The Town FilesHelena, Montana
City in Lewis and Clark County · population 32,091 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $387,300
- Household income
- $71,036
- Jan low / Jul high
- 14° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 37 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 40.5
Helena is a city of 32,091 people in Lewis and Clark County, Montana. The median home is worth $387,300, above the typical Montana town ($249,800). It ranks better for young professionals than 97% of Montana towns, hipper than 97% of Montana towns, more vibrant than 95% of Montana towns.
How Helena 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 is worth $387,300, above the typical Montana town ($249,800). Homes cost about 5.5 times the median household income of $71,036, which is more affordable than 31% of Montana towns. Median rent is $1,092 a month. 52.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Helena | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $387,300 | $249,800 |
| Median rent | $1,092 | $893 |
| Median household income | $71,036 | $63,249 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.5× | 4.2× |
| Homeownership | 52.6% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1974 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.4% | — |
Who lives in Helena
| People | Helena | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.5 | 40.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.7% | 19.6% |
| Under 18 | 19.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 50.6% | 25.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.8% | 10.9% |
| Veterans | 7.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.6% | — |
| Work from home | 16.2% | 8.5% |
| Average commute | 13.7 min | 19.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.4% | 86.6% |
Weather in Helena
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 37.2 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
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Helena since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Montana town. The strongest, an F0, struck on June 27, 1997 about 1.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 27, 1997.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 55 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 itself the ACS puts it at 2.9%.
Public schools in Helena
15 public schools with 7,627 students, about 16.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capital High School | 9-12 | 1,367 | 16.1 |
| Helena High School | 9-12 | 1,087 | 14.7 |
| C R Anderson Middle Schl | 6-8 | 1,016 | 17.8 |
| Helena Middle School | 6-8 | 671 | 15.6 |
| Jim Darcy School | PK-5 | 486 | 19.4 |
| Four Georgians School | PK-5 | 459 | 17.0 |
| Rossiter School | PK-5 | 370 | 15.4 |
| Bryant School | PK-5 | 336 | 14.6 |
| Warren School | PK-5 | 307 | 19.2 |
| Smith School | PK-5 | 292 | 15.4 |
| Central School | PK-5 | 284 | 13.5 |
| Kessler Elementary School | PK-5 | 248 | 14.6 |
Towns near Helena
- Helena Valley West Central, MT4.9 mi · 8,670 people · home $367,200
- Helena Valley Southeast, MT5.9 mi · 9,168 people · home $331,500
- Montana City, MT6.4 mi · 2,918 people · home $571,200
- Helena Valley Northeast, MT8.6 mi · 3,813 people · home $576,700
- Helena Valley Northwest, MT9.4 mi · 4,705 people · home $404,200
Helena questions
Is Helena, Montana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Helena scores better for retirees than 44% of Montana towns and quieter than 11%. 21.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.5).
How much does a house cost in Helena?
The median owner-occupied home in Helena is valued at $387,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $71,036, so homes cost about 5.5 times income. Median rent is $1,092 a month.
What is the weather like in Helena?
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 37.2 inches of snow.
Does Helena get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Helena since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on June 27, 1997. 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)