The Town FilesHelena Valley Northwest, Montana
Community in Lewis and Clark County · population 4,705 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $404,200
- Household income
- $100,605
- Jan low / Jul high
- 14° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 35 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 35.7
Helena Valley Northwest is a community of 4,705 people in Lewis and Clark County, Montana. The median home is worth $404,200, above the typical Montana town ($249,800). It ranks better for families than 100% of Montana towns, more upscale than 95% of Montana towns, quieter than 73% of Montana towns.
How Helena Valley Northwest ranks
Percentile among Montana towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Montana towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Helena Valley Northwest is worth $404,200, above the typical Montana town ($249,800). Homes cost about 4.0 times the median household income of $100,605, which is more affordable than 59% of Montana towns. Median rent is $1,603 a month. 94.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Helena Valley Northwest | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $404,200 | $249,800 |
| Median rent | $1,603 | $893 |
| Median household income | $100,605 | $63,249 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.0× | 4.2× |
| Homeownership | 94.9% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 2001 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Helena Valley Northwest
| People | Helena Valley Northwest | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.7 | 40.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.0% | 19.6% |
| Under 18 | 29.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.7% | 25.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.6% | 10.9% |
| Veterans | 11.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.3% | — |
| Work from home | 5.2% | 8.5% |
| Average commute | 22.0 min | 19.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.9% | 86.6% |
Weather in Helena Valley Northwest
July highs average 86.1°F and January lows 13.5°F. About 11.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 35.2 inches of snow (typical Montana town: 44.0 in). Expect about 27 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 170 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Helena Valley Northwest since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Montana town. The strongest, an F0, struck on July 22, 1960 about 9.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 22, 1960.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 22 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 6, 1997.
Severe weather in Lewis and Clark County since 1996
Lewis and Clark County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 12, 2024 | Fire | FM-5507: Horse Gulch Fire |
| March 31, 2020 | Biological | DR-4508: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3476: Covid-19 |
| July 28, 2019 | Fire | FM-5286: North Hills Fire |
| October 31, 2018 | Flood | DR-4405: Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Lewis and Clark County
Lewis and Clark County had 39,957 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,248 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in Helena Valley Northwest itself the ACS puts it at 4.5%.
Towns near Helena Valley Northwest
- Helena Valley West Central, MT4.8 mi · 8,670 people · home $367,200
- Helena Valley Northeast, MT5.9 mi · 3,813 people · home $576,700
- Helena, MT9.4 mi · 32,091 people · home $387,300
- Helena Valley Southeast, MT10.5 mi · 9,168 people · home $331,500
- Montana City, MT15.4 mi · 2,918 people · home $571,200
Helena Valley Northwest questions
Is Helena Valley Northwest, Montana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Helena Valley Northwest scores better for retirees than 52% of Montana towns and quieter than 73%. 12.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.7).
How much does a house cost in Helena Valley Northwest?
The median owner-occupied home in Helena Valley Northwest is valued at $404,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $100,605, so homes cost about 4.0 times income. Median rent is $1,603 a month.
What is the weather like in Helena Valley Northwest?
July highs average 86.1°F and January lows 13.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 11.4 inches of precipitation a year and 35.2 inches of snow.
Does Helena Valley Northwest get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Helena Valley Northwest since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on July 22, 1960. The typical Montana town has had 1.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)