Polson, MT · standard
ZIP Code 59860
Lake County, Montana - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 9,913
- 16/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $62,047
- Median income Below-median income area
- $441,500
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 34.9%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Polson pairs a below-median household income with upper-quartile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 33rd pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 17%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 16
- people per sq mi
- 73%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 59860 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 59860 (Polson, MT) rose +11.7% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 330.0 in 2023 to 368.5 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 59860 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Polson, Lake County, Montana, home to 9,913 residents across 627.4 square miles, a density of 16 people per square mile, in the Denver time zone.
ZIP 59860 reports a modest median household income of $62,047 (11% below the average Montana ZIP), while per-capita income is $36,827. The poverty rate is 15.8%, with unemployment at 4.7%; those measures add context to the income figure. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $441,500 (35% above the average Montana ZIP), while 72.8% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $926.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 34.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 47.4, and the average commute is 19 minutes. The page also surfaces 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Lake County, so 59860 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 59860
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Polson, MT
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 59860.
- Construction
Construction
99 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
53 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
49 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
45 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
43 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 59860, Polson, 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
9,913
Population
627.4
Area (sq mi)
16
People / sq mi
Denver
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 59860?
47.4
Median Age
48.6%
Male
51.4%
Female
3.2%
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?
$62,047
Median Household Income
-11% vs state ZIP avg
$36,827
Per Capita Income
15.8%
Poverty Rate
4.7%
Unemployment Rate
18.9 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 59860 ranks among Montana ZIPs
Polson, 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)
$62,047 39th percentile higher than 39% 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
6,770housing units
6,770
Total Housing Units
4,899
Occupied Units
1,871
Vacant Units
2.41
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$441,500
Median Home Value
+35% vs state ZIP avg
$926
Median Rent
1987
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
+11.7%
YoY Change (2024)
369
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+269%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 59860 have increased 11.7% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +269% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +5.5% | 208 |
| 2021 | +20.8% | 251 |
| 2022 | +31.3% | 329 |
| 2023 | +0.3% | 330 |
| 2024 | +11.7% | 369 |
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 471 business establishments in ZIP 59860, employing approximately 3,293 people with a combined annual payroll of $143,112,000.
471
Businesses
3,293
Employees
$143.1M
Annual Payroll
17
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 99 | 21.0% |
| Health care and social assistance | 53 | 11.3% |
| Retail trade | 49 | 10.4% |
| Accommodation and food services | 45 | 9.6% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 43 | 9.1% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 42 | 8.9% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 29 | 6.2% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 23 | 4.9% |
| Finance and insurance | 20 | 4.3% |
| Manufacturing | 16 | 3.4% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 11 | 2.3% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 9 | 1.9% |
| Information | 9 | 1.9% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 8 | 1.7% |
| Educational services | 5 | 1.1% |
| Wholesale trade | 4 | 0.8% |
| Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction | 3 | 0.6% |
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 59860 vs 59855 →
ZIP 59860 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 59860
Polson (59860)
9,913 residents
- 59855 957
Pablo (59855)
957 residents
- 59910 356
Big Arm (59910)
356 residents
- 59914 234
Dayton (59914)
234 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 59860 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 59860 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 59910
Big Arm (59910)
$99,886 median income
- 59914
Dayton (59914)
$83,750 median income
- 59860
Polson (59860)
$62,047 median income
- 59855 $32,688
Pablo (59855)
$32,688 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 59860 ranks #3 of 4 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 59860, 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 (9,913 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Lake County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 59860 in?
ZIP code 59860 (Polson) is located in Lake County, Montana. Lake County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/lake-mt.
What is the population of ZIP code 59860?
ZIP code 59860 in Polson, MT has a population of 9,913 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 59860?
The median household income in ZIP 59860 is $62,047, which is 19% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 59860?
The median home value in ZIP 59860 is $441,500, which is 59% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 59860?
The largest racial group in ZIP 59860 is White at 75.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 4.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 59860?
ZIP code 59860 has 471 business establishments employing approximately 3,293 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 59860?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 59860 are: Construction (99), Health care and social assistance (53), Retail trade (49). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 59860?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 59860 increased by 11.7% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 269%. 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 59860?
In ZIP code 59860, 57.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 34.9% 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 59860?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 59860 is 18.9 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 59860?
In ZIP code 59860, approximately 72.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 27.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 59860?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 59860 is 15.8% 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 59860's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 59860 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Polson, MT ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.