Helena receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Helena
Idaho Falls
Opportunity
86 · Top 3%
vs62 · Top 35%
Growth
82 · Top 5%
vs65 · Top 26%
Climate
55 · Bottom 11%
vs54 · Bottom 8%
Physical resilience
69 · Top 31%
vs67 · Top 33%
Housing affordability
77 · Bottom 19%
vs82 · Bottom 22%
Access
99 · Top 4%
vs91 · Top 22%
Economic stability
82 · Top 13%
vs83 · Top 10%
Measured values
| Metric | Helena | Idaho Falls | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 93,906 | 165,361 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $78,528 | $80,291 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $44,973 | $34,977 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 15/sq mi | 32/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $401,200 | $372,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,082 | $1,127 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 73.2% | 73.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.0% | 3.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.8% | -2.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.2% | 31.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.1% | 9.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 590 | 1,596 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.3 | 9.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 25.3% | -30.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 14°F | 12°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 11.4" | 10.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 10 mi | 19 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.2 min | 22.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.6 | 33.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Helena
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
Idaho Falls
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Helena
78
Your Score
76
Area Score
Idaho Falls
72
Your Score
68
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Helena, MT Metro Area · Idaho Falls, ID Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology