PlainZIP

Great Falls, MT · standard

ZIP Code 59401

Cascade County, Montana - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

13,774
1,712/sq mi
$55,299
Median income
$223,200
Median home value
27.8%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Great Falls pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with above-median home values, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.

21th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 50%
home value, US ZIPs
1,712
people per sq mi
55%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 59401 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 59401 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Great Falls, Cascade County, Montana, home to 13,774 residents across 8.0 square miles, a density of 1,712 people per square mile, in the Denver time zone.

ZIP 59401 reports a modest median household income of $55,299 (21% below the Montana average), while per-capita income is $36,499. Local economic indicators show a 17.1% poverty rate alongside 3.3% unemployment. Median home value sits at $223,200 (32% below the state average), median rent at $824 a month, and owner-occupancy at 55.4%.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 27.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 37.1, and the average commute is 14 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 3 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 59401, plus 6 more within Cascade County, give a clearer read than the national average alone.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 59401

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Great Falls, MT

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 59401.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 59401, Great Falls, MT · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

13,774

Population

8.0

Area (sq mi)

1,712

People / sq mi

Denver

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 59401?

37.1

Median Age

51.0%

Male

49.0%

Female

1.8%

Foreign-Born

White 83.2%
African American 0.7%
Asian 0.7%
American Indian or Alaska Native 5.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 7.8%
Hispanic or Latino 7.1%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$55,299

Median Household Income

-21% vs state

$36,499

Per Capita Income

17.1%

Poverty Rate

3.3%

Unemployment Rate

13.8 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 59401 ranks nationally

Great Falls, MT household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$55,299 21st percentile higher than 21% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 59.3%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 27.8%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

6,941

Total Housing Units

6,290

Occupied Units

651

Vacant Units

2.03

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 55.4%
Renter 44.6%

$223,200

Median Home Value

-32% vs state

$824

Median Rent

1947

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+13.4%

YoY Change (2024)

323

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+223%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 59401 have increased 13.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +223% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +7.5% 200
2021 +7.7% 215
2022 +23.8% 266
2023 +7.2% 285
2024 +13.4% 323

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 621 business establishments in ZIP 59401, employing approximately 6,576 people with a combined annual payroll of $313,328,000.

621

Businesses

6,576

Employees

$313.3M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 104 16.8%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 91 14.7%
Retail trade 60 9.7%
Finance and insurance 58 9.3%
Construction 52 8.4%
Other services (except public administration) 52 8.4%
Accommodation and food services 49 7.9%
Real estate and rental and leasing 33 5.3%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 31 5.0%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 31 5.0%
Wholesale trade 19 3.1%
Manufacturing 13 2.1%
Transportation and warehousing 13 2.1%
Educational services 7 1.1%
Information 3 0.5%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 59401 vs 59414 →

ZIP 59401 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 59401 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 59401 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 59401 ranks #4 of 4 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
59414 Black Eagle, MT 904 1.2 mi
59404 Great Falls, MT 26,867 8.9 mi
59472 Sand Coulee, MT 657 9.4 mi

More ZIP Codes in Cascade County

59405 standard
Great Falls, MT
Pop: 31,438
59404 standard
Great Falls, MT
Pop: 26,867
59421 standard
Cascade, MT
Pop: 1,831
59412 standard
Belt, MT
Pop: 1,747
59487 standard
Vaughn, MT
Pop: 1,240
59414 standard
Black Eagle, MT
Pop: 904

Related Areas

Cascade County Great Falls, MT Montana

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 59401 in? ▼
ZIP code 59401 (Great Falls) is located in Cascade County, Montana. Cascade County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/cascade-mt.
What is the population of ZIP code 59401? ▼
ZIP code 59401 in Great Falls, MT has a population of 13,774 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 59401? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 59401 is $55,299, which is 28% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 59401? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 59401 is $223,200, which is 20% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 59401? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 59401 is White at 83.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 7.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 59401? ▼
ZIP code 59401 has 621 business establishments employing approximately 6,576 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 59401? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 59401 are: Health care and social assistance (104), Professional, scientific, and technical services (91), Retail trade (60). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 59401? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 59401 increased by 13.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 223%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 59401? ▼
In ZIP code 59401, 59.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 27.8% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 59401? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 59401 is 13.8 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 59401? ▼
In ZIP code 59401, approximately 55.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 44.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 59401? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 59401 is 17.1% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.