Helena is a city located in Lewis and Clark County Montana. Helena has a 2024 population of 35,204. It is also the county seat of Lewis and Clark County. Helena is currently growing at a rate of 2.15% annually and its population has increased by 9.18% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 32,244 in 2020.
The average household income in Helena is $90,089 with a poverty rate of 10.14%. The median age in Helena is 39.9 years: 38.1 years for males, and 42.5 years for females.
In addition to being the county seat of Lewis and Clark County, it is also the state capital. The city was established in the 19th century during the Montana gold rush, and billions of dollars in gold was found in the city, as a result making Helena one of the wealthiest cities in the US during its early history.
The city of Helena has seen its population rise since the census taken in 1930. While growth did slow a bit during the late 20th and early 21st centuries, recent estimates show that the population has risen by over 10% since the last population in 2010.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Helena was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 29,872 | 91.83% |
| Two or more races | 1,421 | 4.37% |
| Native American | 455 | 1.4% |
| Asian | 307 | 0.94% |
| Black or African American | 299 | 0.92% |
| Other race | 175 | 0.54% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 0 | 0% |
White
Two or more races
Native American
Asian
Black or African American
Other race
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 15,233 | 2.04 | 55.2 | 44.8 |
| Non Family | 8,009 | 1.26 | 39.7 | 60.3 |
| Married | 5,490 | 2.87 | 77.6 | 22.4 |
| Female | 1,268 | 3.08 | 56.9 | 43.1 |
| Male | 466 | 2.87 | 51.7 | 48.3 |
2.82
Average Family Size
2.04
Average Household Size
55.2%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 665 | 2.89% |
| Associates Degree | 2,067 | 8.98% |
| Bachelors Degree | 7,161 | 31.1% |
| Graduate Degree | 4,471 | 19.42% |
| High School Graduate | 4,310 | 18.72% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 207 | 0.9% |
| Some College | 4,145 | 18% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 20,925 | 20,233 | 10,836 |
| 2+ Races | 770 | 759 | 343 |
| Hispanic | 759 | 726 | 281 |
| Native American | 276 | 182 | 42 |
| Asian | 206 | 192 | 179 |
| Black | 201 | 173 | 70 |
| Other Race | 131 | 122 | 24 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among 2+ races people with a rate of 98.57%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 86.89%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $55,895 | $63,732 | $45,371 |
| Graduate Degree | $73,379 | $75,797 | $65,219 |
| High School Graduate | $32,599 | $39,877 | $21,865 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $32,386 | $24,112 | $70,272 |
| Overall | $48,563 | $55,751 | $42,866 |
| Some College | $38,287 | $42,090 | $35,273 |
$48,563
Average Earnings
$55,751
Average Male
$42,866
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
96.33% of Helena residents speak only English, while 3.67% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Other Indo-European, which is spoken by 1.82% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 27,532 | 2,573 | 9.35% |
| Hispanic | 1,518 | 215 | 14.16% |
| Native | 391 | 180 | 46.04% |
| Multiple | 1,366 | 133 | 9.74% |
| Black | 293 | 80 | 27.3% |
10.14%
Overall Poverty Rate
9.5%
Male Poverty Rate
10.74%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Helena is Native, with 46.04% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Helena is White, with 9.35% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 1.87%. Among those working part-time, it was 14.46%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 17.7%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 34.72% |
| High School | 17.62% |
| Some College | 8.99% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 2.89% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Female Unemployed | 23.37% |
| Female Employed | 9.1% |
| Male Unemployed | 4.46% |
| Male Employed | 3.37% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $90,522 | $117,459 |
| Households | $64,798 | $90,089 |
| Married Families | $111,690 | $-999,999,999 |
| Non Families | $46,657 | $62,615 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
41.6%
Overall Marriage Rate
44.6%
Male Marriage Rate
38.9%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is 35-44, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
2,151
Number of Veterans
1,776
Male Veterans
375
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| Vietnam | 801 |
| First Gulf War | 646 |
| Second Gulf War | 426 |
| Korea | 109 |
| World War II | 12 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 35 to 54 | 754 |
| 65 to 74 | 672 |
| 75+ | 459 |
| 55 to 64 | 213 |
| 18 to 34 | 53 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 1,997 | 8.2% |
| Native American | 57 | 15.16% |
| 2+ Races | 55 | 5.5% |
| Hispanic | 32 | 3.38% |
| Asian | 18 | 8.11% |
| Black | 13 | 5.56% |
| Other Race | 11 | 7.24% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
14.53%
Veteran Poverty Rate
32.6%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
64.3%
Labor Force Participation
61.8%
Employment Rate
3.2%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
50.29%
Born in Helena
98.22%
Native Born
1.78%
Foreign Born
0.78%
Non Citizen
1%
Naturalized
98.22% of Helena residents were born in the United States, with 50.29% having been born in Montana. 0.78% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Asia.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 38,904 | 740 | 1.94% |
| 2028 | 38,164 | 740 | 1.98% |
| 2027 | 37,424 | 740 | 2.02% |
| 2026 | 36,684 | 740 | 2.06% |
| 2025 | 35,944 | 740 | 2.1% |
| 2024 | 35,204 | 740 | 2.15% |
| 2023 | 34,464 | 589 | 1.74% |
| 2022 | 33,875 | 795 | 2.4% |
| 2021 | 33,080 | 836 | 2.59% |
| 2020 | 32,244 | -971 | -2.92% |
| 2019 | 33,215 | 567 | 1.74% |
| 2018 | 32,648 | 512 | 1.59% |
| 2017 | 32,136 | 630 | 2% |
| 2016 | 31,506 | 488 | 1.57% |
| 2015 | 31,018 | 596 | 1.96% |
| 2014 | 30,422 | 351 | 1.17% |
| 2013 | 30,071 | 411 | 1.39% |
| 2012 | 29,660 | 340 | 1.16% |
| 2011 | 29,320 | 411 | 1.42% |
| 2010 | 28,909 | 0 | 0% |
| 2000 | 25,780 | 1,211 | 4.93% |
| 1990 | 24,569 | 631 | 2.64% |
| 1980 | 23,938 | 1,208 | 5.31% |
| 1970 | 22,730 | 2,503 | 12.37% |
| 1960 | 20,227 | 2,646 | 15.05% |
| 1950 | 17,581 | 2,525 | 16.77% |
| 1940 | 15,056 | 3,253 | 27.56% |
| 1930 | 11,803 | -234 | -1.94% |
| 1920 | 12,037 | -478 | -3.82% |
| 1910 | 12,515 | 1,745 | 16.2% |
| 1900 | 10,770 | -3,064 | -22.15% |
| 1890 | 13,834 | 10,210 | 281.73% |
| 1880 | 3,624 | 518 | 16.68% |
| 1870 | 3,106 | -35,798 | -92.02% |