Housing Value★★★★★★★★★★2.7 / 5Home values compared with local household income.
Living in Helena, MT
Explore Helena and see how it fits the life you want to build.
Overall Match7.2 / 10
Baseline match from currently available location scores. Choose priorities to personalize it.
Helena at a Glance
Key facts and current data
Population33,639
Median Household Income$71,036
Median Home Value$387,300
Median Gross Rent$1,092
Median Age40.5
Average Household Size2.0
Unemployment2.9%
Work From Home16.2%
Homeownership52.6%
Housing Vacancy4.9%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year.
Helena is a mid-sized community where local neighborhoods, nearby job centers and regional access can matter as much as citywide averages. Unemployment is relatively low, which is a positive current labor-market signal.
Experience the Area
Experience Life in Helena Before You Move
Explore Short-Term Stays in Helena →Stay options powered by Stay22 · affiliate
NarrowTheList highly recommends you spend a week or two in Helena and experience everyday life before deciding whether it is the right place to call home. Use that time to explore neighborhoods, drive your normal routes, shop where residents shop, and get a feel for the area at different times of day.
NarrowTheList Ratings
Data-driven starter ratings. More categories appear automatically as new datasets are added.
Housing & Cost of Living in Helena
Current housing indicators from the U.S. Census Bureau
Median Home Value$387,300
Median Gross Rent$1,092
Homeownership52.6%
Housing Vacancy4.9%
Home values are relatively high compared with local household income, so purchase affordability deserves close attention. Renters make up a substantial share of the local housing market.
Jobs, Income & Remote Work
Employment and household-income context for Helena, MT
Median Household Income$71,036
Unemployment2.9%
Work From Home16.2%
The reported unemployment rate is relatively low. Working from home is relatively common among employed residents.
Population & Household Profile
Who lives in Helena and how households are structured
Population33,639
Median Age40.5
Average Household Size2.0
Helena is a smaller community, so its relationship with nearby towns, employment centers and services can be especially important.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year. NarrowTheList presents these values as relocation context; conditions can vary within a community.
Climate & Weather in Helena
Long-term NOAA climate normals and practical seasonal context
NOAA climate normals for Helena point to hot summers, cold winters, a relatively dry annual rainfall pattern and substantial annual snowfall.
Average Summer High86.1°F
Average Winter Low13.5°F
Annual Rainfall14.4 in.
Annual Snowfall37.2 in.
Seasonal Life in Helena
What the long-term climate pattern may mean for everyday living.
Spring
Spring should generally favor outdoor activity, although a relatively dry annual pattern makes water use, landscaping and local drought conditions worth noticing.
Summer
Summer is warm enough that shade and cooling still matter, but the typical high is below the extreme-heat range seen in many hotter U.S. markets.
Fall
Fall marks a substantial seasonal transition here. It is a useful time to judge how quickly temperatures change and whether that seasonal swing fits the lifestyle you want.
Winter
Freezing winter lows and meaningful snowfall make snow removal, winter driving, heating costs and cold-weather routines important parts of evaluating the area.
Source: NOAA/NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020. Seasonal descriptions are relocation context derived from the available long-term normals, not a forecast.
Helena is located in Lewis and Clark County, but city-level housing, income and neighborhood conditions can differ meaningfully from countywide averages. Lewis and Clark County. Current county foreclosure activity is classified as medium, adding another housing-market signal for buyers comparing conventional and distressed-property opportunities.
County Intelligence
Helena & Lewis and Clark County
Medium
Foreclosure Activity
Helena is located in Lewis and Clark County, Montana.
NarrowTheList uses county-level information alongside local community data because many factors that matter when choosing a place to live are measured beyond city boundaries. Housing, property taxes, employment, healthcare access and other regional characteristics can add useful context to the picture of life in Helena.
Current NarrowTheList data for Helena shows a population of about 33,639. These local figures become more useful when read together with county-level tax, housing, foreclosure and demographic conditions rather than treated as isolated city statistics.
Foreclosure Activity: Medium. Current signal uses NarrowTheList foreclosure-opportunity data until direct county delinquency and foreclosure datasets are connected.
For someone comparing homes, county boundaries can matter because taxes, public services, court and recording systems, assessment practices and housing-market conditions are often administered or reported at the county level. NarrowTheList keeps that county relationship attached to the community so future tax, foreclosure, housing and demographic data can be interpreted in the correct geographic context.
County relationship
Lewis and Clark County
How NarrowTheList uses it
County information is used as a supporting geographic layer, not as a substitute for local data. As more county datasets are added, NarrowTheList can use them to improve comparisons, ratings and relocation insights for Helena.
For someone considering a move to Helena, the available data currently points to housing affordability that deserves careful budgeting and a relatively tight labor market. These signals are most useful when considered alongside the specific neighborhood, commute and housing type that fit the household making the move.
Nearby Cities & Communities
Nearby incorporated cities, towns, villages and other municipalities shown by straight-line distance.