Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Helena, MT

    Is Helena a good place to live?

    Watch Helena

    Helena ranks #2 of 7 Montana cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (67/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population grew 1.8% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $355,100
    +7.1% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $1,058
    per month
    Household income
    $69,341
    median
    Unemployment
    3.1%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Helena

    The median home value in Helena is $355,100 and median rent is $1,058 a month, against a median household income of $69,341. Homes cost about 5.1× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Helena crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across Montana the 2025 rate was 422 violent and 1,468 property crimes per 100,000 people — #22 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Helena, MT

    Helena has about 33,126 residents, 3.1% unemployment and 32% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Helena with

    Helena vs BillingsHelena vs MissoulaHelena vs Great FallsHelena vs BozemanHelena vs Butte-Silver BowHelena vs Kalispell

    More: Where to move in Montana · Best counties in Montana

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report