Is Helena Valley Southeast, MT a Good Place to Live?
Helena Valley Southeast is a small town of 9,374 in Montana, with a median household income of $68,512 and a 5.1% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 97 (US average = 100), which is 3% below the national average.
Strengths: Helena Valley Southeast stands out for an affordable cost of living, short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Helena Valley Southeast is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Helena Valley Southeast city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 96.8Helena Valley Southeast's overall cost of living index is 96.8, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Helena Valley Southeast costs roughly 3% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Helena Valley Southeast, MT | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $280,300 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,213 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 85.3% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $68,512 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Safer than AverageHelena Valley Southeast's violent crime rate is 396.1 per 100,000 residents — 4% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
| Metric | Helena Valley Southeast, MT | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | N/A | — |
| Elementary Schools | N/A | — |
| Middle Schools | N/A | — |
| High Schools | N/A | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | N/A | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 20.4% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 93.0% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Helena Valley Southeast sees average highs of 32.4°F in January and 86.1°F in July, with 11.4 inches of annual precipitation and 37.2 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Helena Valley Southeast, MT |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 32.4°F |
| Average High — July | 86.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 37.2" |
Demographics
| Metric | Helena Valley Southeast, MT | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 9,374 | — |
| Median Age | 39.3 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.1% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 20.5 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 93.2% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.6% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1.1% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.2% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 27.8% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 16.4% | 16.8% |