Cold semi-arid

Helena Valley Northwest, Montana

Lewis and Clark County, Montana · Population 5.1k · 3,963 ft elevation

Living in Helena Valley Northwest

Helena Valley Northwest has a cold semi-arid climate: hot summers (July highs around 86°F) and cold winters (January lows around 13°F).

Precipitation is very dry at about 11″ a year, and it gets a fair bit of snow (37″ a season).

Skies are sunny (62% of possible sunshine). It never gets truly muggy.

Air quality is moderate: a median AQI of 44 and virtually no unhealthy-air days.

Helena Valley Northwest is an outdoor hub: about 48% of the land within 30 miles is public (parks, national forest and the like), and the terrain rises and falls about 3,300 ft around town.

Helena Valley Northwest at a glance

Population
5.1k
Elevation
3,963 ft
Average daily high
57°F7th percentile
Average daily low
33°F3th percentile
Annual precipitation
11″4th percentile
Annual snowfall
37″77th percentile
Sunshine hours per year
2,795 hrs48th percentile
Median AQI
4462th percentile
Median home value
$359k67th percentile
Median rent
$1,640/mo73th percentile
Median household income
$101k74th percentile
Property tax rate
0.72%28th percentile
Top state income-tax rate
5.7%
Sales tax (state + local)
0.0%
Unemployment rate
2.2%
Homes with broadband
93%62th percentile
Walkability index
5.68th percentile
Average commute
21 min
Math proficiency (8th grade)
46%51th percentile
Reading proficiency (8th grade)
53%
Overall natural-hazard risk
7124th percentile
Outdoor access
9594th percentile
Public land within 10 miles
17%
Public land within 30 miles
48%
Mountain relief within 30 miles
3,346 ft

Climate by month

Average monthly weather in Helena Valley Northwest, Montana
MonthHighLowPrecipitationSnowSunshine
Jan32°F13°F0.4″6.6″170 hrs
Feb37°F17°F0.4″6.6″188 hrs
Mar47°F24°F0.5″4.6″221 hrs
Apr56°F32°F1.0″2.9″218 hrs
May66°F41°F1.9″0.1″256 hrs
Jun74°F48°F2.2″—300 hrs
Jul86°F55°F1.1″—379 hrs
Aug84°F53°F1.0″0.3″337 hrs
Sep73°F44°F1.0″0.2″258 hrs
Oct57°F33°F0.8″2.8″195 hrs
Nov42°F22°F0.6″5.4″144 hrs
Dec32°F14°F0.5″7.7″130 hrs

Near Helena Valley Northwest

Largest places in Montana

Sources: NOAA climate normals, NASA POWER, EPA air quality, U.S. Census Bureau, FEMA, FBI, EPA walkability and EDFacts. Methodology