Census place 3035600

Helena

A Census profile of the people, homes, and daily patterns that shape this place.

Official Census name: Helena city

Relocation snapshot

What stands out in Helena.

According to the 2025 estimate, Helena has a population of 35,138 and 2,035 residents per square mile. Of the six relocation measures evaluated, the three largest relative differences from the median among 8 covered Montana places are: population density is 2,035/sq mi, below the comparison median of 2,337/sq mi; typical commute is 13.7 minutes, below the comparison median of 15.7 minutes; and median home value is $387,300, below the comparison median of $407,650. These unweighted medians compare covered Census places and are not statewide estimates.

population density
2,035/sq mi
Below the comparison median of 2,337/sq mi
typical commute
13.7 minutes
Below the comparison median of 15.7 minutes
median home value
$387,300
Below the comparison median of $407,650

National context

Follow the metrics.

Compare Helena's values with other covered Census places. Rankings are descriptive, not recommendations.

At a glance

A city in numbers.

Population
35,138
2025 estimate
Annual change
+1.3%
Population estimate
Density
2,035/sq mi
17.3 sq mi land area
Median age
40.5 years
ACS 5-year estimate

Living here

The everyday equation.

Households, homes, education, and the time it takes to get around.

Median household income
$71,036
Median home value
$387,300
Median gross rent
$1,092
Bachelor’s degree or higher
50.6%
Typical commute
13.7 min
Drive-alone commute
64.4%
Public transit commute
0.3%
Walked to work
7.3%

Housing

Who rents, and what it takes.

Renter share and rent burden help describe the housing choices visible in this place.

Renter-occupied homes
47.4%
Renters paying 30%+ of income
40%

Work

How the workday lands.

Employment status and working-from-home share add context to income and commuting patterns.

Employed residents 16+
59.8%
Unemployed residents 16+
1.8%
Working from home
16.2%

Community

The everyday infrastructure.

Access, mobility, housing growth, and household composition add another layer to a place's day-to-day picture.

Households with broadband
88.4%
Homes built 2020+
2.8%
Households without a vehicle
8.6%
Households with children
20%
Residents with a disability
16.2%
Residents without insurance
4.6%

Environmental context

A record of declared events.

FEMA declarations for Lewis and Clark County provide historical context, not a forecast or a property-level risk assessment.

Environmental declarations since 2000
11
Fire declarations
8
Flood declarations
1
Hurricane declarations
1

Climate normals

The long view of weather.

Thirty-year averages, not a forecast. Temperature and precipitation describe the typical conditions recorded from 1991 through 2020.

Representative station: HELENA AP ASOS (1 mi from place center)
Average high
57.7°F
Average low
33.4°F
Annual rainfall
11.4"
Annual snowfall
37.2"

Month by month

A year in Helena.

Typical high and low °F
0°F20°F40°F60°F80°F100°F
JFMAMJJASOND
Typical precipitation inches

Data vintage

Population is from the 2025 Population Estimates Program. Household, housing, education, and commute data are from the 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-year release. Disaster declarations are from FEMA's OpenFEMA dataset and are refreshed with this edition.

Similar places

More places to consider.

Selected by the closest mix of population, density, median home value, and average annual high.

St. Charles, IL

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
33,594
Median home
$377,400

Westlake, OH

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
33,904
Median home
$368,200

Savage, MN

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
32,970
Median home
$432,300

Keep exploring

Compare Helena with St. Charles