Metro area profile · Montana
Helena, MT metro area market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in the Helena metro area, each scored against other metro areas.
- Population, 2025
- 97,153
- +7.7% since 2020
- Households
- 39,033
- Median household income
- $78,528
- Median home value
- $401,200
- Jobs located here
- 45,504
- Highest market score
- 90
- Fast food and sandwich shops, #3 of 387 scored metro areas
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Helena metro area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Helena metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
An estimated 97,153 people live in the Helena metro area, in 39,033 households. Population estimates show the Helena metro area grew 7.7% from 2020 to 2025, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). The median household income in the Helena metro area is $78,528 a year, 3% below the U.S. median of $80,734.
Set against the U.S., households in the Helena metro area spend the most on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 123, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on clothing, shoes and related services (88).
The highest Groundwork market scores in the Helena metro area are for fast food and sandwich shops (90), nail salons (86) and optometrists and eye clinics (83). The Helena metro area ranks #3 of 387 scored metro areas for fast food and sandwich shops.
The Helena metro area takes in 3 counties: Lewis and Clark County, Jefferson County and Broadwater County. For its number of households, the Helena metro area has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for property management companies (2.2 times the U.S. rate) and the fewest for nail salons (45% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the Helena metro area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Helena metro area with other metro areas for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among metro areas | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 90 | #3 of 387 | 34 | 8.7 | $4.6M | 150 | 51 |
| Nail salons | 86 | #1 of 387 | 13 | 3.3 | $3.1M | 183 | Under 3 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 83 | #4 of 386 | 9 | 2.3 | $5.6M | 180 | 5 |
| Pizza | 83 | #9 of 387 | 25 | 6.4 | $6.2M | 122 | 51 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 80 | #20 of 387 | 55 | 14.1 | $1.3M | 146 | 12 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 80 | #20 of 387 | 38 | 9.7 | $1.9M | 146 | 12 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 78 | #29 of 387 | 19 | 4.9 | $2.7M | 150 | 43 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 77 | #9 of 387 | 156 | 40.0 | $255K | 120 | 30 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 77 | #10 of 373 | 8 | 2.0 | Index only | 225 | 6 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 77 | #30 of 387 | 357 | 91.5 | $435K | 117 | 165 |
| Barbershops | 76 | #21 of 387 | 16 | 4.1 | $2.5M | 132 | Under 3 |
| Hair salons | 74 | #18 of 387 | 81 | 20.8 | $490K | 114 | 19 |
| Car washes and detailing | 74 | #26 of 387 | 13 | 3.3 | $3.6M | 141 | 8 |
| Convenience stores | 73 | #47 of 387 | 27 | 6.9 | $8.8M | 112 | Under 3 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 71 | #36 of 387 | 18 | 4.6 | $2.4M | 117 | 10 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 71 | #56 of 387 | 65 | 16.7 | $3.7M | 108 | 19 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 70 | #36 of 387 | 23 | 5.9 | $6.7M | 163 | 33 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 70 | #47 of 387 | 172 | 44.1 | $902K | 136 | 80 |
| Gas stations | 68 | #79 of 387 | 45 | 11.5 | $2.6M | 109 | 34 |
| Spas and skin care | 64 | #69 of 387 | 44 | 11.3 | $903K | 103 | 7 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 63 | #99 of 386 | 23 | 5.9 | $1.7M | 66 | 4 |
| Grocery stores | 62 | #102 of 387 | 20 | 5.1 | $11.9M | 128 | 19 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 62 | #119 of 381 | 15 | 3.8 | $3.1M | 100 | 10 |
| Auto repair and car care | 61 | #116 of 387 | 156 | 40.0 | $296K | 110 | 89 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 59 | #122 of 387 | 27 | 6.9 | $1.9M | 114 | 86 |
| Funeral homes | 59 | #129 of 377 | 8 | 2.0 | $670K | 99 | 4 |
| Pet stores | 58 | #132 of 382 | 10 | 2.6 | $3.9M | 85 | 3 |
| Insurance agencies | 58 | #143 of 387 | 69 | 17.7 | $1.2M | 96 | 34 |
| Tire shops | 58 | #151 of 386 | 16 | 4.1 | $2.9M | 115 | 14 |
| Auto repair shops | 57 | #142 of 387 | 98 | 25.1 | $471K | 106 | 63 |
| Pet businesses | 57 | #143 of 387 | 57 | 14.6 | $676K | 77 | 20 |
| Gyms | 56 | #131 of 387 | 34 | 8.7 | $1.3M | 96 | 21 |
| Roofing and gutters | 56 | #139 of 381 | 12 | 3.1 | $9.3M | 110 | 13 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 55 | #139 of 387 | 69 | 17.7 | $616K | 93 | 31 |
| House cleaning | 54 | #136 of 375 | 7 | 1.8 | $7.4M | 115 | 41 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 54 | #157 of 385 | 19 | 4.9 | $2.7M | 93 | 45 |
| Veterinarians | 52 | #185 of 384 | 17 | 4.4 | $2.3M | 83 | 13 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 49 | #192 of 387 | 48 | 12.3 | $1.1M | 107 | 56 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 45 | #237 of 387 | 26 | 6.7 | $4.3M | 90 | 63 |
| Real estate | 44 | #247 of 387 | 182 | 46.6 | Index only | 89 | 134 |
| Property management | 43 | #249 of 374 | 26 | 6.7 | Index only | 49 | 21 |
| Child care and preschools | 43 | #251 of 387 | 37 | 9.5 | $695K | 69 | 32 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 43 | #255 of 387 | 381 | 97.6 | $133K | 87 | 164 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 43 | #255 of 387 | 147 | 37.7 | Index only | 88 | 86 |
| Home repair trades | 41 | #267 of 387 | 56 | 14.3 | $2M | 82 | 125 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 39 | #289 of 387 | 57 | 14.6 | $2.7M | 73 | 33 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | 38 | #152 of 197 | 5 | 1.3 | $10.1M | 41 | 4 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 37 | #296 of 347 | 17 | 4.4 | $2.5M | 62 | 21 |
| Chiropractors | 37 | #299 of 386 | 28 | 7.2 | $1.8M | 76 | 26 |
| Physical therapy | 31 | #335 of 386 | 44 | 11.3 | $1.2M | 48 | 30 |
| Electricians | 31 | #346 of 383 | 18 | 4.6 | $6.2M | 52 | 49 |
| Laundromats | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 1.0 | $17.7M | 141 | Under 3 |
| Oil change and quick lube | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 0.8 | $15.4M | 112 | 3 |
| Dry cleaners | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 0.5 | $35.3M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.3 | Index only | Too few | 7 |
| Pest control | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.3 | $51.6M | Too few | Under 3 |
Household spending in the Helena metro area
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $46.2M | $1,183 | 123 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $117.4M | $3,008 | 116 |
| Food away from home | $155.1M | $3,975 | 98 |
| Groceries | $238.2M | $6,101 | 97 |
| Personal care products and services | $39.7M | $1,017 | 101 |
| Child care and other personal services | $25.7M | $659 | 114 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $42.5M | $1,089 | 111 |
| Medical and dental services | $50.7M | $1,298 | 101 |
| Pets | $38.5M | $987 | 109 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $70.6M | $1,810 | 88 |
| Vehicle insurance | $83.2M | $2,130 | 109 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $111.3M | $2,852 | 95 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $51.6M | $1,323 | 94 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $703.5M | $18,023 | 108 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in the Helena metro area
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 97,153+7.7% since 2020
- Households
- 39,033
- Median age
- 42.9
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 73%
- Vehicles per household
- 2.1
- Land area
- 6,308 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 15
- Median household income
- $78,528
- Average household income
- $105,667
- Median home value
- $401,200
- Jobs located here
- 45,504
- Daytime population
- 94,274Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in the Helena metro area?
These figures cover the whole metro area. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of the Helena metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Counties in the Helena metro area 3
- Lewis and Clark County, MT73,464 people
- Jefferson County, MT12,774 people
- Broadwater County, MT7,668 people
Other markets based in Montana 6
- Billings, MT metro area189,255 people
- Missoula, MT metro area125,631 people
- Bozeman, MT metro area124,074 people
- Great Falls, MT metro area84,606 people
- Kalispell, MT area110,695 people
- Butte-Silver Bow, MT area35,785 people
Questions
How fast is the Helena, MT metro area growing?
Population estimates put the Helena metro area at 97,153 people in 2025, up 7.7% since 2020, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 39,033 households.
How much do households in the Helena, MT metro area spend?
Households in the Helena metro area spend about $703.5M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $238.2M on groceries and $155.1M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Helena metro area runs highest on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 123, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on clothing, shoes and related services (88).
Which business types have the highest market scores in the Helena, MT metro area?
Of the business types scored in the Helena metro area, fast food and sandwich shops (90), nail salons (86) and optometrists and eye clinics (83) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For fast food and sandwich shops, that ranks #3 of 387 scored metro areas.
How does the Helena, MT metro area compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in the Helena metro area is $78,528, 3% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 7.7% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $401,200, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for property management companies (2.2 times the U.S. rate) and lowest for nail salons (45% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 51 of the 56 business types have a score in the Helena metro area, each ranked against other metro areas.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in the Helena metro area. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
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Screening a site or an acquisition in the Helena metro area?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of the Helena metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.