59538 ZIP Code — Malta, MT

Phillips County, Montana

ZIP code 59538 is located in Malta, Montana, within Phillips County. It covers approximately 2,491.76 square miles and serves a population of 3,102 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Mountain (MT) timezone, served by area code 406.

About ZIP code 59538

The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the pre-1940, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $179,400. Owner-occupancy is high at 80%, well above the national average.

Median household income is $65,670. The poverty rate of 3% is below the national average. 37% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with agriculture and mining as the leading industry. The average commute of 13 minutes is near the national average.

Educational attainment is near the national average, with 22% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.

Overall, ZIP code 59538 reflects a community defined by high homeownership and a significant Social Security-dependent population.

3,102

population

2,491.76

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Mountain (MT)

timezone

59538 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 59538

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 59538. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Malta	Acceptable
Malta	Preferred

Demographics updated 06/2026

Population
Total population	3,102
Population density	1,551 / sq mi
State FIPS	30
County FIPS	071

Geography
Land area	2,491.76 sq mi
Water area	54.10 sq mi
Latitude	48.3152
Longitude	-107.8096
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	53.5%	53.6%	44.2%
$50k – $100k	35.8%	33.1%	32.0%
$100k – $200k	8.6%	10.7%	19.2%
Over $200k	2.1%	2.5%	4.7%

Demographics & statistics

3,102

Population

1,551

People per sq mi

42.9

Median age

$65,670

Median household income

$33,837

Per capita income

$179,400

Median home value

$550

Median monthly rent

79.9%

Home ownership

3.4%

Poverty rate

3.2%

Unemployment

1,206

Housing units

22.1%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

139

5–9

118

129

10–14

109

117

15–19

20–24

139

25–34

118

254

35–44

216

157

45–54

134

149

55–59

126

149

60–64

127

195

65–74

166

103

75–84

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	803	25.9%
18 and over	2,299	74.1%
65 and over	574	18.5%
Median age	42.9 years

Race & ethnicity

White 82.9%

Two or more races 11.1%

American Indian / Alaska Native 2.7%

Hispanic or Latino 2.1%

Other race 1.3%

Group	Count	%
White	2,626	82.9%
Two or more races	351	11.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native	84	2.7%
Hispanic or Latino	67	2.1%
Other race	41	1.3%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	53.5%	53.6%	44.2%
$50k – $100k	35.8%	33.1%	32.0%
$100k – $200k	8.6%	10.7%	19.2%
Over $200k	2.1%	2.5%	4.7%

Under $10k 2.6%

$10k–$15k 3.7%

$15k–$25k 8.3%

$25k–$35k 7.0%

$35k–$50k 16.1%

$50k–$75k 21.3%

$75k–$100k 13.0%

$100k–$150k 18.7%

$150k–$200k 5.6%

$200k+ 3.6%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	2.6%
$10k–$15k	3.7%
$15k–$25k	8.3%
$25k–$35k	7.0%
$35k–$50k	16.1%
$50k–$75k	21.3%
$75k–$100k	13.0%
$100k–$150k	18.7%
$150k–$200k	5.6%
$200k+	3.6%
Median income	$65,670

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 7.4%

$50k–$100k 19.0%

$100k–$150k 12.6%

$150k–$200k 19.2%

$200k–$300k 31.6%

$300k–$500k 6.3%

$500k–$1M 3.9%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$179,400
Median rent / month	$550
Owner occupied	79.9%
Renter occupied	20.1%
Vacant	15.6%
Single-family detached	76.5%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	13.9%
Median rooms	5.6
Avg household size (owned)	2.58

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	6.8%
2000–2009	4.1%
1990–1999	17.2%
1980–1989	6.1%
1970–1979	13.2%
1960–1969	9.5%
1950–1959	9.8%
1940–1949	10.7%
1939 or earlier	22.6%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	2.5%
1 bedroom	9.3%
2 bedrooms	27.0%
3 bedrooms	34.9%
4 bedrooms	16.9%
5+ bedrooms	9.4%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	1.5%
1 vehicle	29.1%
2 vehicles	26.0%
3 or more	43.4%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	67.3%
Electricity	14.6%
Propane / LP gas	17.9%
Fuel oil	0.2%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	718	58.5%
Cohabiting couple	17	1.4%
Male householder, no spouse	231	18.8%
Female householder, no spouse	261	21.3%
Households with children under 18	379	30.9%
Households with seniors (65+)	406	33.1%
Average household size	2.46

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	34.7%	11.5%
Married	54.9%	66.3%
Separated	1.0%	0.0%
Widowed	2.4%	17.9%
Divorced	6.9%	4.3%

Education

Less than 9th grade 0.2%

Some HS, no diploma 6.0%

HS graduate 33.6%

Some college, no degree 32.4%

Associate's degree 5.7%

Bachelor's degree 17.6%

Graduate / professional 4.4%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	93.8%
Bachelor's or higher	22.1%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	57	8.1%
Kindergarten	45	6.4%
Elementary school	411	58.4%
High school	148	21.0%
College / grad school	43	6.1%

Employment

Industry of employment

Agriculture & mining 20.8%

Education & healthcare 15.4%

Public administration 11.5%

Retail trade 10.4%

Professional & management 10.0%

Transportation & utilities 9.1%

Arts, food & hospitality 8.8%

Construction 6.2%

Other services 4.0%

Finance & real estate 3.8%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	29.3%
Service	22.6%
Sales & office	18.6%
Natural resources & construction	18.7%
Production & transportation	10.8%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	70.5%
Government	22.7%
Self-employed	6.8%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	68.2%
Carpool	13.9%
Public transit	0.1%
Walk	9.5%
Work from home	7.2%
Other means	1.2%
Avg commute (minutes)	12.5

Poverty

All people 3.4%

Under 18 years 0.0%

18 and over 4.7%

Married-couple families 0.0%

Female-led households 0.0%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	36.9%
Retirement income	19.3%
Supplemental Security	1.9%
Cash public assistance	3.4%
Food stamps / SNAP	6.2%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	30.6%
High blood pressure	34.7%
High cholesterol	32.5%
Diabetes	11.5%
Heart disease	8.3%
Stroke	4.0%
Asthma	10.5%
Arthritis	30.8%
Kidney disease	3.6%
Pulmonary disease	8.5%
Cancer	8.4%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	19.2%
Binge drinking	18.1%
No physical activity	26.1%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	32.2%
Depression	22.4%
Fair or poor health	15.7%
Poor mental health	13.4%
Poor physical health	12.6%
No health insurance	12.7%
Visited doctor (checkup)	70.7%
Visited dentist	59.6%
Cholesterol screening	89.4%
Teeth loss	15.6%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	175	7.6%

Disability	%
Any disability	11.6%
Under 18	1.7%
18–64 years	12.0%
65 and over	25.4%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	66.3%
Public insurance	37.6%
No insurance	8.4%
Uninsured under 19	0.0%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	2,942	94.8%
Spanish	0	0.0%
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)	3,032	97.7%
Born in same state	3,032	97.7%
Born in different state	2,343	75.5%
Foreign born	0	0.0%
Naturalized citizen	70	2.3%
Not a US citizen	10	14.3%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
Polish	675	21.8%
Arab	423	13.6%
Italian	305	9.8%

Ancestry	Count	%
French	193	6.2%
English	49	1.6%
Dutch	38	1.2%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	39.6%
Internet access	89.1%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 59538

What city is ZIP code 59538 in?

ZIP code 59538 is primarily assigned to Malta, Montana.

What county is ZIP code 59538 in?

ZIP code 59538 falls within Phillips County, Montana.

Does ZIP code 59538 have a large retiree population?

37% of households in ZIP code 59538 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

What is the typical home value in ZIP code 59538?

The median home value in ZIP code 59538 is $179,400.

What is the population of ZIP code 59538?

ZIP code 59538 has an estimated population of 3,102 residents, with a density of 1 people per square mile.

What is the median household income in ZIP code 59538?

The median household income in ZIP code 59538 is $65,670, below the national median of ~$75,000.

What timezone is ZIP code 59538 in?

ZIP code 59538 observes the MST timezone.