City profile · Montana · Census ACS 2023

Helena Valley Northwest, MT

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

5,070
Residents
$101,278
Median income
$358,600
Median home
$1,647
Median rent (state)

Helena Valley Northwest - the verdict

Helena Valley Northwest ranks in the 78th percentile for household income nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS.

78th
percentile, household income
73rd
percentile, home value
65th
percentile, median rent
📝 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: Helena Valley Northwest, MT

Helena Valley Northwest is a small town in Montana, home to 5,070 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $101,278 per year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 1.5%. Typical homes in Helena Valley Northwest are valued around $358,600, and the median resident age is 35.8 years. 36.9% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 66.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Living costs in Montana run below the national norm: the state registers 94.6 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,647 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Montana run around $175, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 71.2 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (High).

Population

5,070 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Montana

Median Household Income

$101,278 /yr

Poverty 1.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.6 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Montana average

How does Helena Valley Northwest compare to other US cities?

Here's how Helena Valley Northwest stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 78% higher than other cities
Home value 73% pricier than other cities
Median rent 65% pricier than other cities

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

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Helena Valley Northwest against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Montana only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Montana-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher places Helena Valley Northwest toward the top of Montana's cities

Among the 317 Montana cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Helena Valley Northwest ranks #54 - the 83rd percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Helena Valley Northwest only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#24 of 282
91st percentile in Montana
Median Gross Rent
#59 of 317
81st percentile in Montana
Median Home Value
#73 of 279
74th percentile in Montana
Poverty Rate
#222 of 315
29th percentile in Montana
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#54 of 317
83rd percentile in Montana

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Montana only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

78thIncome percentile

78th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Helena Valley Northwest's home value compares nationally

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

$358,600 27th percentile more affordable than 27% 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%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Helena Valley Northwest $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 - Helena Valley Northwest, MT Helena Valley Northwest, MT's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Helena Valley Northwest, 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 Helena Valley Northwest, MT median $101,278/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%
Helena Valley Northwest, 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 Helena Valley Northwest, MT. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 36.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 1.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 66.0%

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

Population
5,070
Median Income
$101,278
Median Home Value
$358,600
Median Age
35.8
Poverty Rate
1.5%
Labor force participation
66.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
36.9%

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
66.2%
Carpool
25.9%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.3%
Work from Home
6.2%
Other
1.4%

Based on 2,428 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 Helena Valley Northwest sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.6
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,647/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
71.2 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Montana

Hamilton
4,949 people
Bigfork
5,249 people
Orchard Homes
5,280 people
Glendive
4,831 people
Polson
5,334 people
Columbia Falls
5,531 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Helena Valley Northwest's 5,070 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Lone Grove, OK
5,070 people
Todd Creek, CO
5,069 people
Silver Hill, MD
5,068 people
Beckett, NJ
5,072 people
Spring House, PA
5,068 people
Justin, TX
5,068 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Helena Valley Northwest's $101,278 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Sonoma, CA
$101,281 median income
Palisades Park, NJ
$101,295 median income
Alamo Beach, TX
$101,297 median income
Anderson, AK
$101,250 median income
Big Delta, AK
$101,250 median income
East Nicolaus, CA
$101,250 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Helena Valley Northwest, 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 Helena Valley Northwest, MT - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 92.3% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 1.1% White 92.3% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 0.1% American Indian 0.4% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 2.9% Two or more races 4.3% 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 Helena Valley Northwest 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
Helena Valley Northwest (this city) 5,070 $101,278
Hamilton 4,949 $52,917
Bigfork 5,249 $82,648
Orchard Homes 5,280 $68,649
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MT OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Helena Valley Northwest, MT?

What is the population of Helena Valley Northwest, MT? +

Helena Valley Northwest, MT counts 5,070 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Helena Valley Northwest, MT? +

The median household income in Helena Valley Northwest is $101,278 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Helena Valley Northwest? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Helena Valley Northwest; 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.

What is the median home value in Helena Valley Northwest, MT? +

A typical home in Helena Valley Northwest is worth $358,600, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, 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

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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.