Municipality · Montana
Butte-Silver Bow, Montana
Butte-Silver Bow, municipality, in Silver Bow County, Montana. Butte-Silver Bow is the Census Bureau's name for Butte. Butte-Silver Bow had 35,469 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 2.8% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 34,494 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 35,052 (±191). GEOID 3011397.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
35,469
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 34,494 · ACS 2020-2024: 35,052 ±191
Median household income
$61,857
±$3,949 (90% margin)
Montana: $72,509
Median home value
$257,800
±$14,988 (90% margin)
Montana: $375,800
Median gross rent
$856
±$80 (90% margin)
Montana: $1,081
Where is Butte-Silver Bow and what county is it in?
Butte-Silver Bow is a municipality in Silver Bow County, Montana. It covers 715.8 square miles of land, 48 residents per square mile in 2020.
Butte-Silver Bow is in the Butte-Silver Bow, MT micropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Butte-Silver Bow, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 35,469 people lived in Butte-Silver Bow on July 1, 2025, up 2.8% since 2020, slower than Montana (+5.6%). The 2020 Census counted 34,494 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 35,052 (±191).
| Measure | Butte-Silver Bow | Silver Bow County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 35,052 ±191 | 35,785 | +1,088 |
| Households | 15,127 ±305 | 15,419 | +522 |
| Average household size | 2.23 ±0.04 | 2.24 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 17,158 ±102 | 17,499 | +348 |
Butte-Silver Bow's population since 2000
From 33,892 in 2000 to 35,469 in 2025: up 4.7%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Butte-Silver Bow as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Butte-Silver Bow?
The median resident of Butte-Silver Bow is 40.6 years old; 20.2% are under 18 and 19.5% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 89.0%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 4.7%. 1.2% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Butte-Silver Bow | Silver Bow County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.6 ±0.8 | 40.5 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 20.2% ±0.2 pts | 20.2% | – |
| 65 years and over | 19.5% ±0.4 pts | 19.5% | – |
| Male | 51.7% ±0.5 pts | 51.6% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 4.7% ±0.1 pts | 4.6% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 89.0% ±0.5 pts | 89.1% | −1.3 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±0.3 pts | 0.4% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 1.4% ±0.6 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.2% ±0.8 pts | 4.2% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.1 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 1.2% ±0.3 pts | 1.2% | −1.6 pts |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 2.5% ±0.9 pts | 2.4% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 9.0% ±1.2 pts | 9.1% | – |
| With a disability | 18.5% ±1.9 pts | 18.5% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 5.9% ±1.2 pts | 6.0% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 94.0% ±1.2 pts | 94.0% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 28.1% ±2.4 pts | 28.0% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 9.1% ±1.4 pts | 9.0% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 87.6% ±1.7 pts | 87.6% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 3.3% ±1.2 pts | 3.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Butte-Silver Bow earn?
Half of Butte-Silver Bow's 15,127 households earn less than $61,857 a year (±$3,949), against $61,754 in Silver Bow County and $72,509 in Montana. In 2015-2019 the median was $56,362 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $5,495 after inflation. 14.8% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Butte-Silver Bow | Silver Bow County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $61,857 ±$3,949 | $61,754 | +$5,495 |
| Mean household income | $81,024 ±$5,910 | $80,950 | – |
| Per capita income | $36,035 ±$2,731 | $35,951 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 14.8% ±2.1 pts | 14.8% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 15.2% ±3.9 pts | 15.2% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 13.2% ±2.3 pts | 13.2% | – |
| Households with a computer | 93.4% ±1.7 pts | 93.2% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 86.6% ±2.3 pts | 86.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Butte-Silver Bow?
Owners occupy 70.7% of Butte-Silver Bow's occupied homes and renters 29.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $257,800 by its owner (±$14,988). The median renter pays $856 a month including utilities, and 43.3% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Butte-Silver Bow | Silver Bow County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $257,800 ±$14,988 | $255,200 | +$72,458 |
| Median gross rent | $856 ±$80 | $863 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 43.3% ±6.7 pts | 43.1% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,429 ±$67 | $1,427 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 70.7% ±2.7 pts | 70.8% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 29.3% ±2.7 pts | 29.2% | – |
| Housing units | 17,158 ±102 | 17,499 | +348 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 1.2% ±0.7 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 8.9% ±4.1 pts | 8.8% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 71.6% ±2.6 pts | 72.1% | – |
| Mobile homes | 6.1% ±1.4 pts | 6.1% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.2% ±0.2 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 6.7% ±1.4 pts | 6.6% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 36.5% ±2.7 pts | 37.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 6.4% ±1.8 pts | 6.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Butte-Silver Bow building?
Builders took permits for 130 new housing units in Butte-Silver Bow in 2025 (81 in single-family houses), 3.7 per 1,000 residents against 4.6 across Montana.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Butte-Silver Bow work and get to work?
76.6% of Butte-Silver Bow's workers drive alone and 7.6% work from home. The average trip to work takes 16.9 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 4.0%.
| Measure | Butte-Silver Bow | Silver Bow County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 60.8% ±2.1 pts | 60.8% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% ±1.3 pts | 4.1% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 76.6% ±2.8 pts | 76.5% | – |
| Carpooled | 10.8% ±2.0 pts | 10.9% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.7% ±0.3 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Walked | 2.6% ±1.0 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Worked from home | 7.6% ±1.5 pts | 7.6% | +5.3 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 16.9 min ±1.4 | 16.9 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Butte-Silver Bow?
9 census tracts lie mostly in Butte-Silver Bow (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $26,339 (Tract 1.02) to $89,453 (Tract 7).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 8Silver Bow County | 6,237 | $83,876 |
| Tract 2Silver Bow County | 5,078 | $52,011 |
| Tract 5Silver Bow County | 4,991 | $73,517 |
| Tract 6Silver Bow County | 4,686 | $47,031 |
| Tract 4Silver Bow County | 4,085 | $65,959 |
| Tract 7Silver Bow County | 3,310 | $89,453 |
| Tract 1.02Silver Bow County | 2,937 | $26,339 |
| Tract 3Silver Bow County | 2,631 | $58,026 |
| Tract 1.01Silver Bow County | 1,830 | $44,138 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Butte-Silver Bow) · Census block assignment files
How does Butte-Silver Bow compare with other places in Montana?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Butte-Silver Bow is the 1,161st-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 5th-most populous of 127 in Montana.
Butte-Silver Bow ranks 53rd of 90 places in Montana with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 5th | 127 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 30th | 53 |
| Residents per square mile | 87th | 93 |
| Median household income | 53rd | 90 |
| Per capita income | 49th | 93 |
| Median home value | 45th | 89 |
| Median gross rent | 54th | 82 |
| Poverty rate | 24th | 65 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38th | 90 |
| Median age | 41st | 93 |
| Owner-occupied share | 40th | 92 |
| Work from home | 35th | 46 |
| Travel time to work | 49th | 93 |
Butte-Silver Bow's figures with every place in Montana (CSV)
Every place in Montana, sortable · Compare Butte-Silver Bow with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Butte-Silver Bow?
4 of the 57 figures for Butte-Silver Bow on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Butte-Silver Bow are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Butte-Silver Bow.