Helena, MT Housing Market
AI-powered market intelligence for the Helena, MT metro area.
PropertyIQ Scores
Helena, MT Market Analysis
Market Overview
Helena’s housing market presents as moderate and balanced, with a PropertyIQ Score of 64 out of 100. The median home value is $479,977, just above the Montana state average of $475,191, while median household income is $74,040, also above the state benchmark of $69,922. Unemployment matches the state at 3.3%. These figures suggest a stable local economy and a market that is not dramatically overpriced relative to state norms. The top score drivers include 12-month home value momentum of 7.05%, 3-month home value momentum of -0.04%, median days on market of 64 days, and a 15.6% share of listings with a price cut.
The rental market is a standout. Helena’s rent index of $1,585 is well above the state average of $1,031, indicating stronger rental demand than much of Montana. Meanwhile, 381 homes are for sale, and the median days on market of 64 days points to a measured pace. Overall, the data describes a market with a strong rental sector, near-flat short-term price appreciation, and balanced sales conditions.
Key Trends
First, home price growth has leveled off. The 12-month home value momentum of 7.05% shows solid trailing appreciation, but the 3-month momentum of -0.04% and a year-over-year home value change of $-1 show prices have stopped rising recently. Second, rental demand is unusually strong relative to the state: the $1,585 rent index is $554 above Montana’s $1,031 average, which is a wide gap. Third, inventory and pricing behavior suggest a cooling sales market. Helena has 381 homes for sale, a median of 64 days on market, and 15.6% of listings with a price cut. Fourth, affordability is mixed but slightly better than the state picture: median income is $74,040 versus $69,922 statewide, while the median home value is only $4,786 above the state median.
Who Is This Market For
Rental property investors may find Helena attractive because the rent index is far above the state average while home values are only slightly above the state median. The $1,585 rent index and $479,977 median home value create a more compelling rental income story than the state benchmark rent index of $1,031. Patient owner-occupants and first-time buyers may also do well here. With 381 homes for sale, 64 days on market, and a 15.6% price-cut share, buyers have more room to negotiate than in a fast-moving market. The stable 3.3% unemployment rate and above-state median household income of $74,040 support local purchasing power, though the near-$480,000 median home value may still be a hurdle for some first-time buyers. Move-up buyers with existing equity may benefit from the 7.05% trailing 12-month appreciation, but they should not expect rapid short-term gains given the flat 3-month momentum.
Outlook
The data points to a stable-to-soft ownership market with a stronger rental sector. The 12-month home value momentum of 7.05% shows past appreciation, but the -0.04% 3-month momentum and $-1 year-over-year change suggest price growth has paused. With 64 days on market and 15.6% of listings cutting price among 381 active listings, the near term likely remains balanced rather than strongly favoring sellers. The rent index of $1,585 versus the state average of $1,031 suggests rental demand should stay a bright spot. Unemployment at 3.3% and median household income at $74,040 support underlying demand. Population growth data is not available, so demographic momentum cannot be assessed. Based strictly on the provided metrics, Helena is likely to see steady but modest price conditions, with rental performance remaining stronger than state benchmarks.
AI-generated analysis based on current market data. Last updated August 17, 2026.
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Helena, MT market data
Helena, MT Housing Market Overview
Helena, MT's median home value is $480K, up 7.1% over the past year. Homes here sell in a median 64 days. Its PropertyIQ Score of 64 sits well above the state average of 50, marking a market positioned to outperform its state over the next three years.
Whether you're considering buying a home, investing in rental property, or weighing entry timing in the Helena, MT area, the PropertyIQ Score gives you a single, data-first read on relative market strength. It is validated against actual market outcomes from 2001 to 2023, with a positive score-to-return relationship in every validated year across MT and every other US state.
Mountain West markets combine outdoor lifestyle appeal with booming tech and remote-work migration. Cities across Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and Nevada have experienced some of the nation's fastest appreciation, though rising interest rates have introduced new dynamics to these previously red-hot markets. Within the Mountain West, Helena, MT's PropertyIQ Score of 64 ranks among the Mountain West's stronger demand signals.
The PropertyIQ Score for the Helena, MT market is built from four inputs: Zillow home-value momentum over twelve months, Zillow home-value momentum over three months, the median days listings spend on the market (Realtor.com), and the share of listings with a price cut (Realtor.com). The score runs on a 1 to 99 scale computed across all metro markets nationally and calibrated so 50 equals the state average — a score above 50 means this market is positioned to outperform its state, and a score below 50 means it is set to lag. Momentum here has been positive, with home values up 7.1% over the past year.
Use PropertyIQ's interactive analytics to compare Helena, MT against any other US metro on its PropertyIQ Score and underlying metrics. Generate a free AI market report, explore historical trends on the graphs page, or see how this market ranks on the scores dashboard.
Counties in the Helena, MT metro area
ZIP codes in the Helena, MT metro area
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Market data through July 2026. Sourced from Zillow, Realtor.com, Redfin, U.S. Census Bureau, FRED, BLS, and BEA. Per-statistic source and date shown above.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Helena, MT a good place to buy real estate in 2026?
PropertyIQ doesn't label markets simply good or bad. Instead, the PropertyIQ Score measures a market's demand momentum against its own state, where 50 marks the state average. Helena, MT currently scores 64, a firming-momentum reading that leaves it positioned to outperform its state over the next three years. For buyers, strengthening demand usually means rising competition and firmer prices, so waiting can cost you negotiating room. Backing that up, the median home value here is $480K, up 7.1% over the past year. So whether Helena, MT is right for you comes down to your goals: a rising-momentum market can favor long-term appreciation but offers less room to negotiate, while a cooling one hands buyers more leverage. Treat the score as a timing signal to weigh alongside your budget, holding period, and plans for the property, not a verdict on the market's quality.
What is the PropertyIQ Score for Helena, MT?
Helena, MT's PropertyIQ Score is 64, indicating firming momentum on a 1-to-99 scale. The score distills four transparent inputs into a single number: Zillow home-value momentum over the past 12 months, Zillow home-value momentum over the past 3 months, the median days homes spend on the market from Realtor.com, and the share of listings with a price cut, also from Realtor.com. Rising values and faster sales push the score up, while slow sales and frequent price cuts pull it down. The scale is calibrated so 50 equals the state average, meaning a score above 50 predicts the market will outperform its state over the next three years and a score below 50 predicts underperformance. PropertyIQ computes the score across every US market nationally, then recenters it against each state, so 64 places Helena, MT above its state benchmark.
Are home prices in Helena, MT rising or falling?
Home prices in Helena, MT are rising. Over the past year, the median home value increased 7.1%, reaching $480K. Over the latest three months, values slipped 0.0%, a sign near-term demand is softening. PropertyIQ derives these figures from Zillow's home-value index, which tracks the typical value across the market rather than only the homes that happened to sell, giving a steadier read than a raw median sale price. Both the 12-month and 3-month momentum readings feed directly into the PropertyIQ Score, so this price trend is one of the core signals behind Helena, MT's current score. Keep in mind that appreciation can vary widely by neighborhood and price tier across the metro area, so treat these figures as the market-wide baseline rather than a guarantee for any single property.
How quickly do homes sell in Helena, MT?
In Helena, MT, homes sell in a median of 64 days from listing to pending sale, based on Realtor.com market data. Median days on market is one of the clearest real-time reads on local demand: when homes move quickly, buyers are competing and sellers hold the advantage, while lengthening timelines signal cooling interest and more room to negotiate. Alongside sale speed, about 16% of active listings here have taken at least one price cut — a complementary demand gauge, since a rising share of reductions often precedes slower sales and softer prices. Both median days on market and the price-cut share feed directly into the PropertyIQ Score, where faster sales and fewer cuts push the score higher. As a general guide, medians under about 30 days indicate a brisk, competitive market, while medians well beyond 60 days point to buyers regaining leverage. Actual time on market still varies by price band, property type, and season, so treat the median as a market-wide baseline.
How current is this metro area data?
This Helena, MT market data is refreshed on a monthly cycle, with the latest figures current through July 2026. PropertyIQ ingests fresh data every month from a range of authoritative sources: home values and rents from Zillow, days on market and price-cut activity from Realtor.com, additional housing signals from Redfin, demographic and housing-stock data from the U.S. Census Bureau, mortgage and macroeconomic series from FRED, and employment figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The PropertyIQ Score itself is recomputed every month once the new source data lands, so the score and its four underlying inputs always reflect the most recent complete reporting period rather than a static snapshot. Because official housing data is typically released with a short lag, the current-through date usually trails the present by a few weeks, which is normal across the industry and not a sign the data is out of date.