CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

46.56° N · 112.00° W · GEOID 3069725

South Hills

Jefferson County, Montana · part of the Helena, MT metro

Limited data population under 5,000, core figures borrowed from county or metro: median_gross_rent

MontanaSouth Hills, MTSouth HillsSouth Hills

The short answer

South Hills is home to 620 people. Median household income is $168,235 a year and median rent is $925 a month, 6.6% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is lighter than in most places. The median home is valued at $703,800, about 4.2x annual median household income.

Median gross rent
$925
32% below the median place
Median household income
$168,235
110% above the median place
Median home value
$703,800
120% above the median place
Unemployment
4.2%
14% below the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

What stands out about South Hills

  • The median rent takes only 6.6% of the median household's income, a smaller share than in 99% of the 2,480 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the lowest of 27 Montana places.
  • 0% of residents were born outside the US, fewer than in 99% of places its size. It is the lowest of 18 Montana places.
  • 97% of homes are owner-occupied, more than in 98% of places its size. It is the highest of 27 Montana places.
  • The median household earns $168,235 a year, more than in 94% of places its size. It is the highest of 27 Montana places.
  • Half the homes were built after 2001, newer housing than in 91% of places its size. It is the 3rd-highest of 27 Montana places.
01

Moving to South Hills

Jefferson County gains about 20.0 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in947
Moved out715
Net+232

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Within Montana, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within MontanaOther states

Income per tax return

Arrivals$81K
Leavers$62K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Jefferson County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
0.0% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 0.0% from another state.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Jefferson County report $80,800 a year in income on average; those leaving, $62,100, so newcomers earn more than leavers.
Income you would need
$37,000 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $925 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $2,719 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $703,800.
Getting to work
14 minutes each way on average; 12.7% work from home.
If it is close but not quite
Miller Place, NY matches it on character. Compare the two
Moved here in the past year1
0.0%
below the median place (median 5.7%)
Moved from another state1
0.0%
below the median place (median 2.0%)
Net movers per 1,000 people7
20.0
above the median place (median -0.6)
All 5 moving measures
MeasureSouth HillsAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year10.0%below (median 5.7%)
Moved from another state10.0%below (median 2.0%)
Net movers per 1,000 people7County figure20.0above (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in7County figure$80,81515% above
Income of households moving out7County figure$62,06312% below
02

What it costs to live here

Vacant homes is 0.0%, below the median place (median 7.1%).

South Hills6.6%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$37,000
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
6.6%
68% below the median place
Home price to income
4.2x
10% above the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
7%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$162,100
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in South Hills, $925 a month, and local prices for everything else (96.8 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in South Hills.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to South Hills? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Vacant homes1
0.0%
below the median place (median 7.1%)
Homeownership1
97.3%
47% above the median place
Median year built1
2001
1% above the median place
All 16 cost and housing measures
MeasureSouth HillsAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1County figure$92532% below
Rent to income16.6%68% below
Property tax rate10.7%23% below
Home price to income14.2x10% above
Prices vs US average2Metro figure95.75% below
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$1,41013% below
HUD area median income4County figure$115,2007% above
Property tax paid (median)1$4,90450% above
Median home value1$703,800120% above
Home prices, 1-year change5County figure6.4%100% above
Home prices, 5-year change5County figure73.6%43% above
Homeownership197.3%47% above
Renters paying 30%+1County figure30.0%41% below
Owner costs with a mortgage1$2,71945% above
Vacant homes10.0%below (median 7.1%)
Median year built120011% above
03

Work and pay

Commutes by transit is 0.0%, below the median place (median 0.8%).

Commutes by transit1
0.0%
below the median place (median 0.8%)
Income per person1
$112,247
180% above the median place
Mean commute1
14 min
43% below the median place
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureSouth HillsAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$168,235110% above
Income per person1$112,247180% above
Unemployment1County figure4.2%14% below
Average annual pay6County figure$57,41213% below
Pay growth, 1 year6County figure5.2%41% above
Jobs6County figure2,78498% below
Poverty rate1County figure5.7%47% below
Mean commute114 min43% below
Works from home1County figure12.7%2% above
Commutes by transit10.0%below (median 0.8%)
04

Who lives here

Born abroad is 0.0%, below the median place (median 8.8%).

Born abroad1
0.0%
below the median place (median 8.8%)
Median age1
48.9
25% above the median place
High school or higher1
97.7%
6% above the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

Bachelor's or higher51.9% +62%
Household size2.8 +11%
Homes with broadband90.6% −2%
All 8 people measures
MeasureSouth HillsAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population16206646th largest
Median age148.925% above
Bachelor's or higher151.9%62% above
High school or higher197.7%6% above
Household size12.811% above
Born abroad10.0%below (median 8.8%)
No health insurance1County figure5.8%9% below
Homes with broadband190.6%2% below
05

Life in South Hills

15 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars19.6 −6%
Shops21.1 −30%
Arts, recreation and fitness5.5 +34%
Doctors' offices and clinics18.0 −11%
Child care centers3.9 +70%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Shops per 10k8
21.1
30% below the median place
Child care centers per 10k8
3.9
70% above the median place
Public school students10
1,872
62% below the median place
All 9 schools and local life measures
MeasureSouth HillsAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools10County figure1233% above
Public school students10County figure1,87262% below
Students per teacher10County figure14.65% below
Restaurants and bars per 10k8County figure19.66% below
Shops per 10k8County figure21.130% below
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k8County figure5.534% above
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k8County figure18.011% below
Child care centers per 10k8County figure3.970% above
National Register listings9County figure1515% above
06

Safety, weather and risk

Average temperature is 41°F, 25% below the median place.

No crime figure yet. Either the city police department did not report to the FBI for the latest year, or our monthly fetch has not reached South Hills. Larger places are fetched first.

Average temperature11
41°F
25% below the median place
Tornado risk12
5.7
93% below the median place
Natural hazard risk12
21.6
77% below the median place
All 10 weather and risk measures
MeasureSouth HillsAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high11County figure78°F10% below
January average low11County figure15°F39% below
Average temperature11County figure41°F25% below
Annual precipitation11County figure17.8 in59% below
Natural hazard risk12County figure21.677% below
Tornado risk12County figure5.793% below
Wildfire risk12County figure89.145% above
Heat wave risk12County figure10.189% below
Median air quality index13Metro figure442% above
Good air days13Metro figure71.5%4% above
08

South Hills in 2030: where the trends point

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median household income$168,235 (2024)$211,000$178,500 to $250,000+3.9%
Median home value$703,800 (2024)$1,012,000$735,000 to $1,394,000+6.2%

The median home would be worth 4.8 years of the median income in 2030, against 4.2 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like South Hills

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Miller Place, NY$1,172$146,492Compare
Credit River, MN$890$143,125Compare
Ashton-Sandy Spring, MD$1,369$174,063Compare
Green Knoll, NJ$1,448$165,227Compare
Green Knoll, NJAshton-Sandy Spring, MDCredit River, MNMiller Place, NYSouth Hills, MTSouth HillsCredit RiverAshton-Sandy SpringGreen KnollSouth HillsCredit RiverAshton-Sandy SpringGreen Knoll

Common questions

Is South Hills a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. The median rent takes only 6.6% of the median household's income, a smaller share than in 99% of the 2,480 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the lowest of 27 Montana places. 0% of residents were born outside the US, fewer than in 99% of places its size. It is the lowest of 18 Montana places. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is South Hills expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 6.6% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a lighter load here than usual. The median home is valued at $703,800.

What salary do you need to live in South Hills?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $37,000 a year. Work it out from your current city.

What places are similar to South Hills?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Miller Place, NY, Credit River, MN, Ashton-Sandy Spring, MD and Green Knoll, NJ.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
  5. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  6. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  7. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  8. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  9. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  10. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  11. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  12. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  13. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares South Hills with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for South Hills itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/south-hills-montana

Citytistics. “South Hills, Montana.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/south-hills-montana/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.