Lewis and Clark County, MT

This county of 76,242 residents needs 3,171 more housing units over the next five years. Lewis and Clark County is part of the Greater Helena Area MPO.

Housing snapshot

Population
76,242 (2026)
Households
31,860
Median household income
$84,422 (2026)
Typical home value
$441,571
Owner-occupied
64%
Five-year housing need
3,171 units

Comparison to other Montana counties

Lewis and Clark County: $84,422 Median income (2026 estimate)
<$49K >$105K
Lewis and Clark County: 1.29 jobs to household ratio
<0.47 >1.53
Lewis and Clark County: Permits since 2021 represent 3.8% of housing
<0% >6.3%
On this page

How affordable is this community?

The typical home in Lewis and Clark County, MT is valued at $441,571, well above the Montana average of $296,624. At a median household income of $84,422 in Lewis and Clark County, MT, affordability is stretched, with households needing roughly $22,672 more to comfortably afford the typical home.

This chart tracks whether housing prices are keeping pace with local incomes. The gap between what homes cost and what households can afford reveals affordability trends over time.

How is the population changing?

Lewis and Clark County, MT has a population of roughly 73,464, growing modestly at 1.1% per year.

Population growth patterns reveal how communities are evolving. This chart shows historical population changes by age group and projects future trends based on demographic patterns.

How has employment changed over time?

Jobs by industry sector since 2012. Switch between local jobs — counted where the jobs are located — and resident jobs, counted where the workers live. On the local view the most recent year is a nowcast: it grows the latest local LODES job mix forward using recent county employment growth from QCEW and the BLS local employment series, so the newest point tracks today's economy instead of data that is roughly two years old.

How are households changing by income?

With roughly 31,860 households, Lewis and Clark County, MT is growing modestly at 1.1% per year.

Understanding how households at different income levels are growing or declining helps identify which groups face the greatest housing pressure and where new housing is most needed.

Who lives here today?

In Lewis and Clark County, MT, detached single-family accounts for 66% of the housing stock. Homeownership is the norm in Lewis and Clark County, MT, with 64% of units owner-occupied.

Households may have different structure type preferences depending on characteristics such as household size, income, employment, presence of children, age of individuals, and lifestyle choices. Understanding the housing stock in corresponding terms helps assess how well existing units align with existing households' ideals.

What does the housing stock look like?

The mix of housing types and ownership patterns shapes a community's character. This chart breaks down housing units by structure type and whether they're owner-occupied or rented.

How much new housing supply is needed?

To keep up with growth and fill current housing shortages, Lewis and Clark County, MT needs 3,171 new units over the next 5 years.

2,240
Units needed to keep up with expected growth
Projected total household growth from 2026 to 2031.
7.0%
Projected household growth rate
Expected increase in total households from 31,860 in 2026 to 34,100 in 2031.
931
Units to address shortages in existing housing stock
Production needs to address vacancy rates and other factors.
142
Replacement housing
Effective annual loss rate is 0.8 per 1,000 units.
242
Ownership vacancy adjustment
Owner-occupied vacancy is 0.4%. This is below the minimum stable target of 1.5%.
425
Rental vacancy adjustment
Rental vacancy is 3.3%. This is below the minimum stable target of 7.4%.
122
Substandard housing adjustment
Substandard housing rate is 1.37%. This is above National avg. of 0.98%.
3,171
Total 5-year housing production need (2026-2031)
634
Annual production pace
Average units needed per year to meet 5-year need
9.3%
Total housing unit growth
Percent increase in housing stock over 5 years
1.9%
Annual housing unit growth
Average percent increase in housing stock per year

How do these communities compare to each other?