Helena, MT · standard
ZIP Code 59601
Lewis and Clark County, Montana - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 29,283
- 82/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $72,290
- Median income Near-median income area
- $386,500
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 50.9%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Helena pairs an above-median household income with upper-quartile home values, in a rural, mixed-tenure area.
- Top 50%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 22%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 82
- people per sq mi
- 56%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 59601 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 59601 (Helena, MT) rose +2.9% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 342.1 in 2023 to 352.0 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 59601 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Helena, Lewis and Clark County, Montana, with 29,283 residents across 358.0 square miles, a density of 82 people per square mile, in the Denver time zone.
ZIP 59601 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $72,290 (3% above the average Montana ZIP), while per-capita income is $47,533. The poverty rate is 8.7%, with unemployment at 2.6%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $386,500 (18% above the average Montana ZIP) and median rent is $1,046; 55.8% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
This is a highly-educated ZIP: 50.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41.6, and the average commute is 14 minutes. The page also surfaces 1 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Lewis and Clark County, so 59601 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
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 59601
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Helena, MT
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 59601.
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
283 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
204 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
201 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
191 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
141 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, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 59601, Helena, 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
29,283
Population
358.0
Area (sq mi)
82
People / sq mi
Denver
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 59601?
41.6
Median Age
49.0%
Male
51.0%
Female
1.3%
Foreign-Born
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?
$72,290
Median Household Income
+3% vs state ZIP avg
$47,533
Per Capita Income
8.7%
Poverty Rate
2.6%
Unemployment Rate
13.7 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 59601 ranks among Montana ZIPs
Helena, MT household income vs. every Montana ZIP code
Median household income among 321 reporting Montana ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$72,290 Top 42% higher than 58% of 321 Montana ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Montana 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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
15,872housing units
15,872
Total Housing Units
14,984
Occupied Units
888
Vacant Units
2.07
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$386,500
Median Home Value
+18% vs state ZIP avg
$1,046
Median Rent
1972
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
+2.9%
YoY Change (2024)
352
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+252%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 59601 have increased 2.9% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +252% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +4.2% | 220 |
| 2021 | +16.3% | 256 |
| 2022 | +21.1% | 310 |
| 2023 | +10.2% | 342 |
| 2024 | +2.9% | 352 |
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 1,651 business establishments in ZIP 59601, employing approximately 18,302 people with a combined annual payroll of $983,713,000.
1,651
Businesses
18,302
Employees
$983.7M
Annual Payroll
16
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 283 | 17.1% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 204 | 12.4% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 201 | 12.2% |
| Retail trade | 191 | 11.6% |
| Accommodation and food services | 141 | 8.5% |
| Construction | 135 | 8.2% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 107 | 6.5% |
| Finance and insurance | 95 | 5.8% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 61 | 3.7% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 44 | 2.7% |
| Wholesale trade | 40 | 2.4% |
| Manufacturing | 39 | 2.4% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 33 | 2.0% |
| Information | 31 | 1.9% |
| Educational services | 31 | 1.9% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 11 | 0.7% |
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 59601 vs 59636 →
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 59636 | Fort Harrison, MT | 12 | 6.4 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 59601, both outside MT so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (29,283 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Lewis and Clark County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 59601 in?
ZIP code 59601 (Helena) is located in Lewis and Clark County, Montana. Lewis and Clark County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/lewis-and-clark-mt.
What is the population of ZIP code 59601?
ZIP code 59601 in Helena, MT has a population of 29,283 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 59601?
The median household income in ZIP 59601 is $72,290, which is 5% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 59601?
The median home value in ZIP 59601 is $386,500, which is 39% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 59601?
The largest racial group in ZIP 59601 is White at 89.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 59601?
ZIP code 59601 has 1,651 business establishments employing approximately 18,302 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 59601?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 59601 are: Health care and social assistance (283), Professional, scientific, and technical services (204), Other services (except public administration) (201). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 59601?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 59601 increased by 2.9% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 252%. 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 59601?
In ZIP code 59601, 71.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 50.9% 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 59601?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 59601 is 13.7 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 59601?
In ZIP code 59601, approximately 55.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 44.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 59601?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 59601 is 8.7% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 59601's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 59601 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Helena, MT ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.