PlainZIP

Heron, MT · standard

ZIP Code 59844

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

736
2/sq mi
$43,417
Median income
$440,600
Median home value
27.9%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Heron pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with upper-quartile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

8th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 17%
home value, US ZIPs
2
people per sq mi
75%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 59844 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 59844 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Heron, Sanders County, Montana, home to just 736 residents across 306.7 square miles, a density of 2 people per square mile, in the Denver time zone.

ZIP 59844 reports a modest median household income of $43,417 (38% below the Montana average), while per-capita income is $28,512. The poverty rate stands at 38.1% and the unemployment rate at 2.5%. The typical home here is valued at $440,600 (35% above the state average); renters pay a median of $1,284 monthly, and 74.7% of units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 27.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 50.5, and the average commute is -. Compare these figures to the Montana and national benchmarks above rather than reading 59844's numbers in isolation.

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 59844

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Heron, MT

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 59844.

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 59844, Heron, 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

736

Population

306.7

Area (sq mi)

2

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 59844?

50.5

Median Age

46.2%

Male

53.8%

Female

0.6%

Foreign-Born

White 95.8%
African American 0.0%
Asian 0.1%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 4.1%
Hispanic or Latino 2.2%

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?

$43,417

Median Household Income

-38% vs state

$28,512

Per Capita Income

38.1%

Poverty Rate

2.5%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 59844 ranks nationally

Heron, MT household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$43,417 8th percentile higher than 8% 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 55.1%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 27.9%

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

What does housing look like?

359

Total Housing Units

253

Occupied Units

106

Vacant Units

2.72

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 74.7%
Renter 25.3%

$440,600

Median Home Value

+35% vs state

$1,284

Median Rent

1985

Median Year Built

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

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 20 business establishments in ZIP 59844, employing approximately 131 people with a combined annual payroll of $5,453,000.

20

Businesses

131

Employees

$5.5M

Annual Payroll

3

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Professional, scientific, and technical services 4 20.0%
Construction 3 15.0%
Retail trade 3 15.0%

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

More ZIP Codes in Sanders County

59859 standard
Plains, MT
Pop: 3,270
59873 standard
Thompson Falls, MT
Pop: 3,085
59874 standard
Trout Creek, MT
Pop: 1,568
59845 standard
Hot Springs, MT
Pop: 1,186
59853 standard
Noxon, MT
Pop: 699
59831 standard
Dixon, MT
Pop: 454

Related Areas

Sanders County Heron, MT Montana

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 59844 in? ▼
ZIP code 59844 (Heron) is located in Sanders County, Montana. Sanders County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/sanders-mt.
What is the population of ZIP code 59844? ▼
ZIP code 59844 in Heron, MT has a population of 736 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 59844? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 59844 is $43,417, which is 43% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 59844? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 59844 is $440,600, which is 58% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 59844? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 59844 is White at 95.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 2.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 59844? ▼
ZIP code 59844 has 20 business establishments employing approximately 131 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 59844? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 59844 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (4), Construction (3), Retail trade (3). There are 3 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 59844? ▼
In ZIP code 59844, 55.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 27.9% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 59844? ▼
In ZIP code 59844, approximately 74.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 25.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 59844? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 59844 is 38.1% 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.