Which metro areas in Montana are people moving to?
Helena, MT (6.5 per 1,000 residents), Missoula, MT (6.1 per 1,000 residents) and Billings, MT (4.4 per 1,000 residents) drew the most people from the rest of the U.S. for their size among Montana metro areas in 2025.
Data as of 2025 · updated
All 3 ranked Montana metro areas
| Rank | Metro area | Per 1,000 residents, 2025 | Net movers 2025 | Residents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Helena, MT | 6.5 | +635 | 97,153 |
| 2 | Missoula, MT | 6.1 | +788 | 128,698 |
| 3 | Billings, MT | 4.4 | +843 | 193,603 |
How this is ranked
Net domestic migration from the Census Bureau's population estimates for 2025: people who moved in from the rest of the U.S. minus people who moved out, per 1,000 residents. Moves between the area's own counties cancel out; moves from and to other countries are not included. Only metropolitan statistical areas of two or more counties are ranked (OMB Bulletin 23-01): a one-county area's figures are its county's, and micro areas are left out. Areas without a figure for the same period as the others are not ranked. An area that crosses a state line is ranked in each of its states.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2025). Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how ranks and figures are built.
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Questions
Which metro area in Montana gains the most people from the rest of the country?
Helena, MT: 6.5 per 1,000 residents, ahead of Missoula, MT (6.1 per 1,000 residents) and Billings, MT (4.4 per 1,000 residents), of 3 Montana metro areas ranked.
How is this ranking calculated?
Net domestic migration from the Census Bureau's population estimates for 2025: people who moved in from the rest of the U.S. minus people who moved out, per 1,000 residents. Moves between the area's own counties cancel out; moves from and to other countries are not included. Only metropolitan statistical areas of two or more counties are ranked (OMB Bulletin 23-01): a one-county area's figures are its county's, and micro areas are left out. Areas without a figure for the same period as the others are not ranked. An area that crosses a state line is ranked in each of its states.