City profile · Montana · Census ACS 2023

Hamilton, MT

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Hamilton - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

4,949
Residents
$52,917
Median income
$299,800
Median home
$1,423
Median rent (state)

Hamilton - the verdict

Hamilton ranks in the 24th percentile for household income and the 19th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

24th
percentile, household income
65th
percentile, home value
56th
percentile, median rent
19th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Hamilton, MT

4,949 people live in Hamilton, Montana - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Hamilton brings in $52,917 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 5.6%. Hamilton's housing stock carries a median value of $299,800, and the median resident age is 47.7 years. Educational attainment runs 31.4% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 58.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 23 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Growing), up 10% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 2690.8 in FBI UCR data, near the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 44.8°F with 13.6 inches of precipitation per year.

Living costs in Montana run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Montana scores 94.6 (Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,423 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $175 across Montana, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Natural-hazard exposure scores 78.5 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (High).

Population

4,949 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Montana

Median Household Income

$52,917 /yr

Poverty 5.6%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.6 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Montana average

How does Hamilton compare to other US cities?

Hamilton measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 24% higher than other cities
Home value 65% pricier than other cities
Median rent 56% pricier than other cities
Safety 19% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Montana and the picture shifts: Hamilton ranks #30 of 39 Montana cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Hamilton's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Montana, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

24thIncome percentile
19thSafety percentile

24th percentile nationally for median household income · 19th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Hamilton's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Hamilton's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 28 Avg. percentile National median
Hamilton's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Hamilton's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$299,800 35th percentile more affordable than 35% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). This entry sits in this band. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Hamilton $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Hamilton, MT Hamilton, MT's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Hamilton, MT-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Hamilton, MT median $52,917/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Hamilton, MT's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Hamilton, MT. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 31.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 5.6%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 58.9%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
4,949
Median Income
$52,917
Median Home Value
$299,800
Median Age
47.7
Poverty Rate
5.6%
Labor force participation
58.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
31.4%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2690.8
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
329.5
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2361.3
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
44.8°F
Annual Precipitation
13.6"
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
4
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
4,500 residents5,000 residents5,500 residents6,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 4,720 residents 5,451 residents ▲ +15.5%
Hamilton's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Growing
Total Permits (2024)
23
housing units authorized
Single-Family
9
detached homes
Multifamily
14
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
4.6
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 21
2020 39
2021 58
2022 36
2023 35
2024 23

Permit volume increased 10% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
76.7%
Carpool
12.4%
Public Transit
0.2%
Walk
6.6%
Work from Home
1.7%
Other
2.4%

Based on 2,227 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Montana - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$80
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$40
avg/month
Total Utilities
$175
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Montana state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Montana state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Hamilton sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.6
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,423/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
78.5 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Montana

Glendive
4,831 people
Helena Valley Northwest
5,070 people
Bigfork
5,249 people
Orchard Homes
5,280 people
Polson
5,334 people
Helena Valley Northeast
4,398 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Hamilton's 4,949 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Springville, AL
4,949 people
Theodore, AL
4,950 people
Vinton, IA
4,948 people
Kanab, UT
4,950 people
Willits, CA
4,945 people
West Sayville, NY
4,944 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Hamilton's $52,917 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Shonto, AZ
$52,917 median income
Havana, AR
$52,917 median income
Palmer, IL
$52,917 median income
Tower Hill, IL
$52,917 median income
Beaver Dam, IN
$52,917 median income
Fulton, IN
$52,917 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Hamilton, MT Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Hamilton, MT - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 95.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 2.1% White 95.8% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 0.7% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.3% Two or more races 3.0% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Hamilton compares to nearby Montana cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Hamilton (this city) 4,949 $52,917
Glendive 4,831 $71,063
Helena Valley Northwest 5,070 $101,278
Bigfork 5,249 $82,648
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MT FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Hamilton, MT?

What is the population of Hamilton, MT? +

The population of Hamilton, MT stands at 4,949 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Hamilton, MT? +

Hamilton households earn a median of $52,917 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Hamilton? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Hamilton; the closest available measure is the Montana state average, a cost of living index of 94.6 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Montana vary by metro area.

Is Hamilton, MT safe? +

Hamilton has a total crime rate of 2690.8 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Hamilton, MT? +

A typical home in Hamilton is worth $299,800, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Hamilton? +

Hamilton has an average annual temperature of 44.8°F, 13.6 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.