59859 ZIP Code — Plains, MT

Sanders County, Montana

ZIP code 59859 is located in Plains, Montana, within Sanders County. It covers approximately 710.80 square miles and serves a population of 4,115 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Mountain (MT) timezone, served by area code 406.

About ZIP code 59859

The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the 2000s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $338,900. Owner-occupancy is high at 76%, well above the national average.

The gap between median ($47,097) and mean household income suggests income inequality — a small number of higher earners pull the average up. SNAP benefit usage at 18% of households reflects economic stress in the area. 51% 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 25 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 (21%) compared to national benchmarks.

Notable community characteristics include a notable veteran presence at 18% of civilians, above the national average of 7%; and disability rates above the national average at 25%.

Overall, ZIP code 59859 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce, a strong veteran community, high homeownership, a significant Social Security-dependent population, and elevated reliance on food assistance.

4,115

population

710.80

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Mountain (MT)

timezone

59859 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 59859

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 59859. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Plains	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

59848 Lonepine (9.8 mi) 59845 Hot Springs (11.2 mi)

Demographics updated 06/2026

Population
Total population	4,115
Population density	6 / sq mi
State FIPS	30
County FIPS	089

Geography
Land area	710.80 sq mi
Water area	4.84 sq mi
Latitude	47.6347
Longitude	-114.8004
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	51.8%	58.5%	44.2%
$50k – $100k	35.3%	29.6%	32.0%
$100k – $200k	10.5%	9.4%	19.2%
Over $200k	2.4%	2.6%	4.7%

Demographics & statistics

4,115

Population

People per sq mi

55.2

Median age

$47,097

Median household income

$35,732

Per capita income

$338,900

Median home value

$769

Median monthly rent

76.1%

Home ownership

14.1%

Poverty rate

5.3%

Unemployment

1,720

Housing units

15.4%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

5–9

10–14

105

15–19

102

103

20–24

100

149

25–34

145

259

35–44

254

170

45–54

167

200

55–59

195

149

60–64

145

461

65–74

450

183

75–84

178

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	613	14.9%
18 and over	3,502	85.1%
65 and over	1,388	33.7%
Median age	55.2 years

Race & ethnicity

White 91.5%

Two or more races 4.4%

American Indian / Alaska Native 2.6%

Hispanic or Latino 1.4%

Black or African American 0.1%

Group	Count	%
White	3,820	91.5%
Two or more races	182	4.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native	109	2.6%
Hispanic or Latino	58	1.4%
Black or African American	4	0.1%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	51.8%	58.5%	44.2%
$50k – $100k	35.3%	29.6%	32.0%
$100k – $200k	10.5%	9.4%	19.2%
Over $200k	2.4%	2.6%	4.7%

Under $10k 2.9%

$10k–$15k 7.8%

$15k–$25k 19.2%

$25k–$35k 11.0%

$35k–$50k 10.5%

$50k–$75k 22.4%

$75k–$100k 8.9%

$100k–$150k 9.8%

$150k–$200k 3.0%

$200k+ 4.5%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	2.9%
$10k–$15k	7.8%
$15k–$25k	19.2%
$25k–$35k	11.0%
$35k–$50k	10.5%
$50k–$75k	22.4%
$75k–$100k	8.9%
$100k–$150k	9.8%
$150k–$200k	3.0%
$200k+	4.5%
Median income	$47,097

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 2.6%

$50k–$100k 9.3%

$100k–$150k 6.4%

$150k–$200k 5.0%

$200k–$300k 18.5%

$300k–$500k 32.7%

$500k–$1M 14.6%

$1M+ 10.8%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$338,900
Median rent / month	$769
Owner occupied	76.1%
Renter occupied	23.9%
Vacant	14.2%
Single-family detached	75.5%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	18.1%
Median rooms	5.2
Avg household size (owned)	2.22

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	1.4%
2010–2019	11.7%
2000–2009	20.7%
1990–1999	17.0%
1980–1989	13.1%
1970–1979	18.9%
1960–1969	3.1%
1950–1959	4.5%
1940–1949	1.8%
1939 or earlier	7.8%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	2.3%
1 bedroom	6.0%
2 bedrooms	33.7%
3 bedrooms	43.5%
4 bedrooms	8.1%
5+ bedrooms	6.3%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	9.8%
1 vehicle	21.6%
2 vehicles	36.3%
3 or more	32.3%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	1.8%
Electricity	15.2%
Propane / LP gas	33.5%
Fuel oil	2.9%
Wood	33.9%
No fuel used	0.9%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	770	41.5%
Cohabiting couple	73	3.9%
Male householder, no spouse	559	30.1%
Female householder, no spouse	454	24.5%
Households with children under 18	359	19.3%
Households with seniors (65+)	987	53.2%
Average household size	2.16

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	25.8%	19.8%
Married	42.6%	47.5%
Separated	3.1%	4.9%
Widowed	15.8%	14.4%
Divorced	12.7%	13.3%

Education

Less than 9th grade 1.5%

Some HS, no diploma 6.3%

HS graduate 38.4%

Some college, no degree 27.3%

Associate's degree 11.0%

Bachelor's degree 11.7%

Graduate / professional 3.8%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	92.1%
Bachelor's or higher	15.4%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	7	1.3%
Kindergarten	28	5.3%
Elementary school	294	55.4%
High school	164	30.9%
College / grad school	38	7.2%

Employment

Industry of employment

Education & healthcare 26.5%

Construction 10.1%

Retail trade 9.9%

Arts, food & hospitality 9.5%

Manufacturing 8.5%

Agriculture & mining 8.4%

Finance & real estate 6.4%

Transportation & utilities 4.9%

Public administration 4.5%

Wholesale trade 4.3%

Professional & management 4.1%

Other services 2.9%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	31.1%
Service	13.8%
Sales & office	24.4%
Natural resources & construction	19.1%
Production & transportation	11.6%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	72.1%
Government	19.7%
Self-employed	8.2%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	64.1%
Carpool	7.2%
Public transit	0.3%
Walk	5.1%
Work from home	17.1%
Other means	6.3%
Avg commute (minutes)	24.7

Poverty

All people 14.1%

Under 18 years 17.8%

18 and over 13.5%

Married-couple families 5.7%

Female-led households 22.9%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	50.5%
Retirement income	38.6%
Supplemental Security	3.2%
Cash public assistance	2.4%
Food stamps / SNAP	17.8%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	30.8%
High blood pressure	36.5%
High cholesterol	35.3%
Diabetes	12.6%
Heart disease	9.1%
Stroke	4.4%
Asthma	10.4%
Arthritis	32.8%
Kidney disease	3.9%
Pulmonary disease	9.8%
Cancer	8.5%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	20.5%
Binge drinking	18.2%
No physical activity	25.3%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	32.2%
Depression	22.4%
Fair or poor health	17.7%
Poor mental health	13.3%
Poor physical health	13.8%
No health insurance	13.7%
Visited doctor (checkup)	70.9%
Visited dentist	55.5%
Cholesterol screening	89.5%
Teeth loss	16.8%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	627	17.9%

Disability	%
Any disability	24.6%
Under 18	3.1%
18–64 years	18.5%
65 and over	43.7%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	45.3%
Public insurance	62.8%
No insurance	12.4%
Uninsured under 19	11.0%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	3,980	96.7%
Spanish	4	0.1%
Other Indo-European	0	0.0%
Asian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Other languages	4	0.1%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	4,090	99.4%
Born in same state	4,090	99.4%
Born in different state	1,553	37.7%
Foreign born	0	0.0%
Naturalized citizen	25	0.6%
Not a US citizen	21	84.0%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
Italian	523	12.7%
French	451	11%
Arab	342	8.3%
Polish	248	6%

Ancestry	Count	%
English	143	3.5%
Irish	35	0.9%
German	27	0.7%
Dutch	8	0.2%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	45.1%
Internet access	89.9%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 59859

What city is ZIP code 59859 in?

ZIP code 59859 is primarily assigned to Plains, Montana.

What county is ZIP code 59859 in?

ZIP code 59859 falls within Sanders County, Montana.

Does ZIP code 59859 have an older population?

34% of residents in ZIP code 59859 are 65 or older, above the national average of ~17%.

Does ZIP code 59859 have a large retiree population?

51% of households in ZIP code 59859 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

Does ZIP code 59859 have a large veteran population?

18% of civilians in ZIP code 59859 are veterans, above the national average of ~7%.

What is the typical home value in ZIP code 59859?

The median home value in ZIP code 59859 is $338,900.

What timezone is ZIP code 59859 in?

ZIP code 59859 observes the MST timezone.