Population 5,192 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in North
Household size in North
| Period | North | Helena | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.17 | 2.09 | 2.41 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.36 | 2.21 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.30 | 2.23 | 2.44 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.21 | 2.15 | 2.44 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.04 | +0.06 | +0.03 | −0.03 |
North is a place of small households, averaging 2.21 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has crept up from 2.17, even as the national average fell. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the southeast.
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 North
| Period | North | Helena | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.7 | 42.3 | 39.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.0 | 42.2 | 40.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.8 | 42.3 | 41.5 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.1 | 41.9 | 41.5 | 40.1 |
| Change | −4.6 | −0.4 | +1.6 | +2.3 |
North is a little younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 38.1, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has dropped from 42.7, even as the national median rose. The youngest areas are in the southeast, the oldest in the west.
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 North
| Period | North | Helena | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.5% | 7.4% | 9.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 16.1% | 8.9% | 9.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.5% | 8.7% | 8.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.4% | 9.0% | 8.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.1 pts | +1.6 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in North (9.4%), below the national share of 11.6%. Helena as a whole looks much the same. The single-parent share is down 1.1 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 North
Renters in North
| Period | North | Helena | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.6% | 38.8% | 31.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 34.9% | 40.0% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 43.2% | 42.2% | 31.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 49.9% | 44.2% | 30.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +20.3 pts | +5.3 pts | −0.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in North than nationally: 49.9% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. Among homeowners, 52.9% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the southeast and least common in the west. The renter share is up 20.3 points from 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 North
| Period | North | Helena | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.1% | 8.9% | 13.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.5% | 9.6% | 13.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.2% | 9.8% | 14.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 4.2% | 7.0% | 12.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.9 pts | −1.9 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in North: just 4.2% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. Vacancy has edged down 0.9 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 North
| Period | North | Helena | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1983 | 1968 | 1974 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1984 | 1968 | 1977 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1986 | 1972 | 1978 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1998 | 1976 | 1982 | 1980 |
| Change | +15 | +8 | +7 | +6 |
Much of the housing in North is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1998, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1983 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 North
| Period | North | Helena | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $756 | $738 | $703 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $678 | $810 | $775 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $909 | $857 | $870 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,285 | $1,150 | $1,189 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$529 | +$412 | +$487 | +$606 |
A typical rental in North costs $1,285 a month with utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Locally, though, rents here are higher than in Helena overall ($1,150). Rents are up $529 a month from 2006–10, a 70% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 26.6% of household income on rent, comfortably 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 North
Bachelor's degrees in North
| Period | North | Helena | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.9% | 41.9% | 28.7% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 31.3% | 42.3% | 29.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 38.2% | 47.1% | 32.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 38.1% | 49.4% | 35.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +12.2 pts | +7.5 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
Nearly four in ten adults 25 and older in North (38.1%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, close to the national share of 35.6%. The share is lower than in Helena as a whole (49.4%). Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 12.2 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 North
| Period | North | Helena | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 93.3% | 94.9% | 91.2% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 90.7% | 94.0% | 92.6% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 97.0% | 95.6% | 93.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.6% | 95.4% | 94.6% | 89.3% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | +0.5 pts | +3.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in North have finished high school (92.6%), above the national rate of 89.3%. Even so, the rate is lower than in Helena overall (95.4%). The share with a diploma has edged down 0.6 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate rose.
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 North
| Period | North | Helena | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.1% | 4.3% | 5.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.9% | 4.9% | 6.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.2% | 3.0% | 4.2% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.2% | 3.1% | 3.7% | 5.4% |
| Change | +3.2 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment runs a little high in North: 6.2% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment is up 3.2 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell. 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).
North compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North | 2.21 | 38.1 | 9.4% | 49.9% | 4.2% | 1998 | $1,285 | 38.1% | 92.6% | 6.2% |
| Euclid Ave North | 2.42 | 37.2 | 5.8% | 41.1% | 8.1% | 1964 | $1,031 | 40.7% | 92.4% | 2.1% |
| Euclid Ave South | 2.20 | 40.5 | 9.5% | 31.1% | 6.9% | 1964 | $1,076 | 64.6% | 98.3% | 1.6% |
| Central | 2.02 | 42.5 | 10.2% | 53.5% | 5.9% | 1967 | $1,196 | 45.0% | 93.9% | 4.6% |
| West End Helena | 1.85 | 43.7 | 6.8% | 52.8% | 8.1% | 1949 | $1,044 | 49.3% | 95.7% | 3.3% |
| Southeast | 2.21 | 44.5 | 10.9% | 45.3% | 4.2% | 1993 | $1,234 | 55.1% | 96.7% | 1.0% |
| Upper Rattlesnake | 2.59 | 45.2 | 5.3% | 19.3% | 8.8% | 1983 | $1,623 | 67.5% | 98.7% | 2.4% |
| University District | 2.31 | 25.3 | 5.7% | 58.6% | 9.8% | 1952 | $1,148 | 70.7% | 99.9% | 10.1% |
| Heart of Missoula | 1.71 | 33.7 | 13.0% | 81.2% | 12.9% | 1967 | $1,035 | 51.1% | 92.1% | 8.0% |
| Lewis and Clark | 2.11 | 36.8 | 22.0% | 52.3% | 5.6% | 1969 | $1,429 | 56.9% | 99.1% | 3.1% |
| Rose Park | 1.96 | 34.4 | 9.1% | 56.4% | 6.1% | 1958 | $1,126 | 65.6% | 97.7% | 3.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Fourth Street Historic District, Massillon, OH · Holly Grove, New Orleans, LA · Happy Valley, Anderson, CA · Hanamaulu, Lihue, HI · Hampton Cove, Owens Cross Roads, AL · Groves Lincoln Park, Tucson, AZ · Greenwood Forest, Houston, TX · Greeneville Historic District, Norwich, CT · Greater South, Lincoln, NE · Golf Course Terrace, Sacramento, CA
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 North. 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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