94.8% of the population of Helena, MT has health coverage, with 47.9% on employee plans, 14.7% on Medicaid, 13.2% on Medicare, 16.4% on non-group plans, and 2.81% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Montana see 1215 patients per year on average, which represents a 2.02% decrease from the previous year (1240 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1346 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 298 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Montana.

1,215 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Montana

Primary care physicians in Montana see an average of 1,215 patients per year. This represents a 2.02% decrease from the previous year (1,240 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Montana in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 22.7% under 18 years, 18% between 18 and 34 years, 40% between 35 and 64 years, and 19.2% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.9% were men and 50.1% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

5.16%

Uninsured

47.9%

Employer Coverage

14.7%

Medicaid

13.2%

Medicare

16.4%

Non-Group

2.81%

Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in Helena, MT declined by 2.75% from 5.31% to 5.16%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Helena, MT changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.