Population 307 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Helena
Household size in Helena
| Period | Helena | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.36 | 2.43 | 2.45 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.44 | 2.41 | 2.47 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.36 | 2.39 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.33 | 2.30 | 2.40 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.03 | −0.13 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
Helena is a place of small households, averaging 2.33 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. The Madison area as a whole looks much the same.
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
| Period | Helena | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.7 | 37.0 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 42.2 | 37.9 | 39.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.9 | 38.3 | 40.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 45.1 | 38.9 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.4 | +1.9 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 45.1, Helena is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. The median age has climbed from 42.7 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.
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
| Period | Helena | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.3% | 8.7% | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 5.1% | 8.8% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.6% | 8.0% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.8% | 8.2% | 9.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.6 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 5.8% of households in Helena, well below the national share of 11.6%.
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
Renters in Helena
| Period | Helena | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.0% | 35.1% | 30.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 22.6% | 38.3% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 22.6% | 38.9% | 33.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 15.5% | 39.7% | 32.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | −2.6 pts | +4.5 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 15.5% of households in Helena rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 31.3% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%.
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
| Period | Helena | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.5% | 8.9% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.9% | 6.3% | 10.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.6% | 5.7% | 10.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.3% | 5.5% | 9.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −4.1 pts | −3.4 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Helena: 7.3% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. Still, the rate is higher than in the Madison area as a whole (5.5%).
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
| Period | Helena | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1979 | 1976 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1983 | 1978 | 1971 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1982 | 1979 | 1972 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1985 | 1983 | 1974 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +7 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Helena is a little younger than the country's: half of it was built after 1985, against 1980 nationally. The picture is much the same across the Madison area.
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
| Period | Helena | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $748 | $868 | $758 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $779 | $950 | $821 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $832 | $1,072 | $904 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,039 | $1,366 | $1,139 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$291 | +$498 | +$380 | +$606 |
The median renter in Helena pays $1,039 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent takes 21.4% 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
Bachelor's degrees in Helena
| Period | Helena | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.2% | 41.3% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 24.1% | 43.6% | 28.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 25.8% | 46.9% | 30.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 26.5% | 50.6% | 33.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.4 pts | +9.3 pts | +7.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are less common in Helena than nationally: 26.5% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%.
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
| Period | Helena | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 90.9% | 93.8% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.1% | 94.4% | 90.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.3% | 95.2% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.6% | 95.1% | 93.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.7 pts | +1.3 pts | +3.8 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Helena: 94.6% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The picture is much the same across the Madison area.
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
| Period | Helena | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.0% | 5.0% | 6.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.4% | 5.5% | 7.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.6% | 2.6% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 1.3% | 2.6% | 3.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.7 pts | −2.4 pts | −3.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Helena has been strong: just 1.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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 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 | 2.33 | 45.1 | 5.8% | 15.5% | 7.3% | 1985 | $1,039 | 26.5% | 94.6% | 1.3% |
| Arena | 2.36 | 42.0 | 5.9% | 16.7% | 3.9% | 1986 | $1,096 | 23.4% | 94.1% | 1.6% |
| Spring Green | 2.25 | 49.3 | 5.8% | 20.2% | 10.1% | 1977 | $996 | 29.2% | 94.4% | 1.8% |
| Pleasant Ridge | 2.25 | 56.8 | 5.3% | 11.3% | 15.7% | 1984 | $1,088 | 39.1% | 97.5% | 0.6% |
| Ridgeway | 2.36 | 49.0 | 10.9% | 14.0% | 9.7% | 1982 | $968 | 32.4% | 97.0% | 2.7% |
| Plain | 2.58 | 39.8 | 6.7% | 19.7% | 6.2% | 1964 | $1,011 | 28.0% | 95.1% | 1.3% |
| Barneveld | 2.62 | 40.7 | 8.2% | 17.4% | 3.8% | 1986 | $1,115 | 36.3% | 98.7% | 2.1% |
| Edmund | 2.25 | 56.4 | 5.3% | 11.6% | 17.4% | 1982 | $1,025 | 39.4% | 97.1% | 0.4% |
| Mazomanie | 2.29 | 47.8 | 5.0% | 14.7% | 5.0% | 1981 | $990 | 33.0% | 97.9% | 2.8% |
| Witwen | 2.59 | 45.4 | 3.5% | 13.4% | 9.2% | 1974 | $911 | 25.1% | 93.6% | 1.3% |
| Blue Mounds | 2.42 | 45.5 | 7.4% | 19.4% | 3.8% | 1989 | $1,134 | 42.0% | 97.8% | 1.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Rosemary, MS · Robbins, TX · Roberts, OH · Robinwood, MS · Rociada, NM · Rocky Hill, AL · Rocky, OK · Rodman, SC · Rogers, LA · Rogers Spring, TN
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. 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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