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
82 · Top 5%
vs74 · Top 15%
Growth
85 · Top 2%
vs68 · Top 19%
Climate
55 · Bottom 4%
vs58 · Bottom 9%
Physical resilience
79 · Top 26%
vs68 · Top 40%
Housing affordability
74 · Bottom 39%
vs63 · Bottom 24%
Access
98 · Top 19%
vs98 · Top 19%
Economic stability
61 · Top 49%
vs65 · Top 39%
Measured values
| Metric | Helena | Missoula | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 33,639 | 76,514 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $71,036 | $70,392 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $46,928 | $44,227 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,959/sq mi | 2,184/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $387,300 | $473,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,092 | $1,189 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 52.6% | 47.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1% | 2.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.9% | 0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 50.6% | 53.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.8% | 11.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 539 | 627 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 16.0 | 8.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 38.9% | 43.5% | 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 | 2 mi | 4 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 15.0 min | 17.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.5 | 34.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 18 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.92 | 15.61 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 37.4% | 44.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 52.4% | 60.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 36.3% | 39.8% | 2024-25 school 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 · Missoula, MT · How this is calculated: methodology