What percentage of people rent in Helena, MT?

Name: Renters and owners in Helena, MT, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

47.4% (±2.7 points) of the occupied homes in Helena, MT are rented (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

That is 7,471 renting households against 8,303 that own their home.

In Helena, the share of households that rent went from 44.8% in 2015–2019 to 47.4% in 2020–2024 (+2.6 percentage points), not a measurable change.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Households that rent: 47.4% (±2.7 points)
Renting households: 7,471 (±480)
Median renter income: $52,522 (±$5,498)

Who rents and who owns in Helena

Tenure, estimate (90% margin of error)
	Helena	Lewis and Clark County	Montana	United States
Renter-occupied share	47.4% (±2.7 points)	29.9% (±1.8 points)	30.8% (±0.5 points)	34.8%
Renting households	7,471 (±480)	9,338 (±584)	141,459 (±2,303)	45,017,354
Owning households	8,303 (±426)	21,877 (±586)	317,400 (±3,818)	84,210,142
Average renter household size	1.9 (±0.1)	2.0 (±0.1)	2.1 (±0.0)	2.3
Average owner household size	2.2 (±0.1)	2.4 (±0.1)	2.5 (±0.0)	2.6
Median renter household income	$52,522 (±$5,498)	$52,861 (±$4,612)	$48,192 (±$1,103)	$52,966
Median owner household income	$93,934 (±$10,297)	$94,591 (±$3,395)	$85,804 (±$1,088)	$100,009

In Helena, the renter share is higher than in Lewis and Clark County (29.9%).

It is also higher than in Montana (30.8%).

It is higher than the national figure (34.8%).

In Lewis and Clark County, Helena ranks 1 of 7 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest renter share.

Statewide, it ranks 13 of 167.

Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.

How renting in Helena has changed since 2015–2019

2015–2019 and 2020–2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates
	2015–2019	2020–2024	Amount of change	Verdict
Households that rent	44.8% (±2.9 points)	47.4% (±2.7 points)	+2.6 percentage points	Not a measurable change
Median gross rent	$820 (±$34)	$1,092 (±$51)	+33.2%	Up after inflation
Median household income	$61,324 (±$4,942)	$71,036 (±$3,116)	+15.8%	No measurable change after inflation

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.

Households that rent in places near Helena

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Helena
Place	Distance	Households that rent	Compared with this place
Helena	—	47.4% (±2.7 points)	—
Helena West Side	4.5 mi	25.4% (±14.2 points)	Lower
Helena Valley West Central	4.7 mi	14.8% (±5.0 points)	Lower
East Helena	4.9 mi	33.5% (±13.1 points)	Lower
Helena Valley Southeast	6.0 mi	15.0% (±6.2 points)	Lower
Montana City	6.5 mi	2.1% (±2.1 points)	Lower
Helena Valley Northeast	8.6 mi	2.0% (±2.5 points)	Lower
Helena Valley Northwest	9.3 mi	5.1% (±3.8 points)	Lower
Clancy	10 mi	13.5% (±8.7 points)	Lower

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Helena West Side, MT (25.4%), Helena Valley West Central, MT (14.8%), East Helena, MT (33.5%).

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Households that rent across Lewis and Clark County, place by place

Rank	Place	Households that rent
1	Helena	47.4% (±2.7 points)
2	East Helena	33.5% (±13.1 points)
3	Helena West Side	25.4% (±14.2 points)
4	Helena Valley Southeast	15.0% (±6.2 points)
5	Helena Valley West Central	14.8% (±5.0 points)
6	Helena Valley Northwest	5.1% (±3.8 points)
7	Helena Valley Northeast	2.0% (±2.5 points)

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

How many renters are there in Helena?

Helena has an estimated 7,471 (±480) renting households, 47.4% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

Is renting growing in Helena?

In Helena, the share of households that rent went from 44.8% in 2015–2019 to 47.4% in 2020–2024 (+2.6 percentage points), not a measurable change.

How big are renting households in Helena?

A renting household in Helena has 1.9 people on average, against 2.2 in an owned home.

How much do renters earn in Helena?

The median renting household in Helena, MT has an income of $52,522 (±$5,498) a year, against $93,934 for households that own their home.

Sources

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) and detailed tables (acs/acs5) for Helena city, Montana (place:35600, in state:30).

Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).

The 2015–2019 figures are DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, B25064_001E, B25064_001M, B19013_001E, B19013_001M from the 2019 release.

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0047E, DP04_0047M, DP04_0046E, DP04_0046M, DP04_0049E, DP04_0049M, DP04_0048E, DP04_0048M, B25119_003E, B25119_003M, B25119_002E, B25119_002M

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.