Jobs, pay and daily life in Helena, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Helena is a city in Montana with 33,639 residents. The median household earns $71,036 a year and the median rent is $1,092 a month, which is 18.4% of the median household income. It is part of the Helena, MT metropolitan area, where BLS counts 44,420 jobs.
How Helena compares. Among the 30 largest places in Montana, Helena is #6 by population, #28 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #4 for remote work (#1 = most), #5 for college degrees (#1 = most). Its county, Lewis and Clark County, is #8 of 56 counties for average pay ($62,248).
Helena has 33,639 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 3.0% of the population of Montana. It covers 17 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,959 people per square mile. The median age is 40.5, about the same as the state median (40.5 against 40.4).
The median gross rent is $1,092 a month (rent plus utilities), about the same as the state median ($1,092 against $1,081). Over a year that is 18.4% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $387,300, which is 5.5 times the median household income ($71,036); a ratio above 5 usually means buying is out of reach without savings or a second income. 52.6% of households own their home, 24% below the state average (52.6% against 69.2%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
The Helena, MT metropolitan area has 44,420 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $55,040 a year, 8% above the national median ($55,040 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (5,310 jobs, median $46,930); business and financial operations (4,980 jobs, median $78,650); food preparation and serving related (3,740 jobs, median $29,670). The area is most specialised in office and administrative support (1.1 times), where the share of workers is above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are office and administrative support ($46,930). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Lewis and Clark County was 2.4%. 61.5% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Lewis and Clark County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 64.4% drive alone, 0.3% use public transit, 7.3% walk, 16.2% work from home. 3.2% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 61% below the state average (3.2% against 8.2%). Remote work is more common than in the state as a whole, which widens the set of employers a resident can work for without moving.
50.6% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 44% above the state share (50.6% against 35.2%). 1.6% of residents were born outside the United States, 30% below the state share (1.6% against 2.3%). The poverty rate is 8.8%, 23% below the state rate (8.8% against 11.5%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 66°F (18.8°C), and the coolest is Jan at 18°F (-7.5°C). About 548 mm (22 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jun is the wettest month (83 mm) and Jan the driest (33 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Helena Valley West Central (5 miles, rent 22% higher); Helena Valley Southeast (6 miles, similar rent); Helena Valley Northeast (9 miles); Helena Valley Northwest (9 miles, rent 47% higher). Rent differences are against Helena; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Montana (253) →State guide: MontanaCountry guideLewis and Clark CountyMontana rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 253 federal postings open in Montana (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Montana →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 1,420 | 4.56 | $80,410 | $63,080 | $105,370 | -3% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,130 | 1.01 | $35,990 | $29,110 | $46,510 | +2% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,060 | 0.96 | $28,330 | $22,680 | $36,560 | -9% |
| Office Clerks, General | 1,010 | 1.43 | $46,450 | $32,260 | $74,530 | +3% |
| Registered Nurses | 990 | 1.02 | $98,690 | $78,620 | $126,400 | +1% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 960 | 0.78 | $36,570 | $29,270 | $45,550 | +2% |
| Cashiers | 940 | 1.07 | $34,750 | $24,310 | $39,400 | +6% |
| General and Operations Managers | 940 | 0.94 | $101,510 | $50,870 | $178,360 | -4% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 770 | 0.95 | $39,760 | $31,270 | $46,480 | +7% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 750 | 1.18 | $36,990 | $28,620 | $47,620 | +0% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 650 | 1.65 | $45,870 | $36,620 | $64,040 | -9% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 580 | 1.39 | $76,700 | $50,280 | $105,890 | -8% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 570 | 1.42 | $38,030 | $29,650 | $47,740 | +2% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 520 | 0.80 | $23,020 | $21,940 | $45,420 | -35% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 480 | 0.98 | $47,670 | $34,490 | $60,390 | +0% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers | 450 | 1.39 | $49,460 | $34,730 | $74,690 | +2% |
| Lawyers | 410 | 1.92 | $108,410 | $67,890 | $156,640 | -32% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 400 | 0.68 | $56,800 | $43,400 | $67,430 | -3% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 390 | 0.90 | $46,430 | $34,670 | $63,730 | -6% |
| Bartenders | 390 | 1.81 | $26,210 | $21,980 | $29,840 | -24% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations Managers | 940 | 0.94 | $101,510 | $50,870 | $178,360 | -4% |
| Registered Nurses | 990 | 1.02 | $98,690 | $78,620 | $126,400 | +1% |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 1,420 | 4.56 | $80,410 | $63,080 | $105,370 | -3% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 580 | 1.39 | $76,700 | $50,280 | $105,890 | -8% |
| Office Clerks, General | 1,010 | 1.43 | $46,450 | $32,260 | $74,530 | +3% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 650 | 1.65 | $45,870 | $36,620 | $64,040 | -9% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 770 | 0.95 | $39,760 | $31,270 | $46,480 | +7% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 570 | 1.42 | $38,030 | $29,650 | $47,740 | +2% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 750 | 1.18 | $36,990 | $28,620 | $47,620 | +0% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 960 | 0.78 | $36,570 | $29,270 | $45,550 | +2% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,130 | 1.01 | $35,990 | $29,110 | $46,510 | +2% |
| Cashiers | 940 | 1.07 | $34,750 | $24,310 | $39,400 | +6% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,060 | 0.96 | $28,330 | $22,680 | $36,560 | -9% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 520 | 0.80 | $23,020 | $21,940 | $45,420 | -35% |
These figures are for the whole Helena, MT metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $55,040 (US $50,980); unemployment 2.3% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 27.3% |
| Public administration | 16.0% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 11.2% |
| Retail trade | 10.2% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 9.0% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 7.0% |
| Other services | 6.0% |
| Construction | 4.9% |
| Manufacturing | 2.8% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 2.1% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 1.6% |
| Information | 1.1% |
| Wholesale trade | 0.8% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Helena lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lewis and Clark County | 73,464 | $5,688 million | $77,420 | 39,957 | 3,759 | $62,248 | +2.4% | 2.4% | 37,289 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 5,629 | 20.7% | $60,280 | 0.98 |
| Retail trade | 4,401 | 16.2% | $42,185 | 1.10 |
| Accommodation and food services | 3,394 | 12.5% | $23,834 | 0.93 |
| Professional and technical services | 2,631 | 9.7% | $95,044 | 0.95 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 2,160 | 8.0% | $51,602 | 1.80 |
| Construction | 2,099 | 7.7% | $69,148 | 1.00 |
| Finance and insurance | 1,603 | 5.9% | $112,569 | 0.99 |
| Administrative and waste services | 1,379 | 5.1% | $43,002 | 0.59 |
| Manufacturing | 1,106 | 4.1% | $73,597 | 0.34 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 781 | 2.9% | $39,682 | 1.16 |
| Educational services | 684 | 2.5% | $40,368 | 0.83 |
| Information | 398 | 1.5% | $96,356 | 0.53 |
| Real estate and rental | 341 | 1.3% | $44,667 | 0.55 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 193 | 0.7% | $39,776 | 0.60 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 183 | 0.7% | $79,425 | 1.21 |
| Management of companies | 173 | 0.6% | $65,939 | 0.26 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 64.4% |
| Public transit | 0.3% |
| Walk | 7.3% |
| Work from home | 16.2% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 3.2% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $71,036 |
| Income per person | $46,928 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,092 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 18.4% |
| Median home value | $387,300 |
| Homeowners | 52.6% |
| Poverty rate | 8.8% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 95.7 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $55,040 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 5.65%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 40.5 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 95.1% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 50.6% |
| Born abroad | 1.6% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 61.5% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -7.5 | 18 | 33 |
| Feb | -6.7 | 20 | 35 |
| Mar | -1.2 | 30 | 41 |
| Apr | 2.8 | 37 | 58 |
| May | 8.3 | 47 | 73 |
| Jun | 13.2 | 56 | 83 |
| Jul | 18.8 | 66 | 34 |
| Aug | 17.4 | 63 | 37 |
| Sep | 11.7 | 53 | 41 |
| Oct | 3.9 | 39 | 41 |
| Nov | -2.4 | 28 | 36 |
| Dec | -7.5 | 18 | 36 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Helena Valley West Central | MT | 5 mi | 8,056 | $90,082 | $1,327 |
| Helena Valley Southeast | MT | 6 mi | 9,108 | $74,075 | $1,106 |
| Helena Valley Northeast | MT | 9 mi | 4,659 | $140,517 | n/a |
| Helena Valley Northwest | MT | 9 mi | 5,183 | $100,605 | $1,603 |
| Butte-Silver Bow | MT | 57 mi | 35,052 | $61,857 | $856 |
| Anaconda-Deer Lodge County | MT | 64 mi | 9,597 | $57,527 | $696 |
| Belgrade | MT | 69 mi | 11,872 | $97,328 | $1,877 |
| Great Falls | MT | 71 mi | 60,329 | $63,373 | $900 |
| Four Corners | MT | 76 mi | 5,791 | $100,917 | $1,338 |
| Bozeman | MT | 78 mi | 56,114 | $85,747 | $1,717 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
33,639 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,092 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 18.4% of the median household income.
$71,036 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
2.4% (BLS county, Lewis and Clark County (latest month 2026M09)).
Montana. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.