Population 120,672 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Missoula County
Household size in Missoula County
| Period | Missoula County | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.40 | 2.41 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.37 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.34 | 2.44 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.29 | 2.44 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.11 | +0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Missoula County are small: just 2.29 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.40, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Missoula County
| Period | Missoula County | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.8 | 39.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.3 | 40.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.6 | 41.5 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.5 | 41.5 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.7 | +1.6 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Missoula County is 38.5 years old, a few years younger than the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 35.8, mirroring the country. Residents skew youngest in the center and oldest in the southwest.
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 Missoula County
| Period | Missoula County | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.7% | 9.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.2% | 9.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.4% | 8.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.7% | 8.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.0 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in twelve households in Missoula County (8.7%), below the national share of 11.6%. That is in line with the rest of Montana.
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 Missoula County
Renters in Missoula County
| Period | Missoula County | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.3% | 31.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 40.8% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 41.1% | 31.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 41.2% | 30.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.9 pts | −0.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is a bit more common in Missoula County than nationally: 41.2% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% for the U.S. Among homeowners, 36.9% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. The renter share has risen 1.9 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. No other Montana county has a higher share of renters.
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 Missoula County
| Period | Missoula County | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.2% | 13.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.2% | 13.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.0% | 14.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.0% | 12.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Missoula County than nationally: 8.0%, against 9.6% for the U.S. Since 2006–10, vacancy has edged down 1.2 points, in line with the national trend. Few Montana counties have a lower vacancy rate: only two of 56.
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 Missoula County
| Period | Missoula County | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1979 | 1974 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1979 | 1977 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1979 | 1978 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1984 | 1982 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +7 | +6 |
Homes in Missoula County are a bit newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1984, versus 1980 across the U.S. The median year built has moved up from 1979 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northwest, while the center 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 Missoula County
| Period | Missoula County | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $788 | $703 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $842 | $775 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $947 | $870 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,331 | $1,189 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$543 | +$487 | +$606 |
Rent in Missoula County runs $1,331 a month at the median, utilities included, below the U.S. median of $1,571. Even so, rents here are higher than in Montana as a whole ($1,189). Rent has climbed $543 a month since 2006–10, up 69%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 28.6% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
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 Missoula County
Bachelor's degrees in Missoula County
| Period | Missoula County | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.3% | 28.7% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 40.4% | 29.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 43.5% | 32.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 47.0% | 35.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.6 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
Missoula County is highly educated: nearly half of adults 25 and older (47.0%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 8.6 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Only one other Montana county has a higher share of college graduates.
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 Missoula County
| Period | Missoula County | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 92.6% | 91.2% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.9% | 92.6% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.7% | 93.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.6% | 94.6% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.0 pts | +3.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Missoula County: 96.6% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 4.0 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Of Montana's 56 counties, only five have a higher share of high school graduates.
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 Missoula County
| Period | Missoula County | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.0% | 5.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.9% | 6.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.4% | 4.2% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.4% | 3.7% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.6 pts | −2.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Missoula County runs below the national rate: 3.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment is down 2.6 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. 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).
Missoula County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missoula County | 2.29 | 38.5 | 8.7% | 41.2% | 8.0% | 1984 | $1,331 | 47.0% | 96.6% | 3.4% |
| Ravalli County | 2.56 | 48.6 | 6.0% | 20.6% | 12.3% | 1988 | $1,131 | 29.0% | 93.4% | 3.0% |
| Granite County | 2.25 | 52.4 | 6.0% | 22.1% | 36.5% | 1981 | $678 | 33.6% | 93.9% | 3.7% |
| Mineral County | 2.30 | 50.8 | 8.8% | 18.9% | 15.6% | 1985 | $814 | 25.8% | 92.6% | 3.2% |
| Powell County | 2.24 | 45.9 | 5.6% | 27.5% | 16.5% | 1965 | $840 | 20.0% | 93.6% | 2.5% |
| Lewis and Clark County | 2.40 | 42.2 | 9.0% | 29.9% | 8.4% | 1984 | $1,193 | 42.7% | 95.0% | 3.3% |
| Clearwater County | 2.31 | 51.4 | 7.2% | 17.1% | 18.0% | 1977 | $897 | 17.1% | 91.5% | 4.4% |
| Benewah County | 2.56 | 45.5 | 9.6% | 26.8% | 14.0% | 1978 | $858 | 22.0% | 86.4% | 3.0% |
| Latah County | 2.34 | 36.3 | 8.1% | 41.3% | 9.3% | 1980 | $954 | 44.7% | 96.2% | 6.4% |
| Nez Perce County | 2.45 | 42.2 | 13.1% | 29.6% | 8.5% | 1971 | $1,070 | 26.8% | 93.3% | 2.7% |
| Asotin County | 2.40 | 46.4 | 10.4% | 26.8% | 9.1% | 1976 | $1,133 | 23.9% | 92.2% | 4.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Gregg County, TX · Faulkner County, AR · Saline County, AR · San Juan County, NM · Sebastian County, AR · Comanche County, OK · Cochise County, AZ · Clark County, IN · Chautauqua County, NY · Bonneville County, ID
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 Missoula County. 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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