City profile
Helena, MT
Montana’s historic capital with mountain trails right out of town.
Climate
Climate type
mountain_alpine
Winter avg
23°F
Summer avg
68°F
Sunny days / yr
200
Home prices & cost of living
Median home price
$460,000
Typical monthly housing
$2,766
Cost of living (100 = U.S.)
104
Taxes
- Property tax
- 0.67%
- State income tax (top)
- 5.9%
- Social Security
- Taxed (with exemptions)
- Pensions
- Partly exempt
- Sales tax (state + avg. local)
- None
FEMA natural hazard risk
Relatively Low · county score 71/100
Top hazards: Winter weather, Landslide, Cold wave
Nearest major airport
268 mi to Spokane International Airport (GEG)
Political lean (2024 county vote)
Competitive / purple · 46% Democratic / 52% Republican
Demographics (Census ACS)
Population (2024)
33,639
Growth since 2019
+5.0%
Median age
40.5
Residents 65+
21.7%
Median household income
$71,036
Income growth since 2019
+15.8%
Black household income
$62,656
Home ownership
52.6%
Poverty rate
8.8%
Poverty rate, 65+
11.0%
Race & ethnicity: Black 0.8% · White 86.4% · Hispanic 4.7% · Asian 0.5% · Other 7.6%
Crime (per 100,000 residents, 2025)
Violent crime
582 · 77% above the national average
Property crime
2,909 · 87% above the national average
Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer, Helena Police Department. State average: violent 423, property 1,468.
2025–2026 trends
2026 market trends
- ▸MT is gaining retirees — a sign of strong retiree services and community
- ▸Climate/cost risks to check: wildfire smoke, harsh winters
Highlights
- Trails from town
- Historic downtown
- Quiet and safe
Trade-offs
- Harsh winters
- Very small Black community
Figures are estimates from public sources (see How we match). Verify before making decisions.