PlainZIP

Thompson Falls, MT · standard

ZIP Code 59873

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

3,085
2/sq mi
$60,000
Median income
$305,900
Median home value
25.3%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Thompson Falls pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

29th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 33%
home value, US ZIPs
2
people per sq mi
87%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 59873 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 59873 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 1928.1 square miles in Thompson Falls, Sanders County, Montana. The area is home to 3,085 residents, producing a population density of 2 people per square mile, and falls within the Denver time zone. These USPS and Census boundary values drive every downstream statistic on this page, including the benchmarks that compare 59873 against Montana and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 59873 sits at $60,000 (14% below the Montana average), while per-capita income is $32,434. The poverty rate stands at 9.1% and the unemployment rate at 0.0%. On housing, the median home value is $305,900 (6% below the state average) with median rent at $543 per month, and 87.2% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 59873 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 25.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 60.4, and the average commute is —. Use the benchmarks above to see where 59873 sits relative to Montana and the national baseline rather than viewing the numbers in isolation. Every figure is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, HUD Fair Market Rents, and FHFA Home Price Index data, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with HUD →

Top industries in ZIP 59873

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 59873.

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 + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 59873, Thompson Falls, MT · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; HUD FMR + FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

3,085

Population

1928.1

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 59873?

60.4

Median Age

50.4%

Male

49.6%

Female

2.0%

Foreign-Born

White 88.1%
African American 0.2%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 1.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 10.2%
Hispanic or Latino 4.5%

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?

$60,000

Median Household Income

-14% vs state

$32,434

Per Capita Income

9.1%

Poverty Rate

0.0%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 59873 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$60,000 29th percentile higher than 29% 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%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). This entry sits in this band. $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 61.9%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 25.3%

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

What does housing look like?

1,724

Total Housing Units

1,296

Occupied Units

428

Vacant Units

2.21

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 87.2%
Renter 12.8%

$305,900

Median Home Value

-6% vs state

$543

Median Rent

1988

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

+31.3%

YoY Change (2024)

301

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+201%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 59873 have increased 31.3% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +201% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2019 +3.0% 190
2020 +13.9% 217
2021 +14.2% 247
2022 +31.3% 325
2024 — 301

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 152 business establishments in ZIP 59873, employing approximately 864 people with a combined annual payroll of $35,234,000.

152

Businesses

864

Employees

$35.2M

Annual Payroll

12

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Construction 27 17.8%
Retail trade 21 13.8%
Health care and social assistance 16 10.5%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 14 9.2%
Real estate and rental and leasing 11 7.2%
Accommodation and food services 10 6.6%
Other services (except public administration) 10 6.6%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 9 5.9%
Manufacturing 7 4.6%
Finance and insurance 7 4.6%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 6 4.0%
Wholesale trade 5 3.3%

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
59874 standard
Trout Creek, MT
Pop: 1,568
59845 standard
Hot Springs, MT
Pop: 1,186
59844 standard
Heron, MT
Pop: 736
59853 standard
Noxon, MT
Pop: 699
59831 standard
Dixon, MT
Pop: 454

Related Areas

Sanders County Thompson Falls, MT Montana

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 59873 in? ▼
ZIP code 59873 (Thompson Falls) 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 59873? ▼
ZIP code 59873 in Thompson Falls, MT has a population of 3,085 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 59873? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 59873 is $60,000, which is 21% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 59873? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 59873 is $305,900, which is 10% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 59873? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 59873 is White at 88.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 4.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 59873? ▼
ZIP code 59873 has 152 business establishments employing approximately 864 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 59873? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 59873 are: Construction (27), Retail trade (21), Health care and social assistance (16). There are 12 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 59873? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 59873 increased by 31.3% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 201%. 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 59873? ▼
In ZIP code 59873, 61.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 25.3% 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 59873? ▼
In ZIP code 59873, approximately 87.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 12.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 59873? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 59873 is 9.1% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

ZIP Code Research Guides

Reading Census Demographics
How to interpret population, income, and education data from the Census Bureau.
Understanding ZIP Code Data
What ZIP codes are, how ZCTAs differ, and what the data reveals.
Best ZIP Codes for Families
Key factors to evaluate when choosing a family-friendly neighborhood.
ZIP Codes for Relocation
Data-driven tips for evaluating ZIP codes before a move.

Official Data Resources for Thompson Falls, MT

Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.

U.S. Census Bureau
Official demographic, economic, and housing data from the American Community Survey.
HUD Fair Market Rents
Department of Housing and Urban Development rental cost estimates by metropolitan area.
FBI Uniform Crime Reports
Official crime statistics compiled from law enforcement agencies nationwide.
FHFA House Price Index
Federal Housing Finance Agency home value trends based on repeat sales and appraisals.

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