Hot Springs, Montana Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 557, Hot Springs'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

Hot Springs is a small community located in Montana, within Sanders County. The total population is 557. It ranks as the 147th most populous out of 475 Census-designated places in Montana.

Age Demographics

The median age in Hot Springs is 52.0 years. This is 29% higher than the state median of 40.4 years. Only 11.1% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Hot Springs is $21,300. This is 71% lower than the state median of $72,509. It is also 74% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 29.2%. This is 153% 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 8.2%. This is 127% higher than the state rate of 3.6%. The median home value is $150,900. Housing costs are 60% lower than the state median of $375,800. The home-value-to-income ratio of 7.1x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 64.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 7% lower than the state average of 69.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Hot Springs is White (non-Hispanic), making up 84.7% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 3.0%. The Asian population (0.4%) is well below the state average of 0.8%.

Education

18.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 47% 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 87.6%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Hot Springs, 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.