Population 95,597 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Missoula
Household size in Missoula
| Period | Missoula | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.34 | 2.41 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.34 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.30 | 2.44 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.27 | 2.44 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.07 | +0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Missoula are small: just 2.27 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 edged down from 2.34, as it has 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
| Period | Missoula | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.4 | 39.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 35.5 | 40.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 35.9 | 41.5 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 36.4 | 41.5 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.0 | +1.6 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Missoula is 36.4 years old, a few years younger than the national median of 40.1. The median age has climbed from 34.4 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. The youngest areas are in the northwest, the 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
| Period | Missoula | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.4% | 9.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.3% | 9.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.4% | 8.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.3% | 8.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.9 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are less common in Missoula than nationally: 9.3%, against 11.6%. Montana as a whole looks much the same. 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 Missoula
Renters in Missoula
| Period | Missoula | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.8% | 31.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 45.4% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 46.6% | 31.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 46.8% | 30.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.9 pts | −0.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in Missoula than nationally: 46.8% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. Among homeowners, 36.1% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 2.9 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Only one other Montana city with 5,000+ people 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
| Period | Missoula | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.5% | 13.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.5% | 13.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.5% | 14.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.0% | 12.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.5 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Missoula: 7.0% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. Missoula has a lower vacancy rate than most Montana cities.
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
| Period | Missoula | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1978 | 1974 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1977 | 1977 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1978 | 1978 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1983 | 1982 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +7 | +6 |
Homes in Missoula are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1983, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1978 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northwest, 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 Missoula
| Period | Missoula | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $763 | $703 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $847 | $775 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $939 | $870 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,350 | $1,189 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$587 | +$487 | +$606 |
The median renter in Missoula pays $1,350 a month for rent and utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Still, rents here are higher than in Montana as a whole ($1,189). Rent has climbed $587 a month since 2006–10, up 77%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 29.4% of the typical renter's income, just 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 Missoula
Bachelor's degrees in Missoula
| Period | Missoula | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.5% | 28.7% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 42.5% | 29.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 45.9% | 32.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 49.4% | 35.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.9 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Missoula: 49.4% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree is up 9.9 points from 2006–10, 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 Missoula
| Period | Missoula | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 92.6% | 91.2% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 95.0% | 92.6% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 96.0% | 93.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.5% | 94.6% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.9 pts | +3.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Missoula: 96.5% 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 3.9 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Missoula 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 Missoula
| Period | Missoula | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.1% | 5.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.1% | 6.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.5% | 4.2% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.8% | 3.7% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.3 pts | −2.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Missoula than nationally: unemployment was 3.8%, against 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 2.3 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. 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 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missoula | 2.27 | 36.4 | 9.3% | 46.8% | 7.0% | 1983 | $1,350 | 49.4% | 96.5% | 3.8% |
| Orchard Homes | 2.32 | 49.0 | 2.8% | 33.1% | 4.5% | 1978 | $1,306 | 43.6% | 96.2% | 4.0% |
| Milltown | 2.32 | 49.4 | 11.4% | 14.9% | 7.8% | 1988 | $1,203 | 35.2% | 94.6% | 1.5% |
| Lolo | 2.53 | 37.9 | 7.0% | 22.0% | 5.2% | 1994 | $1,178 | 40.8% | 96.5% | 0.8% |
| Bonner | 2.41 | 48.8 | 9.3% | 12.1% | 14.8% | 1984 | $1,170 | 40.2% | 96.5% | 4.6% |
| Twin Creeks | 2.40 | 50.3 | 9.5% | 10.0% | 11.3% | 1983 | $1,169 | 48.6% | 96.7% | 3.9% |
| Clinton | 2.63 | 42.3 | 9.2% | 15.4% | 7.4% | 1987 | $1,609 | 37.8% | 94.9% | 5.5% |
| Frenchtown | 2.48 | 44.5 | 7.8% | 7.5% | 14.2% | 1994 | $1,430 | 32.3% | 97.6% | 0.5% |
| Florence | 2.67 | 50.3 | 4.5% | 10.1% | 6.2% | 1992 | $1,270 | 33.7% | 95.4% | 5.6% |
| Turah | 2.43 | 49.7 | 8.7% | 19.3% | 17.5% | 1981 | $924 | 26.7% | 93.3% | 4.8% |
| Arlee | 2.98 | 39.9 | 12.7% | 24.9% | 11.3% | 1982 | $972 | 25.3% | 93.8% | 7.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Cranston, RI · Corona, CA · Conway, AR · Corpus Christi, TX · Columbia, MD · Concord, CA · Columbia, MO · College Station, TX · Columbia, SC · Council Bluffs, IA
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. 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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