Population 1,116,875 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Montana
Household size in Montana
| Period | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.41 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.44 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.44 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.03 | −0.03 |
The average household in Montana has 2.44 people, under the U.S. average of 2.65. Household size has crept up from 2.41 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. Montana has smaller households than at least four in five states.
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 Montana
| Period | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.5 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.5 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.6 | +2.3 |
At 41.5, the median age in Montana is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The median age has climbed from 39.9 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. The youngest areas are in southern Montana, the oldest in northwestern Montana.
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 Montana
| Period | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are less common in Montana than nationally: 8.8%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 0.6 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Of the 50 states and D.C., only four have a lower share of single-parent households.
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 Montana
Renters in Montana
| Period | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 31.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 30.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Montana own their homes; 30.8% rent, a little below the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 45.6% have no mortgage at all, above 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 Montana
| Period | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 14.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 12.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
A few more homes sit empty in Montana than nationally: 12.2%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy has edged down 0.9 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Montana
| Period | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1974 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1977 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1978 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1982 | 1980 |
| Change | +7 | +6 |
Homes in Montana are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1982, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1974 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building.
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 Montana
| Period | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $703 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $775 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $870 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,189 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$487 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Montana costs $1,189 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $487 a month from 2006–10, a 69% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 28.1% 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 Montana
Bachelor's degrees in Montana
| Period | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.7% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 29.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 32.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 35.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are about as common in Montana as nationally: 35.3% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 6.6 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 Montana
| Period | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.2% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.6% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.6% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Montana: 94.6% 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 3.4 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Few states have a higher share of high school graduates: only two of 51.
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 Montana
| Period | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.2% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.7% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Montana runs below the national rate: 3.7% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment has fallen 2.0 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. 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).
Montana compared with nearby states
| State | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montana | 2.44 | 41.5 | 8.8% | 30.8% | 12.2% | 1982 | $1,189 | 35.3% | 94.6% | 3.7% |
| Idaho | 2.79 | 38.2 | 9.3% | 27.9% | 9.3% | 1989 | $1,407 | 31.7% | 92.1% | 3.8% |
| Wyoming | 2.39 | 40.2 | 9.2% | 28.2% | 12.1% | 1981 | $1,091 | 30.6% | 94.1% | 3.8% |
| Washington | 2.61 | 39.6 | 10.1% | 36.2% | 7.6% | 1984 | $1,875 | 38.8% | 91.9% | 5.1% |
| Utah | 3.11 | 33.1 | 8.9% | 29.8% | 7.3% | 1991 | $1,701 | 38.3% | 93.5% | 3.5% |
| North Dakota | 2.38 | 37.4 | 8.8% | 37.1% | 12.0% | 1985 | $1,031 | 33.9% | 94.1% | 2.8% |
| Oregon | 2.50 | 41.6 | 10.4% | 36.7% | 7.4% | 1981 | $1,601 | 36.4% | 91.5% | 5.3% |
| Colorado | 2.54 | 39.1 | 9.3% | 33.8% | 7.3% | 1988 | $1,963 | 45.9% | 92.8% | 4.6% |
| South Dakota | 2.48 | 38.9 | 10.7% | 31.4% | 10.3% | 1981 | $1,000 | 32.5% | 93.1% | 3.1% |
| Nevada | 2.73 | 40.0 | 12.8% | 40.0% | 9.0% | 1995 | $1,787 | 27.5% | 87.1% | 6.9% |
| Nebraska | 2.51 | 38.3 | 10.4% | 33.5% | 7.8% | 1975 | $1,159 | 34.9% | 91.8% | 3.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
States with similar populations: Connecticut · California · Illinois · Hawaii · Georgia · Florida · District of Columbia · New Hampshire · New York · North Carolina
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 Montana. 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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