City profile · Montana · Census ACS 2023

Helena West Side, MT

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

1,584
Residents
$67,692
Median income
$411,800
Median home
$1,404
Median rent (state)

Helena West Side - the verdict

Nationally, Helena West Side sits in the 47th percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

47th
percentile, household income
78th
percentile, home value
54th
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 West Side, MT

1,584 people live in Helena West Side, Montana - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Helena West Side households earn a median of $67,692 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 1.9%. Helena West Side's housing stock carries a median value of $411,800, and the median resident age is 35.2 years. Educational attainment runs 48.3% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 74.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Living costs in Montana run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Montana at 94.6 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Below Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,404 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Montana's average monthly utility costs around $175 (state average). Natural-hazard exposure scores 21.6 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very Low).

Population

1,584 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Montana

Median Household Income

$67,692 /yr

Poverty 1.9%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.6 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Montana average

How does Helena West Side compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 47% higher than other cities
Home value 78% pricier than other cities
Median rent 54% 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

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 Helena West Side'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.

47thIncome percentile

47th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Helena West Side's home value compares nationally

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

$411,800 22nd percentile more affordable than 22% 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%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). This entry sits in this band. $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 West Side $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 West Side, MT Helena West Side, MT's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Helena West Side, 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 West Side, MT median $67,692/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 West Side, 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 West Side, MT. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 48.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 1.9%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 74.0%

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

Population
1,584
Median Income
$67,692
Median Home Value
$411,800
Median Age
35.2
Poverty Rate
1.9%
Labor force participation
74.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
48.3%

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
71.4%
Carpool
10.6%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
5.8%
Work from Home
3.8%
Other
8.4%

Based on 933 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 West Side sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.6
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,404/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
21.6 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Montana

Thompson Falls
1,568 people
Frenchtown
1,629 people
Baker
1,535 people
Big Timber
1,530 people
Sun Prairie
1,514 people
Plentywood
1,677 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Helena West Side's 1,584 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Homer, MI
1,584 people
Pilot Mountain, NC
1,584 people
Beverly, OH
1,584 people
Holiday Valley, OH
1,584 people
Craigsville, WV
1,584 people
Navarre Beach, FL
1,583 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Helena West Side's $67,692 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Pleasantville, IA
$67,692 median income
Collins, OH
$67,692 median income
Westlake, LA
$67,691 median income
Laporte, CO
$67,697 median income
Albion, IN
$67,687 median income
Peralta, NM
$67,703 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Helena West Side, 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 West Side, MT - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 86.9% 8.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 0.6% White 86.9% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 0.0% American Indian 8.5% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 4.7% 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 West Side 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 West Side (this city) 1,584 $67,692
Thompson Falls 1,568 $53,203
Frenchtown 1,629 $90,767
Baker 1,535 $78,971
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MT OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Helena West Side, MT?

What is the population of Helena West Side, MT? +

Helena West Side, MT has a population of 1,584 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Helena West Side, MT? +

Median annual household income in Helena West Side runs $67,692, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Helena West Side? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Helena West Side; 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 West Side, MT? +

Homes in Helena West Side carry a median value of $411,800, 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 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.