Columbia Falls, MT · standard
ZIP Code 59912
Flathead County, Montana - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 13,499
- 37/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $76,617
- Median income Near-median income area
- $488,800
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 33.7%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Columbia Falls pairs an above-median household income with upper-quartile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 43%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 14%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 37
- people per sq mi
- 72%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 59912 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 59912 (Columbia Falls, MT) rose +8.2% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 402.3 in 2023 to 435.2 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 59912 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Columbia Falls, Flathead County, Montana, home to 13,499 residents across 362.9 square miles, a density of 37 people per square mile, in the Denver time zone.
ZIP 59912 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $76,617 (9% above the average Montana ZIP), while per-capita income is $36,278. The poverty rate is 9.7%, with unemployment at 4.2%; those measures add context to the income figure. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $488,800 (50% above the average Montana ZIP), while 72.0% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $1,090.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 33.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 39.6, and the average commute is 21 minutes. No nearby ZIP peer set is available for this delivery area, so the Montana and national benchmarks above are the appropriate context for 59912.
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 59912
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Columbia Falls, MT
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 59912.
- Construction
Construction
152 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
62 establishments
- Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 50
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
50 establishments
- Accommodation and food services 48
Accommodation and food services
48 establishments
- Other services (except public administration) 47
Other services (except public administration)
47 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 59912, Columbia 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
13,499
Population
362.9
Area (sq mi)
37
People / sq mi
Denver
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 59912?
39.6
Median Age
52.1%
Male
47.9%
Female
1.7%
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?
$76,617
Median Household Income
+9% vs state ZIP avg
$36,278
Per Capita Income
9.7%
Poverty Rate
4.2%
Unemployment Rate
21.4 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 59912 ranks among Montana ZIPs
Columbia Falls, 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)
$76,617 Top 35% higher than 65% 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
6,887housing units
6,887
Total Housing Units
5,995
Occupied Units
892
Vacant Units
2.59
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$488,800
Median Home Value
+50% vs state ZIP avg
$1,090
Median Rent
1991
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
+8.2%
YoY Change (2024)
435
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+335%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 59912 have increased 8.2% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +335% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +5.6% | 240 |
| 2021 | +22.9% | 295 |
| 2022 | +34.3% | 396 |
| 2023 | +1.5% | 402 |
| 2024 | +8.2% | 435 |
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 595 business establishments in ZIP 59912, employing approximately 4,238 people with a combined annual payroll of $228,609,000.
595
Businesses
4,238
Employees
$228.6M
Annual Payroll
17
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 152 | 25.6% |
| Retail trade | 62 | 10.4% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 50 | 8.4% |
| Accommodation and food services | 48 | 8.1% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 47 | 7.9% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 43 | 7.2% |
| Health care and social assistance | 41 | 6.9% |
| Manufacturing | 35 | 5.9% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 29 | 4.9% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 21 | 3.5% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 20 | 3.4% |
| Wholesale trade | 15 | 2.5% |
| Finance and insurance | 13 | 2.2% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 6 | 1.0% |
| Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction | 4 | 0.7% |
| Educational services | 4 | 0.7% |
| Information | 3 | 0.5% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 59912, 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 (13,499 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Flathead County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 59912 in?
ZIP code 59912 (Columbia Falls) is located in Flathead County, Montana. Flathead County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/flathead-mt.
What is the population of ZIP code 59912?
ZIP code 59912 in Columbia Falls, MT has a population of 13,499 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 59912?
The median household income in ZIP 59912 is $76,617, which is 0% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 59912?
The median home value in ZIP 59912 is $488,800, which is 76% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 59912?
The largest racial group in ZIP 59912 is White at 93.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 1.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 59912?
ZIP code 59912 has 595 business establishments employing approximately 4,238 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 59912?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 59912 are: Construction (152), Retail trade (62), Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services (50). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 59912?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 59912 increased by 8.2% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 335%. 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 59912?
In ZIP code 59912, 62.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 33.7% 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 59912?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 59912 is 21.4 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 59912?
In ZIP code 59912, approximately 72.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 28.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 59912?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 59912 is 9.7% 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 59912's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 59912 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Columbia Falls, 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.