Helena, MT

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

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2020 Population

80,783

1.33% 1-year growth

US Senator

Jon Tester

Democratic Party

US Senator

Steve Daines

Republican Party

US Representative

Matt Rosendale

Republican Party

2020 Median Age

42.3

0.955% 1-year increase

2020 Poverty Rate

9.02%

9.59% 1-year decrease

2020 Median Household Income

$66,545

0.19% 1-year growth

2020 Median Property Value

$268,300

8.01% 1-year growth

2020 Employed Population

41,107

2.16% 1-year growth

About

In 2020, Helena, MT had a population of 80.8k people with a median age of 42.3 and a median household income of $66,545. Between 2019 and 2020 the population of Helena, MT grew from 79,722 to 80,783, a 1.33% increase and its median household income grew from $66,419 to $66,545, a 0.19% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Helena, MT are White (Non-Hispanic) (90.9%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (3.29%), White (Hispanic) (2.44%), American Indian & Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic) (1.28%), and Other (Hispanic) (0.682%).

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.

99.4% of the residents in Helena, MT are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Helena, MT are Carroll College (366 degrees awarded in 2020) and Helena College University of Montana (231 degrees).

In 2020, the median property value in Helena, MT was $268,300, and the homeownership rate was 73.4%.

Most people in Helena, MT drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 17.6 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.

Population & Diversity

Helena, MT is home to a population of 80.8k people, from which 99.4% are citizens. As of 2020, 1.52% of Helena, MT residents were born outside of the country (1.23k people).

In 2020, there were 27.6 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (73.4k people) in Helena, MT than any other race or ethnicity. There were 2.66k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) and 1.97k White (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

99.4%

2020 Citizenship

99.5%

2019 Citizenship

As of 2020, 99.4% of Helena, MT residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2019, the percentage of US citizens in Helena, MT was 99.5%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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)
73.4k ± 271
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
2.66k ± 280
White (Hispanic)
1.97k ± 229

3.37%

Hispanic Population

2.73k people

3.37% of the people in Helena, MT are hispanic (2.73k 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
3,678 ± 1,486 people
Mexico
2,437 ± 1,211 people
Philippines
2,115 ± 1,128 people

In 2020, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Montana was Canada, the natal country of 3,678 Montana residents, followed by Mexico with 2,437 and Philippines with 2,115.

Foreign-Born Population

1.52%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

1.23k people

1.18%

2019 Foreign-Born Population

941 people

As of 2020, 1.52% of Helena, MT residents (1.23k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.5%. In 2019, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Helena, MT was 1.18%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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
2,567 ± 324
Gulf War (2001-)
2,003 ± 366
Gulf War (1990s)
1,044 ± 237

Helena, MT has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.28 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Helena, MT employs 41.1k people. The largest industries in Helena, MT are Public Administration (6,611 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (6,223 people), and Retail Trade (4,485 people), and the highest paying industries are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($78,750), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($66,311), and Finance & Insurance ($63,920).

Males in Montana have an average income that is 1.36 times higher than the average income of females, which is $44,421. The income inequality in Montana (measured using the Gini index) is 0.459, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

41.1k

2020 Value

± 1,459

2.16%

1 Year growth

± 4.75%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Helena, MT grew at a rate of 2.16%, from 40.2k employees to 41.1k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Helena, MT, are Management Occupations (5,036 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (4,168 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (3,969 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 Montana.

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

41.1k

2020 Value

± 1,459

2.16%

1 Year growth

± 4.75%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Helena, MT grew at a rate of 2.16%, from 40.2k employees to 41.1k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Helena, MT, are Public Administration (6,611 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (6,223 people), and Retail Trade (4,485 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

$44,925

Median earning men ± $3,337

$33,204

Median earning women ± $1,982

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2020 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($75,605), Public Administration ($69,085), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($64,024).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2020 are Public Administration ($51,414), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($46,488), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($42,483).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

8.45%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between May 2020 and May 2021

As of May 2021, there are 145M people employed in Montana. This represents a 8.45% increase in employment when compared to May 2020.

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 Crude petroleum with $5.84B, followed by Coal-n.e.c. ($5.26B) and Gasoline ($3.8B).

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

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Montana.

$45.7B

2020 Value in Montana

$81.1B

Projected 2050 Value in Montana

77.7% growth

In 2020, total outbound Montana trade was $45.7B. This is expected to increase 77.7% to $81.1B 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

Idaho
$2.74B
North Dakota
$2.34B
Washington
$2.32B

In 2020, the top outbound Montana domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Idaho with $2.74B, followed by North Dakota with $2.34B and Washington and $2.32B.

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

Civics

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.

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

Senators 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 Representatives Elections

US Representatives from Helena, MT

Matt Rosendale

Montana at-large Representative

Republican Party

Helena, MT is currently represented by Matt Rosendale (Republican Party).

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

Education

In 2020, universities in Helena, MT awarded 597 degrees. The student population of Helena, MT in 2020 is skewed towards women, with 992 male students and 1,440 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Helena, MT are White (497 and 83.7%), followed by Unknown (49 and 8.25%), Hispanic or Latino (19 and 3.2%), and Two or More Races (13 and 2.19%).

The largest universities in Helena, MT by number of degrees awarded are Carroll College (366 and 61.3%) and Helena College University of Montana (231 and 38.7%).

The most popular majors in Helena, MT are General Studies (68 and 11.4%), Registered Nursing (68 and 11.4%), and Accounting (34 and 5.7%).

The median tuition cost in Helena, MT for private four year colleges is $36,182.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2020 in Helena, MT, the percentage of applicants admitted was 73%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 25.5%. The number of students enrolled in 2020 was 2,432 (40.8% men and 59.2% 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 2020 there were 2,432 students enrolled in Helena, MT, 40.8% men and 59.2% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 1,973 records, of which 60.5% were women and 39.5% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Health Services
28 degree-majors awarded
Registered Nursing
38 degree-majors awarded
General Biological Sciences
32 degree-majors awarded

In 2020, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Helena, MT was General Health Services with 28 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
366 degrees awarded
Helena College University of Montana
231 degrees awarded

In 2020, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Carroll College with 366 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2020, 246 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Helena, MT, which is 0.701 times less than the 351 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2020 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 497 degrees mean that there were 10.1 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Unknown, with 49 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 ($36,182) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2020.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,080) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2020.

Public, 2-year ($1,350) 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 2020, 0.334% 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 2020 were High School or Equivalent (243k), Some college (210k), and Bachelors Degree (169k).

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 $268,300 in 2020, which is 1.17 times larger than the national average of $229,800. Between 2019 and 2020 the median property value increased from $248,400 to $268,300, a 8.01% increase. The homeownership rate in Helena, MT is 73.4%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.4%.

People in Helena, MT have an average commute time of 17.6 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 $66,545. In 2020, the county with the highest Median Household Income in Helena, MT was Jefferson County, MT with a value of $71,779, followed by Gallatin County, MT and Fallon County, MT, with respective values of $70,124 and $69,792.

Housing

Property

$268,300

Median Property Value 2020

±$5,758

$24,197

Median Property Taxes

±$1,009

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

73.4%

Homeownership

2020

66.2%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2020

In 2020, 73.4% of the housing units in Helena, MT were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 71.5%.

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 2020, the county with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Helena, MT was Jefferson County, MT with a value of $71,779, followed by Gallatin County, MT and Fallon County, MT, with respective values of $70,124 and $69,792.

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.

$66,545

Median Household Income

± $2,912

32.9k

Number of Households

± 1,245

In 2020, the median household income of the 32.9k households in Helena, MT grew to $66,545 from the previous year's value of $66,419.

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.

0.459

2020 Wage GINI in Montana

0.46

2019 Wage GINI in Montana

In 2020, the income inequality in Montana was 0.459 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.113% decline from 2019 to 2020, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more 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 2020

Drove Alone (73.8%)
Carpooled (11.3%)
Worked At Home (8.2%)

In 2020, 73.8% of workers in Helena, MT drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (11.3%) and those who worked at home (8.2%).

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

17.6 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Helena, MT have a shorter commute time (17.6 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.9 minutes). Additionally, 1.48% 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

9.02% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Helena, MT (7.13k out of 79k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.8%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Females 55 - 64 and then Males 55 - 64.

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

94.7% of the population of Helena, MT has health coverage, with 48.5% on employee plans, 13.9% on Medicaid, 12.7% on Medicare, 16.5% on non-group plans, and 3.06% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in Montana was $8,221 in 2014. This is a 2.84% increase from the previous year ($7,994).

Primary care physicians in Montana see 1240 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.641% decrease from the previous year (1248 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1356 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 316 patients per year.

COVID-19

Daily New Cases by Date

Showing data at the state level for Montana. Hospitalization data for some states may be delayed or not reported.

Y-Axis

This chart shows the number of COVID-19 daily new cases by date in Montana, as a 7-day rolling average, compared with the four states with the most similar number of confirmed cases.

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Patient to Clinician Ratios

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

1,240 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Montana

Primary care physicians in Montana see an average of 1,240 patients per year. This represents a 0.641% decrease from the previous year (1,248 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.

Community Mobility

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

This chart presents movement trends over time in the state of Montana across different categories of places such as retail and recreation, groceries and pharmacies, parks, transit stations, workplaces, and residential.

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Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2020, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 22.7% under 18 years, 18.2% between 18 and 34 years, 40.3% between 35 and 64 years, and 18.9% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.7% were men and 50.3% were women.

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

Uninsured People

5.31%

Uninsured

48.5%

Employer Coverage

13.9%

Medicaid

12.7%

Medicare

16.5%

Non-Group

3.06%

Military or VA

Between 2019 and 2020, the percent of uninsured citizens in Helena, MT declined by 8.14% from 5.78% to 5.31%.

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.