© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Living in
Helena.
About
Life in Helena
The semi-arid climate brings long, cold, moderately snowy winters with occasional chinook winds that bring warming breaks, plus hot and dry summers—temperatures swing from over 100 degrees to well below freezing. Precipitation is sparse at just 11 inches annually, so snow rarely sticks around. Housing costs are moderate at a median of $387,300, with rents averaging $1,092 per month, and the job market is steady thanks to state government, education (Carroll College and Helena College), healthcare, and military employment, though economic growth here is slower than surrounding areas.
Helena at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
40.5 yrs
Poverty Rate
8.8%
Foreign-Born
1.6%
Broadband Internet
88.4%
of households
Population Growth
+9.4%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics1.6% foreign-born, most often from Canada
Who lives in Helena: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Helena, the largest foreign-born group is from Canada (22.4%), and 1.1% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
19.1%
of residents
65 and Older
21.7%
of residents
Households with Kids
20.0%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
44.0%
of households
Married Couples
35.8%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.04
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent about average for MT
Rent, home values, and income in Helena
Rent and home values here are close to the MT average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
38.2%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
14.7%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
95.7
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,552
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
52.6%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1974
median year built
Vacant Homes
4.9%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $477,974 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for MT
Unemployment in Helena and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Helena is close to the MT average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Helena Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Billings, MT metro area
Commute13.7 min avg
How Helena residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Helena, most residents drive alone to work (64%), and 92% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 3 mi
Helena Regional Airport (HLN)
Regional airport · few flights102k passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 77% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Helena runs 77% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
582.3
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,908.7
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Helena Police Department
Natural DisastersHigh Wind most common — 38 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
71.2 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Lewis and Clark County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Lewis and Clark County, which includes Helena, the most common type is high wind, with 38 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 38 | High Wind | $12,000 |
| 2024 | 42 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2023 | 37 | High Wind | $105,000 |
| 2022 | 26 | Heavy Snow | $700,000 |
| 2021 | 1 | Hail | Not estimated |
| 2020 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 6 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2018 | 10 | Flood | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
18 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Lewis and Clark County, county-wide
Air Quality44 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Lewis and Clark County, which includes Helena, is typically good — 261 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
44
Good Days
261
per year
Moderate Days
104
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Lewis and Clark County, county-wide
Climate82°F summers, 15°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Helena has warm summers (avg high 82°F) and very cold winters (avg low 15°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
57°/33°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
82°/52°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
58°/34°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
34°/15°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
11.4"
Annual Snowfall
37.2"
Hot Days/Year
27
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
170
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
91
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 32°F | 14°F | 0.39" |
| Feb | 37°F | 17°F | 0.42" |
| Mar | 48°F | 25°F | 0.52" |
| Apr | 57°F | 32°F | 1.02" |
| May | 66°F | 42°F | 1.95" |
| Jun | 75°F | 49°F | 2.21" |
| Jul | 86°F | 55°F | 1.06" |
| Aug | 85°F | 53°F | 1.04" |
| Sep | 73°F | 45°F | 0.96" |
| Oct | 58°F | 34°F | 0.78" |
| Nov | 43°F | 23°F | 0.59" |
| Dec | 33°F | 14°F | 0.46" |
Healthcare2 hospitals, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Helena
Helena has 2 hospitals, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
2
within city limits
Uninsured
4.6%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
St Peters Health
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Shodair Children's Hospital
Psychiatric
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
VA Montana Healthcare System
Acute Care - Veterans Administration · ER available · 4.2 mi away · Fort Harrison
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education15.8:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Helena
Helena's student/teacher ratio is 15.8:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 50.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
12
within city limits
Private Schools
4
within city limits
College Degree Rate
50.6%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.8:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Helena
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,092 students · in-state tuition $43,070 · 69% graduate · median earnings $66,371 (10 yrs after entry)
Helena College University of Montana
Public · 2-year · 585 students · in-state tuition $4,547 · 39% graduate · median earnings $44,083 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site, 37 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Helena
Helena has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site (37 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site
National Historic Site
37 mi awayPublic Libraries in Helena
Lewis And Clark Library
120 South Last Chance Gulch, Helena
Cities Near Helena
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Helena?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Helena FAQ
Is Helena, Montana affordable?⌄
Helena's median rent is $1,092/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $71,036/year. Median home value is $387,300.
Is Helena, Montana safe?⌄
Helena's violent crime rate was 582 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2909 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Helena, Montana?⌄
Helena has an unemployment rate of 3.3%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Helena, Montana?⌄
The cost of living in Helena is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,092/month and median household income is $71,036/year. The median home value is $387,300. About 38% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Helena, Montana?⌄
The average commute in Helena is 14 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from