Helena, Montana Population 2023

33,261

Helena is a city located in Lewis and Clark County Montana. It is also the county seat of Lewis and Clark County. With a 2023 population of 33,261, it is the 6th largest city in Montana and the 1380th largest city in the United States.Helena is currently growing at a rate of 1.19% annually and its population has increased by 3.65% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 32,091 in 2020. Spanning over 17 miles, Helena has a population density of 1,977 people per square mile.

The average household income in Helena is $79,532 with a poverty rate of 13.46%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to - per month, and the median house value is -. The median age in Helena is 41 years, 39.3 years for males, and 43.5 years for females.

In addition to being the county seat of Lewis and Clark County, it is also the state capital. The city was established in the 19th century during the Montana gold rush, and billions of dollars in gold was found in the city, as a result making Helena one of the wealthiest cities in the US during its early history.

Growth of Population in Helena

The city of Helena has seen its population rise since the census taken in 1930. While growth did slow a bit during the late 20th and early 21st centuries, recent estimates show that the population has risen by over 10% since the last population in 2010.

Helena Demographics

According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Helena was:

  • White: 92.62%
  • Two or more races: 3.73%
  • Other race: 1.25%
  • Native American: 1.09%
  • Asian: 0.82%
  • Black or African American: 0.49%
  • Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0%
The current population of Helena, Montana is 33,261 based on our projections of the latest US Census estimates.The last official US Census in 2020 recorded the population at 32,091.

Helena, Montana Population 2023

Population by Race

White

Two or more races

Other race

Native American

Asian

Black or African American

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

Helena Population by Race

Helena Population Pyramid 2023

Helena Median Age

41

Total

39.3

Male

43.5

Female

Helena Adults

There are 26,459 adults, (6,714 of whom are seniors) in Helena.

Helena Age Dependency

65.4

Age Dependency Ratio

34

Old Age Dependency Ratio

31.4

Child Dependency Ratio

Helena Sex Ratio

Female17,17852.6%
Male15,47747.4%

Helena Population by Age

Helena Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

2.88

Average Family Size

2.11

Average Household Size

57.3%

Rate of Home Ownership

Married

Male

Female

NonFamily

owner

renter

Helena Households and Families

Male

Female

Less Than 9th Grade

9th to 12th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Associates Degree

Bachelors Degree

Graduate Degree

Helena Educational Attainment by Sex (over 25)

Helena Educational Attainment by Race

High School Graduation Rate

Bachelors Rate

The highest rate of high school graduation is among asian people with a rate of 87.35%.

The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 56.33%.

Helena Educational Attainment by Race

All

Male

Female

$40,562

Average Earnings

$46,180

Average Male

$36,404

Average Female

Helena Earnings by Educational Attainment

Helena Language by Age

Only English

Spanish

Other Indo-European Languages

Asian and Pacific Island Languages

Other Languages

Helena Language

96.38% of Helena residents speak only English, while 3.62% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 1.76% of the population.

Helena Language

Helena Poverty by Race

rate

13.46%

Overall Poverty Rate

11.5%

Male Poverty Rate

12.07%

Female Poverty Rate

Poverty in Helena

The race most likely to be in poverty in Helena is Black, with 52.5% below the poverty level.

The race least likely to be in poverty in Helena is Native, with 11.78% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 2.67%. Among those working part-time, it was 15.79%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 21.4%.

Helena Poverty

Helena Poverty Rate by Education

Helena Poverty Rate by Employment Status and Sex

Helena Income by Household Type

Households

Families

MarriedFamilies

NonFamilies

mean

median

Income by Household Type

Helena Marital Status

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Marriage Rates

42.9%

Overall Marriage Rate

45.4%

Male Marriage Rate

40.8%

Female Marriage Rate

Helena Married by Age and Sex

male

female

Helena Marriage

The age group where males are most likely to be married is 55-64, while the female age group most likely to be married is 55-64.

Helena Marital Status by Race

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Helena Marital Status

Second Gulf War

First Gulf War

Vietnam

Korea

World War II

2,214

Number of Veterans

1,854

Male Veterans

360

Female Veterans

Helena Veterans by War

Helena Veterans by Age

count

Helena Veterans by Race

Helena Veterans by Education

Less Than 9th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Bachelors or Greater

14.08%

Veteran Poverty Rate

30.35%

Veteran Disability Rate

Helena Veterans by Education

LaborForceParticipation

66.1%

Labor Force Participation

63.4%

Employment Rate

3.6%

Unemployment Rate

Helena Employment by Age

LaborForceParticipation

Helena Employment by Race

LaborForceParticipation

Helena Employment by Education

Origin of Non-Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.

Origin of Naturalized Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

52.08%

Born in Helena

100.31%

Native Born

1.45%

Foreign Born

0.46%

Non Citizen

0.98%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

100.31% of Helena residents were born in the United States, with 52.08% having been born in Montana. 0.46% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.

Helena Place of Birth

Note: data after 2020 is projected based on recent growth

Helena Population by Year