Cost of living in Helena research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Helena is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Montana, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Helena is 103, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Helena is 1.0x higher than the national average.
Helena ranks as the #12 cheapest in Montana out of 25.
Helena ranks as the #2,952 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Helena is $469,909.
The median income in Helena is $69,341.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Helena has an overall cost of living index of 103, which is 1.0x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Montana, Helena has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Montana's index of 101.
The standard of living in Helena ranks as #12 most affordable out of the 25 places we measured in Montana. By definition, that implies Helena ranks as the #13 most expensive place in the Treasure State.
For more reading on life in Helena, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Helena. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Helena is 91.
The Groceries index in Helena is 102.
The Health index in Helena is 95.
The Housing index in Helena is 127.
The Transportation index in Helena is 104.
The Utilities index in Helena is 91.
| Living Expense | Helena | Montana | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 103 | 101 | 100 | |
| Services | 91 | 104 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 102 | 102 | 100 | |
| Health | 95 | 99 | 100 | |
| Housing | 127 | 100 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 104 | 107 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 91 | 95 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Montana, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Helena is $469,909.
The Median Rent in Helena is $1,058.
The Median Income in Helena is $69,341.
The Home Value To Income in Helena is 6.8x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Helena is 0.18x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Helena. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Helena Valley Southeast, MT has a cost of living index of 99, 1.0x Helena.
Helena Valley West Central, MT has a cost of living index of 108, 1.0x Helena.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Helena |
|---|---|---|---|
| Helena Valley Southeast, MT | 9,533 | 99 | 1.0x |
| Helena Valley West Central, MT | 8,224 | 108 | 1.0x |