Census-designated place · Montana
Helena Valley Southeast, Montana
Helena Valley Southeast, census-designated place, in Lewis and Clark County, Montana. Helena Valley Southeast had 9,108 people in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±1,009). GEOID 3035634.
Residents, 2020-2024
9,108
±1,009 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 9,168
Median household income
$74,075
±$13,315 (90% margin)
Montana: $72,509
Median home value
$331,500
±$33,304 (90% margin)
Montana: $375,800
Median gross rent
$1,106
±$422 (90% margin)
Montana: $1,081
Where is Helena Valley Southeast and what county is it in?
Helena Valley Southeast is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Lewis and Clark County, Montana. It covers 21.5 square miles of land, 427 residents per square mile in 2020.
Helena Valley Southeast is in the Helena, MT metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 3 counties (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 Helena Valley Southeast, and is it growing?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Helena Valley Southeast's population at 9,108 (±1,009). The 2020 Census counted 9,168 residents.
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Helena Valley Southeast is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | Helena Valley Southeast | Lewis and Clark County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 9,108 ±1,009 | 73,464 | no clear change |
| Households | 3,515 ±346 | 31,215 | +429 |
| Average household size | 2.59 ±0.19 | 2.30 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 3,578 ±343 | 34,082 | +451 |
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 Helena Valley Southeast?
The median resident of Helena Valley Southeast is 41.3 years old; 23.3% are under 18 and 18.6% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 90.3%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 5.6%.
| Measure | Helena Valley Southeast | Lewis and Clark County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.3 ±4.5 | 41.8 | +10.3 |
| Under 18 years | 23.3% ±4.3 pts | 21.2% | – |
| 65 years and over | 18.6% ±4.4 pts | 20.2% | – |
| Male | 50.6% ±3.0 pts | 49.6% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.5% ±1.7 pts | 4.0% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 90.3% ±3.1 pts | 88.6% | −5.0 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.5% ±0.8 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.7% ±0.8 pts | 0.5% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.2 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.3 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 5.6% ±2.5 pts | 4.7% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.5 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 2.7% ±1.9 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 2.5% ±1.4 pts | 2.8% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 10.8% ±3.8 pts | 9.7% | – |
| With a disability | 17.2% ±5.6 pts | 14.8% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 9.0% ±3.9 pts | 5.7% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 92.5% ±3.2 pts | 94.8% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 25.4% ±5.2 pts | 43.0% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 6.5% ±2.5 pts | 14.6% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 89.9% ±5.4 pts | 87.2% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.1% ±1.3 pts | 3.9% | – |
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 Helena Valley Southeast earn?
Half of Helena Valley Southeast's 3,515 households earn less than $74,075 a year (±$13,315), against $78,237 in Lewis and Clark County and $72,509 in Montana. In 2015-2019 it was $67,175 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 8.3% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Helena Valley Southeast | Lewis and Clark County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $74,075 ±$13,315 | $78,237 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $93,216 ±$8,273 | $104,055 | – |
| Per capita income | $36,715 ±$3,662 | $44,837 | +$5,316 |
| People below the poverty line | 8.3% ±4.6 pts | 8.1% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 2.5% ±3.1 pts | 5.7% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 13.8% ±6.1 pts | 7.8% | – |
| Households with a computer | 98.9% ±1.7 pts | 95.0% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 90.3% ±5.8 pts | 90.3% | – |
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 Helena Valley Southeast?
Owners occupy 85.0% of Helena Valley Southeast's occupied homes and renters 15.0%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $331,500 by its owner (±$33,304). The median renter pays $1,106 a month including utilities, and 57.0% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Helena Valley Southeast | Lewis and Clark County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $331,500 ±$33,304 | $393,500 | +$72,562 |
| Median gross rent | $1,106 ±$422 | $1,102 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 57.0% ±24.2 pts | 31.6% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,833 ±$91 | $1,883 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 85.0% ±6.2 pts | 70.1% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 15.0% ±6.2 pts | 29.9% | – |
| Housing units | 3,578 ±343 | 34,082 | +451 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±1.0 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±5.5 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 58.6% ±6.6 pts | 66.0% | – |
| Mobile homes | 35.9% ±6.5 pts | 9.6% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 6.1% ±3.3 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 7.2% ±3.6 pts | 13.1% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 1.3% ±1.3 pts | 13.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 5.3% | – |
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 do people in Helena Valley Southeast work and get to work?
67.5% of Helena Valley Southeast's workers drive alone and 13.3% work from home. The average trip to work takes 20.2 minutes.
| Measure | Helena Valley Southeast | Lewis and Clark County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 63.9% ±4.5 pts | 63.9% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% ±3.8 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 67.5% ±6.4 pts | 68.1% | – |
| Carpooled | 17.8% ±6.1 pts | 10.8% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±0.7 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Walked | 1.4% ±1.2 pts | 4.3% | – |
| Worked from home | 13.3% ±4.6 pts | 14.5% | +8.8 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 20.2 min ±4.9 | 18.3 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 Helena Valley Southeast?
No census tract lies mostly in Helena Valley Southeast; 3 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 12.02Lewis and Clark County | 5,779 | $84,554 |
| Tract 12.01Lewis and Clark County | 7,255 | $82,887 |
| Tract 4Lewis and Clark County | 6,968 | $86,111 |
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 Helena Valley Southeast) · Census block assignment files
How does Helena Valley Southeast compare with other places in Montana?
Helena Valley Southeast ranks 29th of 90 places in Montana with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population (ACS 2020-2024) | 12th | 93 |
| Residents per square mile | 69th | 93 |
| Median household income | 29th | 90 |
| Per capita income | 45th | 93 |
| Median home value | 38th | 89 |
| Median gross rent | 23rd | 82 |
| Poverty rate | 52nd | 65 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 48th | 90 |
| Median age | 39th | 93 |
| Owner-occupied share | 12th | 92 |
| Work from home | 18th | 46 |
| Travel time to work | 30th | 93 |
Helena Valley Southeast's figures with every place in Montana (CSV)
Every place in Montana, sortable · Compare Helena Valley Southeast 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 Helena Valley Southeast?
15 of the 57 figures for Helena Valley Southeast 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 Helena Valley Southeast 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' school search.