HomeMontanaLewis and Clark County
Lewis and Clark County, Montana: commercial real estate data.
Lewis and Clark County, Montana has a population of 73,464 across 3,459 square miles, up 5.9 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $5.69 bn in 2024, 2,603 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 86 7(a) approvals worth $60.8 m.
120 sourced county values · tier FULL · 11 sections
Lewis and Clark County
How many people live in Lewis and Clark County
- Population73,464
- Households31,215
- Average household size2.35
- Median household income$78,237
- Median age41.8
- Median gross rent$1,102 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$393,500
- Home value to household income5.0 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income16.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher43.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree14.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over52,407
- Population under 1815,566
- Share under 1821.2 percent
- Population 65 and over14,843
- Share 65 and over20.2 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6443,055
- Civilian labor force37,801
- Unemployment rate3.2 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over65.3 percent
- Rank by population among Montana counties6th of 56
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents763rd
Lewis and Clark County is the 6th largest of 56 Montana counties by population. A median home costs 5.0 times median household income, which is a stretched ownership market and usually shows up as rental demand. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 21.2 percent against 20.2 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Lewis and Clark County
Is Lewis and Clark County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base5.86 percent
- Census 2020 base population70,971
- Births, 2024669
- Deaths, 2024665
- Natural change, 20244
- Net domestic migration, 2024295
- Net international migration, 202417
- Total net migration, 2024312
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20244,029
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents428th
The county has grown 5.86 percent since the 2020 census base. Migration contributed more to 2024 change than births over deaths, so demand here follows people arriving rather than families forming.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Lewis and Clark County
Where people moving to Lewis and Clark County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving2,494
- People arriving, from those returns4,361
- Adjusted gross income arriving$180.2 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$72,273
- Largest single originLewis and Clark County Non-migrants (29,386 households)
- Largest single destination (29,386 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lewis and Clark County Non-migrants | 29,386 | 56,884 | $2.57 bn |
| Other flows - Different State | 1,167 | 2,139 | $92.0 m |
| Other flows - West | 649 | 1,218 | $55.9 m |
| Other flows - South | 259 | 486 | $19.0 m |
| Other flows - Midwest | 195 | 345 | $12.4 m |
| Other flows - Same State | 185 | 326 | $12.1 m |
| Gallatin County | 170 | 247 | $12.2 m |
| Missoula County | 145 | 219 | $6.5 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Lewis and Clark County Non-migrants, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Lewis and Clark County
What the Lewis and Clark County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$5.69 bn
- County GDP, 2023$5.31 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20247.1 percent
- GDP change over five years46.3 percent
- Rank by GDP among Montana counties6th
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents666th
- GDP per resident$77,420
Output grew 7.1 percent in the latest year and 46.3 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Lewis and Clark County
Who employs people in Lewis and Clark County
- Covered employment, annual average39,957
- Establishments reporting3,759
- Average annual pay$62,248
- Average weekly wage$1,197
- Sector 62, employment5,629
- Sector 62, average annual pay$60,280
- Sector 44-45, employment4,401
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$42,185
- Sector 72, employment3,394
- Sector 72, average annual pay$23,834
- Sector 54, employment2,631
- Sector 54, average annual pay$95,044
- Sector 81, employment2,160
- Sector 23, employment2,099
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 62 | 5,629 | 417 | $60,280 |
| Sector 44-45 | 4,401 | 288 | $42,185 |
| Sector 72 | 3,394 | 220 | $23,834 |
| Sector 54 | 2,631 | 690 | $95,044 |
| Sector 81 | 2,160 | 379 | $51,602 |
| Sector 23 | 2,099 | 428 | $69,148 |
| Sector 52 | 1,603 | 188 | $112,569 |
| Sector 56 | 1,379 | 238 | $43,002 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 5,629 jobs, 14.1 percent of covered employment. Average pay per job sits below median household income, so households here typically need more than one earner.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Lewis and Clark County
What businesses operate in Lewis and Clark County
- Establishments, all industries2,603
- Employment at those establishments27,265
- Annual payroll$1.43 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents35.4
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Lewis and Clark County
What is being built in Lewis and Clark County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 2024444
- Declared construction value permitted$88.8 m
- Single family units authorised99
- Multifamily units authorised345
- Multifamily share of units77.7 percent
- Average declared value per unit$199,978
- Units authorised per 1,000 households14.2
Multifamily is 77.7 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is being built for renters rather than buyers.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Lewis and Clark County
How much SBA lending happens in Lewis and Clark County
- 7(a) approvals recorded86
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$60.8 m
- Average 7(a) approval$707,072
- Median 7(a) approval$350,000
- 10th percentile approval$50,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,999,500
- Largest single approval$4,750,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)994
- Jobs per approval11.6
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active21
- Distinct industries receiving approvals50
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer25.6 percent
- Loans on real estate terms22
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter58
- Franchise loans6
- Franchise share of approvals7.0 percent
- Leading industry by approval countGeneral Automotive Repair (6)
- Most active lenderGlacier Bank (22)
- 504 approvals recorded32
- 504 gross approval dollars$12.5 m
- Average 504 approval$391,531
- Median 504 approval$301,000
- Distinct CDCs active4
- 504 jobs per approval3.8
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved9.8
- Most active CDCBig Sky Economic Development Corporation (27)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals72.9 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$73.3 m
The average approval of $707,072 sits well above the median of $350,000, so a small number of large deals is pulling the mean up. The median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here actually gets. Only 25.6 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Lewis and Clark County
Do SBA loans in Lewis and Clark County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded15
- Paid in full14
- Charged off1
- Charge off rate on resolved loans6.7 percent
- Status: Paid in full14
- Status: Exempt from disclosure54
- Status: Cancelled9
- Status: Charged off1
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed8
Of the 15 loans that have reached a final outcome, 6.7 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Lewis and Clark County
Which parts of Lewis and Clark County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending3
- HELENA, approvals82
- EAST HELENA, approvals3
- Lincoln, approvals1
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| HELENA | 82 | $60,127,700 |
| EAST HELENA | 3 | $355,000 |
| Lincoln | 1 | $325,500 |
HELENA accounts for 82 approvals against 3 in EAST HELENA. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Lewis and Clark County
How big is Lewis and Clark County
- Land area3,459 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Montana counties14th of 56
- Width, east to west78.5 mi
- Height, north to south105.9 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary7
- Residents per square mile of land21
- Establishments per square mile0.75
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Every item below could be filled with a plausible figure. None of them is. On a page a lender may read, a number that cannot be traced is worse than an absence, so the absences are named.
- No NFIP communities are listed for this county in the FEMA Community Status Book.
- Flood zone record counts are not held. The flood coverage export has not landed, so no count is shown rather than an estimated one.
- Traffic counts resolve in the platform, not in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here.
- Zoning is in build. Parcel level zoning is not published on this page.
Feasibility studies
When a Lewis and Clark County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Lewis and Clark County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population73,464
- Households31,215
- Average household size2.35
- Median household income$78,237
- Median age41.8
Common questions
Lewis and Clark County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Lewis and Clark County, Montana?
73,464, in 31,215 households, ranking 6th of 56 Montana counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Lewis and Clark County growing?
The population has grown 5.86 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 669 births against 665 deaths, with net migration of 312. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Lewis and Clark County?
$78,237. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $393,500, which is 5.0 times income, and median gross rent is $1,102 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Lewis and Clark County?
2,603 establishments, employing 27,265 people with an annual payroll of $1.43 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is the average wage in Lewis and Clark County?
Average annual pay is $62,248, or $1,197 a week, across 39,957 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Lewis and Clark County?
86 7(a) approvals totalling $60.8 m since FY2020, across 21 lenders, with a median approval of $350,000, plus 32 504 approvals worth $12.5 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Lewis and Clark County get paid back?
Of the 15 loans that have reached a final outcome, 14 were paid in full and 1 charged off, a charge off rate of 6.7 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
What is being built in Lewis and Clark County?
444 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $88.8 m. Multifamily was 77.7 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Lewis and Clark County?
Zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Lewis and Clark County come from?
The largest single origin is Lewis and Clark County Non-migrants, with 29,386 households. Arriving households report an average income of $72,273 against null for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Lewis and Clark County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Lewis and Clark County?
Not yet. The zoning layer is in build. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame with confirm locally attached.