Population & age
- Total population
- 732
- Median age
- 57.1
Heron, MT (59844)
Sanders County · Population 732
Fresh.Data current as of Apr 24, 2026
Heron, MT (ZIP 59844) sits in Sanders County. The page draws on 1 federal data feed retrieved Apr 24. Top health signal: High Blood Pressure comes in above the national average at 41.7%. No NCES schools are mapped to this ZIP in the current dataset. 2 colleges and universities serve the area, with median in-state tuition of $6,432. IRS data shows average household income (AGI) of $65,281, well above the ~$45K national average per return. BLS QCEW reports average annual pay of $45,909 per worker, roughly 30% below the US average. The most recent FEMA disaster declaration here was straight-line winds-related (SEVERE WINTER STORM AND STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, 2026). Median daily AQI is just 21 per EPA AQS (2024), comfortably inside the Good range, with PM10 as the primary pollutant on most measured days. County Health Rankings reports 12,207 years of potential life lost per 100,000 (2025) — well above the national county median. 31.1% of residents in this county are flagged low-access by USDA's 2025 Food Environment Atlas — a notable supermarket-access gap. Montana levies a flat state income tax (top rate 5.90%); a household at the local median AGI of $65,281 would pay roughly $2,311/year before deductions. IRS migration data (2022-2023) shows a net gain of 479 residents (168 households) — the ZIP's primary county is growing. Healthcare access is the area's quieter strength; school options sit on the lighter side, so families may find themselves looking at districts a few ZIPs over. Notable: median household income $49,338, fair market rent of $1,670 for a two-bedroom, and a typical home value of $548,064, up 2.3% over the past year. Every figure on this page links to its underlying federal dataset with a retrieval date so you can audit the freshness yourself.
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Demographics
Race & ethnicity
- White
- 96.4%
- Black
- 0.0%
- Asian
- 0.0%
- Hispanic / Latino
- 2.0%
- Other / multi-racial
- 3.6%
Income & housing
- Median household income
- $49,338
- Median home value
- $387,900
Education
- Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+)
- 26.6%
Employment
- Unemployment rate
- 2.7%
Housing
- Owner-occupied
- 202(78.0%)
- Renter-occupied
- 57(22.0%)
- Vacant units
- 109
- Built (median)
- 1987
Commute
- Public transit
- 0(0.0%)
- Work from home
- 40(18.8%)
- Avg commute
- 22.6 min
Economic wellbeing
- Below poverty line
- 232(33.2%)
- Uninsured
- 10(1.4%)
Digital access
- Broadband access
- 243(93.8%)
- No broadband
- 16(6.2%)
Language & nativity
- Foreign-born
- 0(0.0%)
- Non-English at home
- 33(4.9%)
Fair Market Rent
Fresh.HUD SAFMR · May 1, 2026Studio
$1,150
/month
1 Bed
$1,320
/month
2 Bed
$1,670
/month
3 Bed
$2,000
/month
4 Bed
$2,700
/month
HUD Fair Market Rents represent the 40th percentile of standard-quality rental housing in this area. FY2026 data.
Home values
Typical home value
$548,064
Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) · as of March 2026
Year-over-year change
+2.3%
vs. March 2025
5-year change
+42.1%
vs. March 2021
Source: Zillow Research, ZHVI All Homes (SFR, Condo/Co-op) Time Series (zillow.com/research/data). Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) is copyrighted by Zillow, Inc.
Income & tax statistics
Tax returns filed
310
Average AGI
$65,281
Avg property tax
—
EITC participation
12.9%
Income distribution
- $1 – $25,00029.0% · 90
- $25,000 – $50,00025.8% · 80
- $50,000 – $75,00022.6% · 70
- $75,000 – $100,0000.0% · 0
- $100,000 – $200,00022.6% · 70
- $200,000 or more0.0% · 0
Avg mortgage interest
—
Avg charitable contribution
—
Avg capital gains
$3,139
Avg total income tax
—
Source: IRS Statistics of Income — Individual Income Tax Statistics by ZIP Code (irs.gov). Public domain. Dollar columns reported in thousands by the IRS; figures here display real dollars. Total ZCTA AGI for the area was $20.2M across all reported brackets.
Business & employment
Business establishments
19
Total employment
116
Annual payroll
$5.1M
Average annual pay
$44,310
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Business Patterns (census.gov). Public domain. ZBP covers establishments with paid employees; Census suppresses employment and payroll values when fewer employers operate in a ZIP than would protect their confidentiality.
Employment & wages
Average annual pay
$45,909
Average weekly wage
$883
Total employment
3,306
Total establishments
574
That is roughly 30% below the US national average of $65,470 per worker.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (bls.gov/cew). Public domain. QCEW is derived from state unemployment-insurance filings and covers ~95% of US jobs. Figures are county-level totals assigned to ZIPs whose primary county matches; small-employer cells are suppressed by BLS to protect employer confidentiality.
Unemployment
Unemployment rate
5.7%
That is 1.7 percentage points above the US national unemployment rate of about 4.0%.
Labor force
4,964
Employed
4,683
Unemployed
281
Based on Sanders County, MT data (2024).
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (bls.gov/lau). Public domain. LAUS publishes monthly and annual labor-force estimates for every US county. Figures are county-level totals assigned to ZIPs whose primary county matches.
Federal Disaster Declarations
Federally Declared Disasters
16
Date Range
1974–2026
Most Recent Declaration
SEVERE WINTER STORM AND STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS
Straight-Line Winds — declared April 7, 2026 (DR-4902)
Incident period: December 17, 2025 – December 18, 2025
Top Incident Types
- Fire6 (38%)
- Flood4 (25%)
- Biological2 (13%)
- Severe Storm2 (13%)
- Straight-Line Winds1 (6%)
- Other1 (6%)
Individual Assistance
2
Direct help to disaster survivors
Households Program
1
Housing & temporary lodging support
Public Assistance
15
Repair of public facilities & roads
Hazard Mitigation
5
Funding to reduce future disaster risk
FEMA declares disasters at the county level; counts here include every federally declared disaster touching any county that overlaps this ZIP. Statewide declarations and pre-1964 records without county granularity are excluded. Program flags reflect which FEMA assistance categories were activated (Individual Assistance, Households, Public Assistance, Hazard Mitigation). Source: fema.gov/openfema. Public domain.
Climate
30-year averages (1991-2020) from the nearest GHCN-D weather station. Temperature and precipitation values reflect typical annual conditions, not any single year.
Avg. temperature
45.1°F
34° – 56.2°
Annual precipitation
34.2"
Annual snowfall
84.3"
Heating · cooling days
7,364 · 130.4
Annual base 65°F
Nearest station: HERON 2 NW, MT US, 6.2 miles from the centroid of Heron, MT (ZIP 59844)
Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals (ncei.noaa.gov). Public domain.
Air quality
Median daily AQI
21
GoodGood 339dModerate 25d
Peak AQI (2024)
69
Moderate
Primary pollutant
PM10
252 days as main pollutant
Days measured
364
Based on Sanders County data (2024).
Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Air Quality System (epa.gov). Public domain. Only counties with EPA AQS monitoring stations appear here (~30% of US counties); rural ZIPs whose primary county has no monitor will not show this section.
Community health profile
Years of potential life lost (per 100K)
12,207
That is roughly 4,007 years per 100,000 above the national county median (~8,200).
Premature death is the headline composite outcome CHR reports — age-adjusted, all-cause, before age 75.
Fair or poor health
17%
of adults self-report
Poor physical health days
4.9
avg per adult per month
Poor mental health days
6.1
avg per adult per month
Uninsured
16.5%
of residents under 65
Primary care MDs
77
per 100,000 residents
Preventable hospital stays
1,336
per 100K Medicare enrollees
Food environment (0-10)
6.9
10 = best access & security
Exercise access
78%
residents near a facility
Flu vaccinated
20%
of Medicare enrollees
Low birth weight (under 2,500 g) accounts for 6.3% of live births in this county — an early-life health input that downstream outcomes track against.
Based on Sanders data (2025 CHR release).
Source: County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute (countyhealthrankings.org). Annual release. Underlying source datasets vary by measure (CDC BRFSS, NCHS Vital Statistics, AHA, USDA Food Environment Atlas, and others). Figures are county-level and assigned to every ZIP whose primary county matches.
Food access
Food access status
Significant food access concerns
31.1% of Sanders County, MT residents live more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket.
Grocery stores
0.66
per 1,000 residents
Supercenters & clubs
—
per 1,000 residents
SNAP-authorized stores
1.35
accepting food benefits
Fast-food restaurants
0.25
per 1,000 residents
Among low-income residents, 13.0% are low-access — those without a supermarket within 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural).
Per-1,000 figures show how many of each store type exist in Sanders County, MT for every 1,000 residents. Higher grocery and supercenter density usually means easier access to fresh food; higher convenience-store-only density (with low grocery rate) often signals a food swamp.
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Environment Atlas (ers.usda.gov). County-level metrics fanned to ZIP via the primary county in the Census ZCTA-county relationship file. Variable years differ per family (stores ~2020, low-access ~2019).
Safety
FBI publishes crime data at the county level. Numbers below cover the primary county that contains this ZIP. Rates are per 100,000 residents in the area covered by reporting agencies.
Violent crime rate
—
per 100K residents · 21 reports
Property crime rate
—
per 100K residents · 29 reports
Homicide
0
Robbery
0
Burglary
7
Vehicle theft
5
County-level data for Sanders (2024)
Source: U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, Uniform Crime Reporting Program (cde.ucr.cjis.gov). Public domain. Coverage varies by reporting agency; areas with partial agency coverage may understate true crime totals.
Who’s moving in and out
Net migration (2022-2023)
▲+479 people
+168 households • +$26.7M net AGI flow
Moved in
703households
1,339 people • $54.0M AGI
Moved out
535households
860 people • $27.3M AGI
Where new residents came from
- Missoula County, MT — 26 households
- Flathead County, MT — 25 households
- Lake County, MT — 22 households
Where departing residents went
- Flathead County, MT — 27 households
- Missoula County, MT — 22 households
- Lake County, MT — 21 households
Incoming households reported an average AGI of $76,872 versus departing households' $51,101.
Source: U.S. Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income, Migration Data (irs.gov). Public domain. Migration is measured by year-over-year changes in the address on individual tax returns; figures are county-level totals attributed to ZIPs whose primary county matches. Foreign migration contributes to inflow/outflow totals but does not appear in the top-county lists. Small flows are suppressed by IRS to protect taxpayer confidentiality.
Taxes & benefits in Montana
State-level rules that apply to every resident of ZIP 59844. Numbers reflect the most recent published year per source.
Tax rates
Income tax
5.90%
flat · 1 brackets
Sales tax (combined)
0.00%
State 0.00% · avg local 0.00%
Property tax (effective)
0.84%
Median $2,669/year
Tax burden rank
27 of 50
10.20% of personal income
For ZIP 59844: At this ZIP's median AGI of $65,281, the estimated state income tax (before deductions) runs about $2,311 per year. Applied to this ZIP's typical home value of $548,064, that works out to roughly $4,606/year in property tax.
Paid family leave
Program
No program
No program
Safety net
SNAP eligibility
200% FPL
Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility (raises gross income limit above federal 130% floor). No asset test.
Sources: Tax Foundation (state tax rates & brackets), Bipartisan Policy Center (paid family leave), USDA FNS (SNAP categorical eligibility).
Other ZIPs near 59844
Nearby ZIPs by distance
59853 (Noxon, 7.4 mi) · 83811 (Clark Fork, 12.7 mi) · 83803 (20.1 mi) · 83836 (Hope, 20.5 mi) · 59874 (Trout Creek, 20.6 mi) · 83874 (25.5 mi)
Compare ZIP-level stats — population, schools, housing, climate — across nearby areas. Source: U.S. Census Bureau ZCTA basemap.
Data sources used on this page
All data on this page is sourced from federal government datasets · Not AI-generated · Methodology
Health profile
Crude prevalence estimates from CDC PLACES, derived from BRFSS small-area modeling. Population-level figures only.
Obesity
35.4%
2.4pp above the 33.0% national rate.
High Blood Pressure
41.7%
9.7pp above the 32.0% national rate.
Depression
23.5%
Tracks close to the 22.0% national rate.
Annual Checkup
74.3%
Tracks close to the 76.0% national rate.
Health Insurance
10.6%
2.4pp below the 13.0% national rate.
Diabetes
14.4%
3.4pp above the 11.0% national rate.
Colleges & universities nearby
Colleges in this area
2
Median in-state tuition
$6,432
Median earnings (10 yr)
$38,618
- 4-Year
The University of Montana
Missoula, MT · 59812
- In-state tuition
- $8,552
- Out-of-state tuition
- $33,671
- Acceptance rate
- 95.9%
- Graduation rate
- 46.6%
- Median earnings (10 yr)
- $44,511
- Median student debt
- $22,400
- 4-Year
Salish Kootenai College
Pablo, MT · 59855
- In-state tuition
- $4,311
- Out-of-state tuition
- $11,583
- Acceptance rate
- —
- Graduation rate
- 32.0%
- Median earnings (10 yr)
- $32,725
- Median student debt
- $12,923
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (collegescorecard.ed.gov). Public domain data. Earnings figures reflect median earnings 10 years after entry for federally-aided students.
What these numbers say together
Heron, MT (ZIP 59844) sits in Sanders County. The page draws on 1 federal data feed retrieved Apr 24. Top health signal: High Blood Pressure comes in above the national average at 41.7%. No NCES schools are mapped to this ZIP in the current dataset. 2 colleges and universities serve the area, with median in-state tuition of $6,432. IRS data shows average household income (AGI) of $65,281, well above the ~$45K national average per return. BLS QCEW reports average annual pay of $45,909 per worker, roughly 30% below the US average. The most recent FEMA disaster declaration here was straight-line winds-related (SEVERE WINTER STORM AND STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, 2026). Median daily AQI is just 21 per EPA AQS (2024), comfortably inside the Good range, with PM10 as the primary pollutant on most measured days. County Health Rankings reports 12,207 years of potential life lost per 100,000 (2025) — well above the national county median. 31.1% of residents in this county are flagged low-access by USDA's 2025 Food Environment Atlas — a notable supermarket-access gap. Montana levies a flat state income tax (top rate 5.90%); a household at the local median AGI of $65,281 would pay roughly $2,311/year before deductions. IRS migration data (2022-2023) shows a net gain of 479 residents (168 households) — the ZIP's primary county is growing. Healthcare access is the area's quieter strength; school options sit on the lighter side, so families may find themselves looking at districts a few ZIPs over. Notable: median household income $49,338, fair market rent of $1,670 for a two-bedroom, and a typical home value of $548,064, up 2.3% over the past year. Every figure on this page links to its underlying federal dataset with a retrieval date so you can audit the freshness yourself.
The two domains pull in different directions. Healthcare access reads strong, but the on-paper school count is on the lighter side — that’s less a quality signal and more a density one. Households here often look at districts a few ZIPs over for school choice while keeping their providers local.
One concrete reading worth keeping: Depression prevalence sits near the national rate at 23.5%. Each figure on this page links to the original federal dataset with its retrieval date — this synthesis is a reading, not a substitute for the underlying records.
Frequently Asked Questions — ZIP 59844
What is the obesity rate in ZIP 59844?
35.4%, which is 2.4 percentage points above the national average of 33.0% (CDC PLACES, retrieved Apr 24, 2026).
What is the depression rate in ZIP 59844?
23.5%, which is 1.5 percentage points above the national average of 22.0% (CDC PLACES, retrieved Apr 24, 2026).
What is the high blood pressure rate in ZIP 59844?
41.7%, which is 9.7 percentage points above the national average of 32.0% (CDC PLACES, retrieved Apr 24, 2026).
What is the population of ZIP 59844?
732 people live in ZIP 59844, with a median age of 57.1 (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
What is the median household income in ZIP 59844?
$49,338 per year (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
Is ZIP 59844 mostly renters or homeowners?
In ZIP 59844, 78.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 22.0% are renter-occupied (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
How do people commute in ZIP 59844?
In ZIP 59844, 18.8% of workers work from home. Public transit is used by 0.0% of commuters (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
What is the poverty rate in ZIP 59844?
33.2% of the population in ZIP 59844 lives below the federal poverty line (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
What percentage of households in ZIP 59844 have broadband internet?
93.8% of households in ZIP 59844 have broadband internet access (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
What is the typical home value in ZIP 59844?
The typical home value in ZIP 59844 is $548,064, up 2.3% from a year ago (Zillow Home Value Index, retrieved May 1, 2026).
Are home values rising or falling in ZIP 59844?
Home values are up 2.3% over the past year and up 42.1% over the past five years (Zillow Home Value Index, retrieved May 1, 2026).
What is the average household income in ZIP 59844?
The average Adjusted Gross Income reported on tax returns from ZIP 59844 (Heron, MT) is $65,281 per return (IRS SOI Tax Year 2022, retrieved May 2, 2026).
How much do homeowners pay in property tax in ZIP 59844?
Tax returns from ZIP 59844 report an average of $0 per return in real-estate tax deductions (IRS SOI Tax Year 2022, retrieved May 2, 2026).
What percentage of residents in ZIP 59844 earn over $200,000?
0.0% of tax returns from ZIP 59844 (Heron, MT) report Adjusted Gross Income of $200,000 or more (IRS SOI Tax Year 2022, retrieved May 2, 2026).
How many businesses are in ZIP 59844?
As of 2022, 19 business establishments operated in ZIP 59844 employing 116 workers (Census ZIP Business Patterns, retrieved May 3, 2026).
What is the average salary in ZIP 59844?
The average annual pay across all local establishments in ZIP 59844 is $44,310, based on Census ZIP Business Patterns 2022 data (retrieved May 3, 2026).
How vulnerable is ZIP 59844 to disasters and public health emergencies?
According to the CDC Social Vulnerability Index (2022), ZIP 59844 ranks in the 73th percentile nationally for social vulnerability — a high vulnerability profile (retrieved May 3, 2026).
What is the biggest vulnerability factor in ZIP 59844?
Socioeconomic Status is the highest-scoring CDC SVI theme for ZIP 59844, ranking in the 83th percentile nationally (CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022, retrieved May 3, 2026).
How many federally declared disasters has ZIP 59844 experienced?
FEMA has recorded 16 federal disaster declarations affecting ZIP 59844 between 1974–2026 (FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations, retrieved May 3, 2026).
What kinds of disasters most often hit ZIP 59844?
Fire is the most common federally declared disaster type affecting ZIP 59844, accounting for 6 of 16 declarations (38%, FEMA OpenFEMA, retrieved May 3, 2026).
What was the most recent disaster declared for ZIP 59844?
The most recent FEMA disaster declaration affecting ZIP 59844 was "SEVERE WINTER STORM AND STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS" — a straight-line winds declared in 2026 (DR-4902) (FEMA OpenFEMA, retrieved May 3, 2026).
What colleges are near ZIP 59844?
2 colleges and universities are listed near ZIP 59844 by the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, including The University Of Montana and Salish Kootenai College (retrieved May 2, 2026).
What is the average tuition at colleges near ZIP 59844?
Median in-state tuition across 2 nearby institutions is $6,432 (College Scorecard, retrieved May 2, 2026).
What do graduates earn from colleges near ZIP 59844?
Graduates of nearby colleges earn a median of $38,618 ten years after entry (College Scorecard, retrieved May 2, 2026).
What is the climate like in ZIP 59844?
ZIP 59844 has an average annual temperature of 45.1°F and 34.2" of annual precipitation based on the HERON 2 NW, MT US weather station 6.2 miles from the ZIP centroid (NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals, retrieved May 8, 2026).
What taxes apply in ZIP 59844?
Montana has a flat income tax with a top rate of 5.90%. Households at the local median AGI of $65,281 would pay roughly $2,311 in state income tax annually (estimated, before deductions). Combined sales tax: 0.00% (Tax Foundation 2025).
Does Montana have paid family leave?
Montana has no state paid family leave program (Bipartisan Policy Center 2026).
What data is available for ZIP 59844?
This page covers health outcomes from CDC PLACES (40 metrics), demographics from the Census ACS 5-Year (2022), home values from the Zillow Home Value Index, colleges from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2 institutions), income & tax statistics from the IRS SOI (Tax Year 2022), local business & employment from Census ZIP Business Patterns (2022), social vulnerability scores from the CDC/ATSDR SVI (2022), federal disaster declarations from FEMA OpenFEMA (16 on record), climate normals from NOAA NCEI (1991-2020), county-level crime data from the FBI Crime Data Explorer (2024), and state-level tax rates from the Tax Foundation. Data is refreshed on Mubboo's standard schedule.
How current is this data?
Health data retrieved Apr 24, 2026 from CDC PLACES. Demographics retrieved Apr 30, 2026 from Census ACS 5-Year (2022). Home values retrieved May 1, 2026 from Zillow Research. College data retrieved May 2, 2026 from U.S. Dept of Education College Scorecard. Income & tax statistics retrieved May 2, 2026 from IRS SOI (Tax Year 2022). Business & employment retrieved May 3, 2026 from Census ZBP (2022). Social vulnerability scores retrieved May 3, 2026 from CDC/ATSDR SVI (2022). Federal disaster declarations retrieved May 3, 2026 from FEMA OpenFEMA (16 on record). Climate normals retrieved May 8, 2026 from NOAA NCEI (1991-2020). County-level crime data retrieved May 4, 2026 from the FBI Crime Data Explorer (2024). State-level tax rates retrieved 2026-05-05 15:58:22.284+00 from the Tax Foundation.
Other ZIPs near 59844
Nearby ZIPs by distance
59853 (Noxon, 7.4 mi) · 83811 (Clark Fork, 12.7 mi) · 83803 (20.1 mi) · 83836 (Hope, 20.5 mi) · 59874 (Trout Creek, 20.6 mi) · 83874 (25.5 mi)
Compare ZIP-level stats — population, schools, housing, climate — across nearby areas. Source: U.S. Census Bureau ZCTA basemap.
More Info topics
Have a specific question about ZIP 59844?
Ask Mubboo — launching Q4 2026.
Data refreshed via Mubboo's ETL pipeline; oldest source on this page retrieved Apr 24, 2026.
Social Vulnerability Index
Overall SVI
73rd percentile
High Vulnerability
Based on 1 census tract, population 342
Vulnerability Themes
Households Without Vehicle
4
Limited English Speakers
1
Persons with Disability
70
Without HS Diploma
27
Without Health Insurance
58
Adults Age 65+
117
The Social Vulnerability Index uses U.S. Census data to identify communities most at risk during public health emergencies and natural disasters. Higher percentiles indicate greater vulnerability. Tract-level scores are aggregated to this ZCTA via Census 2020 ZCTA→Tract crosswalk, weighted by land-area share. Source: atsdr.cdc.gov. Public domain.