Heart Butte, Montana Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 521, Heart Butte's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Heart Butte is a small community located in Montana, within Pondera County. The total population is 521. It ranks as the 153rd most populous out of 475 Census-designated places in Montana.

Age Demographics

The median age in Heart Butte is 25.2 years. This is 38% lower than the state median of 40.4 years. With 40.5% of the population under 18, Heart Butte has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Heart Butte is $31,389. This is 57% lower than the state median of $72,509. It is also 61% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 47.1%. This is 309% higher than the state poverty rate of 11.5%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 13.9%. This is 285% higher than the state rate of 3.6%. The median home value is $46,300. Housing costs are 88% lower than the state median of $375,800. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.5x, Heart Butte is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 32.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 54% lower than the state average of 69.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Heart Butte is a highly diverse community where no single racial or ethnic group constitutes a majority of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 1.5%. The White (non-Hispanic) population (1.5%) is well below the state average of 83.6%. The Black or African American population (0.2%) is well below the state average of 0.4%. The Hispanic or Latino population (1.9%) is well below the state average of 4.6%.

Education

10.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 69% lower than the state rate of 35.2%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 85.1%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Heart Butte, Montana is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Montana state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 475 Census-designated places in Montana. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.