Housing data for Helena Valley West Central, MT
Helena Valley West Central, MT has an estimated 8,056 residents and 3,020 homes (US Census Bureau, 2020–2024 American Community Survey).
It is an unincorporated community in Lewis and Clark County.
14.8% of households rent.
The median gross rent is $1,327 a month.
Figures last updated on .
- Residents
- 8,056 (±922)
- Housing units
- 3,020 (±259)
- Households that rent
- 14.8%
- Median gross rent
- $1,327
- Residents since 2015–2019
- −0.3%
What stands out in Helena Valley West Central
Homes in buildings of 5 or more units: 0.4% (±1.5 points) in Helena Valley West Central, lower than in Lewis and Clark County (8.8%).
Households that rent: 14.8% (±5.0 points) in Helena Valley West Central, lower than in Lewis and Clark County (29.9%).
Households without a vehicle: 1.1% (±1.0 points) in Helena Valley West Central, lower than in Lewis and Clark County (5.3%).
Households that moved in since 2020: 19.8% (±5.5 points) in Helena Valley West Central, lower than in Lewis and Clark County (26.6%).
- Types of homes in Helena Valley West Central
- Renters and owners in Helena Valley West Central
- Commute and cars in Helena Valley West Central
- How long people stay in Helena Valley West Central
Housing in Helena Valley West Central at a glance
- Median rent: $1,327 median gross rent a month
- Rent by bedrooms: $1,131 median gross rent, 2 bedrooms
- Rent burden: 29.1% of renters pay 30% or more of income (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Renters and owners: 14.8% of households rent
- Income and affordability: $90,082 median household income
- Home values: $367,200 median home value
- Homeowner costs: $1,857 median monthly cost with a mortgage
- Property taxes: $2,779 median real estate taxes a year
- Types of homes: 0.4% of homes are in buildings of 5 or more units
- Bedrooms: 85.1% of homes have 3 or more bedrooms
- Age of homes: 43.0% of homes were built before 1980
- Vacancy rate: 0.0% rental vacancy rate (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Heating fuel: 64.8% heat with utility gas
- Commute and cars: 19.6 minutes average trip to work
- Growth: −0.3% residents since 2015–2019
- How long people stay: 19.8% moved in since 2020
- Crowding and facilities: 1.7% of homes have more than 1 person per room
Helena Valley West Central against Lewis and Clark County, its state and the nation
| Helena Valley West Central | Lewis and Clark County | Montana | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 8,056 (±922) | 73,464 (exact) | 1,116,875 (exact) | 334,922,499 |
| Housing units | 3,020 (±259) | 34,082 (±56) | 528,419 (±3,257) | 143,775,355 |
| Households that rent | 14.8% (±5.0 points) | 29.9% (±1.8 points) | 30.8% (±0.5 points) | 34.8% |
| Median gross rent | $1,327 (±$430) | $1,102 (±$46) | $1,081 (±$14) | $1,413 |
| Median household income | $90,082 (±$13,297) | $78,237 (±$3,203) | $72,509 (±$761) | $80,734 |
| Median home value | $367,200 (±$20,075) | $393,500 (±$9,364) | $375,800 (±$3,433) | $332,700 |
| Median real estate taxes (a year) | $2,779 (±$228) | $3,113 (±$108) | $2,693 (±$19) | $3,119 |
| Built before 1980 | 43.0% (±7.3 points) | 47.4% (±2.6 points) | 49.0% (±0.7 points) | 49.7% |
| Average commute | 19.6 minutes (±2.2) | 18.3 minutes (±1.0) | 19.1 minutes (±0.2) | 26.4 minutes |
| Households with broadband | 95.3% (±2.6 points) | 90.3% (±1.5 points) | 89.4% (±0.3 points) | 91.0% |
| Median age of residents | 39.3 years (±3.6) | 41.8 years (±0.5) | 40.4 years (±0.2) | 38.9 years |
Helena Valley West Central covers 26.4 square miles of land, about 305 residents per square mile (Census Bureau Gazetteer).
How Helena Valley West Central has changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 8,082 (±656) | 8,056 (±922) | −0.3% | Not a measurable change |
| Housing units | 3,153 (±215) | 3,020 (±259) | −4.2% | Not a measurable change |
| Median gross rent | $1,007 (±$159) | $1,327 (±$430) | +31.8% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median home value | $238,500 (±$9,348) | $367,200 (±$20,075) | +54.0% | Up after inflation |
| Median household income | $72,931 (±$8,630) | $90,082 (±$13,297) | +23.5% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median owner cost with a mortgage | $1,542 (±$102) | $1,857 (±$70) | +20.4% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median real estate taxes | $2,011 (±$158) | $2,779 (±$228) | +38.2% | Up after inflation |
| Households that rent | 12.2% (±3.8 points) | 14.8% (±5.0 points) | +2.6 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
| Rental vacancy rate | 5.0% (±7.1 points) | 0.0% (±6.6 points) | −5.0 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.
Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.
The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.
Crime reported to police in Lewis and Clark County
Helena Valley West Central has no police department of its own in the FBI’s figures, so this is the figure for Lewis and Clark County as a whole.
In 2025, the police departments that report for Lewis and Clark County recorded 389 violent and 1,708 property crimes per 100,000 residents.
A county-wide figure describes the whole county, not this place; crime varies from one community to the next.
Places near Helena Valley West Central
| Place | Distance | Median gross rent | Median home value | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Helena | 4.7 mi | $1,092 | $387,300 | 47.4% |
| Helena Valley Northwest | 4.8 mi | $1,603 | $404,200 | 5.1% |
| Helena West Side | 5.2 mi | — | $402,300 | 25.4% |
| Helena Valley Northeast | 6.5 mi | — | $576,700 | 2.0% |
| Helena Valley Southeast | 7.9 mi | $1,106 | $331,500 | 15.0% |
| East Helena | 8.4 mi | $1,090 | $290,700 | 33.5% |
| Montana City | 11 mi | $2,077 | $571,200 | 2.1% |
| Clancy | 15 mi | $978 | $469,300 | 13.5% |
Places in Montana most like Helena Valley West Central
| Place | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frenchtown | $1,609 | $475,500 | $94,500 | 12.5% |
| Helena Valley Southeast | $1,106 | $331,500 | $74,075 | 15.0% |
| Three Forks | $1,330 | $395,800 | $79,784 | 26.8% |
| Evergreen | $1,166 | $340,800 | $76,446 | 27.2% |
| Clinton | $1,565 | $386,600 | $103,750 | 14.5% |
| Lockwood | $1,138 | $235,400 | $75,700 | 24.2% |
Matched on rent, home value, income, the share who rent, the age of the homes, the share in apartment buildings and the commute, each measured against the spread across Montana.
HUD Fair Market Rent for Helena Valley West Central, fiscal year 2027
| Studio | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1,151 | $1,320 | $1,653 | $2,289 | $2,392 |
HUD income limits for Helena Valley West Central, fiscal year 2026
| Household size | Extremely low (30%) | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $24,750 | $41,150 | $65,900 |
| 2 people | $28,250 | $47,050 | $75,350 |
| 3 people | $31,800 | $52,950 | $84,750 |
| 4 people | $35,300 | $58,850 | $94,150 |
| 5 people | $38,680 | $63,550 | $101,650 |
| 6 people | $44,360 | $68,300 | $109,200 |
| 7 people | $50,040 | $72,950 | $116,750 |
| 8 people | $55,720 | $77,700 | $124,300 |
These are the limits HUD sets for its housing programs in the Lewis and Clark County, MT HUD Metro FMR Area, where HUD’s median family income for fiscal year 2026 is $122,400.
A program can use its own limits; tax-credit and local programs often do.
Helena Valley West Central is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for statistics, with no municipal government of its own.
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
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Questions about Helena Valley West Central
What is the average rent in Helena Valley West Central, MT?
The Census Bureau publishes the median rather than the average: the median gross rent in Helena Valley West Central is $1,327 (±$430) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey), so half of renting households pay less and half pay more.
How much is a two-bedroom apartment in Helena Valley West Central?
The median gross rent for a two-bedroom home in Helena Valley West Central, MT is $1,131 (±$145) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
How many renters are there in Helena Valley West Central?
Helena Valley West Central has an estimated 438 (±153) renting households, 14.8% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the median household income in Helena Valley West Central?
The median household income in Helena Valley West Central is $90,082 (±$13,297) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average home value in Helena Valley West Central, MT?
The Census Bureau publishes the median: $367,200 (±$20,075) for owner-occupied homes in Helena Valley West Central (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average mortgage payment in Helena Valley West Central?
The Census Bureau publishes total owner costs rather than the mortgage alone: the median for owners with a mortgage in Helena Valley West Central, MT is $1,857 (±$70) a month, including taxes, insurance and utilities.
Is Helena Valley West Central growing?
In Helena Valley West Central, the number of residents went from 8,082 in 2015–2019 to 8,056 in 2020–2024 (−0.3%), not a measurable change.
Sources
- Demographic and Housing Estimates (DP05), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Helena Valley West Central CDP, Montana
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Helena Valley West Central CDP, Montana
- Selected Economic Characteristics (DP03), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Helena Valley West Central CDP, Montana
- Median Real Estate Taxes Paid by Mortgage Status (B25103), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Helena Valley West Central CDP, Montana
- Selected Social Characteristics (DP02), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Helena Valley West Central CDP, Montana
- Total Population (B01003), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Helena Valley West Central CDP, Montana
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Helena Valley West Central CDP, Montana
- HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027: Lewis and Clark County, MT HUD Metro FMR Area
- HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027
- HUD Income Limits, fiscal year 2026: Lewis and Clark County, MT HUD Metro FMR Area
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
- US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files
To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Helena Valley West Central CDP, Montana (place:35637, in state:30).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are B01003_001E, B01003_001M, B25064_001E, B25064_001M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP05_0001E, DP05_0001M, DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M, DP03_0062E, DP03_0062M, DP04_0089E, DP04_0089M
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.
Figures last updated on .