Population 9,316 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Helena Valley West Central
Household size in Helena Valley West Central
| Period | Helena Valley West Central | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.55 | 2.41 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.64 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.54 | 2.44 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.66 | 2.44 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.11 | +0.03 | −0.03 |
At 2.66 people per household, Helena Valley West Central sits close to the national average of 2.65. The typical household here is bigger than in Montana overall, where it has 2.44 people. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.55, even as the national average fell.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Helena Valley West Central
| Period | Helena Valley West Central | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.7 | 39.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.8 | 40.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.7 | 41.5 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.6 | 41.5 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.1 | +1.6 | +2.3 |
At 39.6, the median age in Helena Valley West Central is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The population here is younger than in Montana as a whole, where the median age is 41.5. Residents skew youngest in the southwest and oldest in the southeast.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Helena Valley West Central
| Period | Helena Valley West Central | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.9% | 9.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.9% | 9.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.0% | 8.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.8% | 8.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.9 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 7.8% of households in Helena Valley West Central, well below the national share of 11.6%. That is in line with the rest of Montana. The single-parent share has edged up 0.9 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Helena Valley West Central
Renters in Helena Valley West Central
| Period | Helena Valley West Central | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.4% | 31.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 16.4% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 17.3% | 31.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 24.5% | 30.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +9.1 pts | −0.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 24.5% of households in Helena Valley West Central rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. About four in ten owners (39.7%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Rentals cluster in the southwest; owners are most common in the east. The renter share has risen 9.1 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Helena Valley West Central
| Period | Helena Valley West Central | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.0% | 13.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.5% | 13.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.7% | 14.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 2.7% | 12.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.2 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in Helena Valley West Central: just 2.7% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. Vacancy is down 2.2 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Only one other Montana city with 5,000+ people has a lower vacancy rate.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Helena Valley West Central
| Period | Helena Valley West Central | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1986 | 1974 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1989 | 1977 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1991 | 1978 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1988 | 1982 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +7 | +6 |
Helena Valley West Central has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1988, versus 1980 nationally. Newer construction is concentrated in the south, while the east has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Helena Valley West Central
| Period | Helena Valley West Central | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $844 | $703 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $868 | $775 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,021 | $870 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,377 | $1,189 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$533 | +$487 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Helena Valley West Central costs $1,377 a month with utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Still, rents here are higher than in Montana as a whole ($1,189). Rent has climbed $533 a month since 2006–10, up 63%, roughly in step with the nation. Rent takes 24.1% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Helena Valley West Central
Bachelor's degrees in Helena Valley West Central
| Period | Helena Valley West Central | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.5% | 28.7% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 33.4% | 29.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 34.3% | 32.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 41.9% | 35.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +13.4 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
Just over four in ten adults 25 and older in Helena Valley West Central (41.9%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, a bit above the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 13.4 points, mirroring the country.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Helena Valley West Central
| Period | Helena Valley West Central | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 92.1% | 91.2% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 95.2% | 92.6% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 96.5% | 93.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.8% | 94.6% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.8 pts | +3.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Helena Valley West Central: 96.8% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 4.8 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Helena Valley West Central has a higher share of high school graduates than the great majority of Montana cities.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Helena Valley West Central
| Period | Helena Valley West Central | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.0% | 5.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.2% | 6.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.3% | 4.2% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.3% | 3.7% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.2 pts | −2.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Helena Valley West Central runs below the national rate: 4.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. That is in line with the rest of Montana. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Helena Valley West Central compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Helena Valley West Central | 2.66 | 39.6 | 7.8% | 24.5% | 2.7% | 1988 | $1,377 | 41.9% | 96.8% | 4.3% |
| Fort Harrison | 2.43 | 47.3 | 4.4% | 9.5% | 8.2% | 1994 | $1,280 | 53.6% | 94.6% | 1.7% |
| Helena | 2.15 | 41.9 | 9.0% | 44.2% | 7.0% | 1976 | $1,150 | 49.4% | 95.4% | 3.1% |
| Helena West Side | 2.26 | 44.0 | 6.9% | 26.4% | 6.9% | 1984 | $1,114 | 55.1% | 94.0% | 0.2% |
| Helena Valley Northeast | 2.68 | 48.2 | 3.3% | 2.2% | 14.3% | 1994 | $1,153 | 42.5% | 90.9% | 1.8% |
| Helena Valley Northwest | 3.03 | 36.7 | 7.9% | 5.1% | 3.5% | 2000 | $1,495 | 35.6% | 94.7% | 4.2% |
| Helena Valley Southeast | 2.73 | 38.7 | 16.6% | 16.3% | 6.1% | 1989 | $1,124 | 29.2% | 93.3% | 5.4% |
| East Helena | 2.32 | 43.3 | 7.5% | 18.0% | 9.8% | 1991 | $1,202 | 36.0% | 97.3% | 1.4% |
| Montana City | 2.81 | 40.7 | 5.8% | 5.8% | 3.4% | 1994 | $1,098 | 44.3% | 96.3% | 3.3% |
| Clancy | 2.79 | 42.0 | 4.9% | 7.8% | 4.7% | 1995 | $1,083 | 53.1% | 98.2% | 3.4% |
| Rimini | 2.15 | 51.5 | 5.6% | 13.2% | 13.1% | 1991 | $1,326 | 54.0% | 96.4% | 1.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Richmond Heights, FL · Pleasant Hills, PA · Pleasant Valley, NY · Pollock Pines, CA · Portland, MI · Proctorville, OH · Prospect, CT · Pryor, OK · Purcell, OK · Rapid Valley, SD
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Helena Valley West Central. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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