West Glacier, Montana Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 263, West Glacier'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

West Glacier is a small community located in Montana, within Flathead County. The total population is 263. It ranks as the 220th most populous out of 475 Census-designated places in Montana.

Age Demographics

The median age in West Glacier is 53.3 years. This is 32% higher than the state median of 40.4 years. Only 7.2% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 12.2% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in West Glacier is $90,000. This is 24% higher than the state median of $72,509. It is also 11% higher than the national median of $80,734. The ACS records no residents below the poverty line in West Glacier. In a community this small the estimate rests on very few survey responses, so it should be read as an absence of measurement rather than a measured absence of poverty. The unemployment rate is 1.9%. This is 46% lower than the state rate of 3.6%. The median home value is $497,600. Housing costs are 32% higher than the state median of $375,800. The home-value-to-income ratio is 5.5x. 72.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 4% higher than the state average of 69.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

West Glacier has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 91.6% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 2.3%.

Education

56.4% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places West Glacier in the top 10% of all cities in the state for educational attainment. This is 60% higher 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 96.7%. Notably, 25.3% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for West Glacier, 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.