59521 ZIP Code — Box Elder, MT

Hill County, Montana

ZIP code 59521 is located in Box Elder, Montana, within Hill County. It covers approximately 283.64 square miles and serves a population of 3,662 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Mountain (MT) timezone, served by area code 406.

About ZIP code 59521

The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the 1990s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $92,800. Owner-occupancy sits near the national average at 46%.

Median household income is $42,617. Poverty affects 33% of residents, above the national average. SNAP benefit usage at 37% of households reflects economic stress in the area. 40% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with education and healthcare as the leading industry. The average commute of 18 minutes is near the national average.

College attainment at 15% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.

Health indicators show elevated rates of smoking (33%) compared to national benchmarks.

Overall, ZIP code 59521 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce, economic challenges above the national average, a significant Social Security-dependent population, and elevated reliance on food assistance.

3,662

population

283.64

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Mountain (MT)

timezone

59521 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 59521

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 59521. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Box Elder	Acceptable
Box Elder	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

59501 Havre (19.4 mi)

Demographics updated 06/2026

Population
Total population	3,662
Population density	13 / sq mi
State FIPS	30
County FIPS	041

Geography
Land area	283.64 sq mi
Water area	0.30 sq mi
Latitude	48.3011
Longitude	-109.8619
Timezone	Mountain (MT)
Area code	406

Total population by age

Gender

Race & ethnicity

Economics updated 06/2026

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	74.2%	51.0%	44.2%
$50k – $100k	17.5%	32.0%	32.0%
$100k – $200k	7.8%	15.5%	19.2%
Over $200k	0.5%	1.5%	4.7%

Demographics & statistics

3,662

Population

People per sq mi

30.1

Median age

$42,617

Median household income

$15,195

Per capita income

$92,800

Median home value

$330

Median monthly rent

46.3%

Home ownership

33.1%

Poverty rate

10.4%

Unemployment

610

Housing units

15.1%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

183

Under 5

153

193

5–9

162

173

10–14

145

184

15–19

154

193

20–24

162

195

25–34

164

250

35–44

210

235

45–54

197

137

55–59

115

60–64

143

65–74

120

75–84

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	1,201	32.8%
18 and over	2,461	67.2%
65 and over	361	9.9%
Median age	30.1 years

Race & ethnicity

American Indian / Alaska Native 91.8%

White 3.9%

Two or more races 3.8%

Hispanic or Latino 0.4%

Asian 0.1%

Group	Count	%
American Indian / Alaska Native	3,375	91.8%
White	145	3.9%
Two or more races	140	3.8%
Hispanic or Latino	14	0.4%
Asian	2	0.1%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	74.2%	51.0%	44.2%
$50k – $100k	17.5%	32.0%	32.0%
$100k – $200k	7.8%	15.5%	19.2%
Over $200k	0.5%	1.5%	4.7%

Under $10k 9.2%

$10k–$15k 12.0%

$15k–$25k 10.6%

$25k–$35k 9.9%

$35k–$50k 20.9%

$50k–$75k 19.4%

$75k–$100k 5.6%

$100k–$150k 8.2%

$150k–$200k 4.3%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	9.2%
$10k–$15k	12.0%
$15k–$25k	10.6%
$25k–$35k	9.9%
$35k–$50k	20.9%
$50k–$75k	19.4%
$75k–$100k	5.6%
$100k–$150k	8.2%
$150k–$200k	4.3%
Median income	$42,617

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 27.5%

$50k–$100k 25.2%

$100k–$150k 16.0%

$150k–$200k 21.0%

$200k–$300k 8.2%

$300k–$500k 0.6%

$1M+ 1.5%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$92,800
Median rent / month	$330
Owner occupied	46.3%
Renter occupied	53.7%
Vacant	11.5%
Single-family detached	92.9%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	5.2%
Median rooms	5.7
Avg household size (owned)	3.66

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	0.4%
2000–2009	9.7%
1990–1999	25.6%
1980–1989	23.3%
1970–1979	21.1%
1960–1969	9.3%
1950–1959	4.8%
1940–1949	1.6%
1939 or earlier	4.2%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	0.2%
1 bedroom	5.5%
2 bedrooms	15.2%
3 bedrooms	57.7%
4 bedrooms	19.2%
5+ bedrooms	2.2%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	17.5%
1 vehicle	33.2%
2 vehicles	23.2%
3 or more	26.1%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	1.4%
Electricity	6.0%
Propane / LP gas	75.3%
Wood	12.8%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	324	31.5%
Cohabiting couple	78	7.6%
Male householder, no spouse	294	28.6%
Female householder, no spouse	331	32.2%
Households with children under 18	593	57.7%
Households with seniors (65+)	302	29.4%
Average household size	3.56

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	57.3%	48.0%
Married	26.7%	31.9%
Separated	3.4%	0.3%
Widowed	2.8%	12.1%
Divorced	9.7%	7.7%

Education

Less than 9th grade 2.2%

Some HS, no diploma 15.1%

HS graduate 34.9%

Some college, no degree 18.4%

Associate's degree 14.2%

Bachelor's degree 12.6%

Graduate / professional 2.5%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	82.7%
Bachelor's or higher	15.1%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	63	5.7%
Kindergarten	107	9.6%
Elementary school	494	44.4%
High school	310	27.9%
College / grad school	138	12.4%

Employment

Industry of employment

Education & healthcare 25.4%

Public administration 25.1%

Arts, food & hospitality 10.2%

Professional & management 9.4%

Finance & real estate 8.9%

Retail trade 8.7%

Agriculture & mining 3.6%

Construction 3.5%

Other services 2.3%

Transportation & utilities 2.0%

Manufacturing 0.9%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	32.9%
Service	23.2%
Sales & office	20.8%
Natural resources & construction	13.0%
Production & transportation	10.1%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	29.9%
Government	64.2%
Self-employed	3.6%
Unpaid family workers	2.4%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	57.0%
Carpool	28.0%
Public transit	0.1%
Walk	3.8%
Work from home	9.2%
Other means	1.8%
Avg commute (minutes)	17.5

Poverty

All people 33.1%

Under 18 years 36.0%

18 and over 31.8%

Married-couple families 22.5%

Female-led households 41.9%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	39.9%
Retirement income	12.6%
Supplemental Security	10.7%
Cash public assistance	14.3%
Food stamps / SNAP	37.2%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	43.5%
High blood pressure	31.0%
High cholesterol	24.2%
Diabetes	14.5%
Heart disease	7.2%
Stroke	4.7%
Asthma	14.3%
Arthritis	24.2%
Kidney disease	3.7%
Pulmonary disease	9.3%
Cancer	4.5%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	33.2%
Binge drinking	22.1%
No physical activity	30.7%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	39.2%
Depression	26.6%
Fair or poor health	24.1%
Poor mental health	20.7%
Poor physical health	16.6%
No health insurance	16.9%
Visited doctor (checkup)	70.6%
Visited dentist	48.1%
Cholesterol screening	80.9%
Teeth loss	31.1%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	94	3.8%

Disability	%
Any disability	11.4%
Under 18	1.4%
18–64 years	16.3%
65 and over	16.1%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	13.7%
Public insurance	78.1%
No insurance	10.0%
Uninsured under 19	3.2%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	3,326	90.8%
Spanish	31	0.9%
Other Indo-European	0	0.0%
Asian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	3,658	99.9%
Born in same state	3,611	98.6%
Born in different state	3,128	85.4%
Foreign born	47	1.3%
Naturalized citizen	4	0.1%
Not a US citizen	4	100.0%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
Italian	41	1.1%
French	33	0.9%

Ancestry	Count	%
Arab	7	0.2%
Polish	2	0.1%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	28.0%
Internet access	81.1%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 59521

What city is ZIP code 59521 in?

ZIP code 59521 is primarily assigned to Box Elder, Montana.

What county is ZIP code 59521 in?

ZIP code 59521 falls within Hill County, Montana.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 59521?

33% of residents in ZIP code 59521 live below the poverty line, above the national average.

Is ZIP code 59521 family-oriented?

33% of residents in ZIP code 59521 are under 18, reflecting a younger, family-oriented community.

Does ZIP code 59521 have a large retiree population?

40% of households in ZIP code 59521 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

What is the typical home value in ZIP code 59521?

The median home value in ZIP code 59521 is $92,800.

What timezone is ZIP code 59521 in?

ZIP code 59521 observes the MST timezone.