Living in Helena, MT
Small city in Montana
Helena is a small city in Montana, home to about 33,000 people, with 76,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, there is some transit, though many people drive. Life moves at a slow, calm pace, and homes are mostly apartments.
Is Helena a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Mild summers: highs around 82°F
- Great outdoors: hills or mountains nearby
- Dog-friendly: 3 dog parks within 9 mi
- Low natural disaster risk: 3 federally declared disasters since 2000
👎 Cons
- Smaller job market: about 76,000 people live within 31 mi
- Fewer family amenities than most places
- Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
- Far from a big airport: GEG is 269 mi away
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Helena ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Helena: common questions
What is the cost of living in Helena?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $477k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $2,250 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 96, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Helena?
Montana collects about $2,087 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.95% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Helena safe?
Violent crime is somewhat above the national rate (1.5× in FBI 2019 data).
How are the schools in Helena?
Public schools in Helena test above the US average in math and reading (2018–19 state tests, put on one national scale with NAEP), with about 16 students per teacher.
What is the weather like in Helena?
Helena has long, snowy winters: winter days average around 34°F and summer days around 82°F, with roughly 37″ of snow a year.
Does Helena get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from cold waves, flooding and earthquakes: 3 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 1.68 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Helena?
The nearest major airport is GEG, about 269 mi away.
How Helena scores
Each bar compares Helena with the other 1,990 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
Places like Helena
These places have the most similar overall profile across all 24 aspects.
The circle is each place's all-round score out of 100: the average of its 15 quality scores, from red (poor) to green (excellent).
Nearby
See all the best places to live in Montana.
Is Helena right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.