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
Missoula
Opportunity
86 · Top 3%
vs78 · Top 13%
Growth
82 · Top 5%
vs73 · Top 15%
Climate
55 · Bottom 11%
vs58 · Bottom 19%
Physical resilience
69 · Top 31%
vs66 · Top 36%
Housing affordability
77 · Bottom 19%
vs68 · Bottom 11%
Access
99 · Top 4%
vs92 · Top 20%
Economic stability
82 · Top 13%
vs85 · Top 8%
Measured values
| Metric | Helena | Missoula | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 93,906 | 125,631 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $78,528 | $74,989 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $44,973 | $45,638 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 15/sq mi | 33/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $401,200 | $466,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,082 | $1,184 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 73.2% | 59.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.0% | 3.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.8% | 0.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.2% | 46.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.1% | 10.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 590 | 876 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.3 | 7.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 25.3% | 18.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 14°F | 18°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 11.4" | 14.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 10 mi | 13 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.2 min | 19.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.6 | 37.5 | 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.
Missoula
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, avalanche, earthquake.
Full profiles: Helena, MT Metro Area · Missoula, MT Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology