Montana Cost of Living
Housing costs and affordability data for 56 counties.
Average Monthly Rent
$842/mo
Average Home Value
$276,877
Average Owner Cost
$842/mo
County cost atlas
Montana housing costs by county
Compare rent, entry-price context, owner costs, and cost score in one state view. Pin a county, switch layers, then open the full county profile when a place needs closer review.
Counties
56
Avg rent
$842/mo
Owner cost
$842/mo
Avg score
59.5
Higher means lower cost pressure
Atlas layers use U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates. Rent, owner cost, and home value are county medians. Cost score rewards lower rent and lower owner costs, but affordability still depends on income, household size, commute, debt, and personal finances. Use this as decision context, not personalized financial advice.
State Cost Summary
Use these state averages as a starting point, then scan the atlas and rankings for the county-level spread behind them.
Housing Costs in Montana: An Overview
The unweighted mean of county median rents in Montana is $842 per month, which is 40% below the national ACS median of $1,413. This gives every county equal weight and is not an official statewide median.
Within Montana, housing costs vary significantly by county. Gallatin County has the highest median rent in this dataset at $1,694 per month and a median home value of $667,600. Judith Basin County has the lowest reported median rent at $495 per month and a median home value of $238,300.
The unweighted mean of county median home values in Montana is $276,877, 17% lower than the national ACS median of $332,700. The unweighted mean of county median household incomes is $65,455; neither figure is a household-weighted statewide estimate.
Before comparing places in Montana, start with the county-level pattern. Costs can swing dramatically between rural and urban counties. Use the atlas, rankings, and county links below to compare rent, home values, owner costs, and rent burden before opening a specific county profile.
Distribution
Rent Distribution in Montana
How median rents are spread across 56 counties
Highest Median Rent Counties
Lowest Median Rent Counties
All Montana Counties
Sorted by median rent, highest first. A higher cost score means lower rent and owner cost pressure within the national scoring model.
| County | Median Rent | Home Value | Owner Cost | Cost Score | Rent/Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gallatin County | Over $1,500$1,694/mo | $667,600 | $1,708/mo | 5.5 | 29.1% |
| Meagher County | $1,000–$1,500$1,263/mo | $259,800 | $595/mo | 50.6 | 14.4% |
| Missoula County | $1,000–$1,500$1,190/mo | $472,100 | $1,511/mo | 13.8 | 29.3% |
| Sweet Grass County | $1,000–$1,500$1,149/mo | $330,100 | $864/mo | 34.6 | 24.5% |
| Flathead County | $1,000–$1,500$1,142/mo | $535,500 | $1,325/mo | 17.9 | 30.2% |
| Musselshell County | $1,000–$1,500$1,138/mo | $235,000 | $743/mo | 43.4 | 32.8% |
| Yellowstone County | $1,000–$1,500$1,131/mo | $349,500 | $1,290/mo | 18.8 | 28.8% |
| Lewis and Clark County | $1,000–$1,500$1,102/mo | $393,500 | $1,386/mo | 18.1 | 25.9% |
| Ravalli County | $1,000–$1,500$1,054/mo | $476,600 | $1,017/mo | 29.4 | 27.1% |
| Madison County | $1,000–$1,500$1,000/mo | $470,100 | $786/mo | 45.8 | 26.2% |
| Park County | Under $1,000$976/mo | $467,500 | $1,121/mo | 29.5 | 30.4% |
| Wibaux County | Under $1,000$963/mo | $98,600 | $454/mo | 67.1 | 11.8% |
| Stillwater County | Under $1,000$961/mo | $405,800 | $1,182/mo | 28.5 | 25.6% |
| Broadwater County | Under $1,000$955/mo | $426,600 | $1,130/mo | 30.6 | 42.5% |
| Fergus County | Under $1,000$954/mo | $236,100 | $871/mo | 42.8 | 23.4% |
| Cascade County | Under $1,000$939/mo | $265,300 | $1,064/mo | 33.9 | 27.3% |
| Jefferson County | Under $1,000$925/mo | $446,900 | $1,282/mo | 29.3 | 20.4% |
| Richland County | Under $1,000$917/mo | $263,000 | $836/mo | 47.9 | 21.0% |
| Lake County | Under $1,000$901/mo | $421,800 | $1,053/mo | 37.7 | 26.5% |
| Custer County | Under $1,000$893/mo | $219,100 | $896/mo | 45.9 | 26.4% |
| Silver Bow County | Under $1,000$863/mo | $255,200 | $967/mo | 44.8 | 28.9% |
| Treasure County | Under $1,000$850/mo | $230,300 | $793/mo | 57.3 | 28.3% |
| Carbon County | Under $1,000$844/mo | $420,800 | $1,090/mo | 42.0 | 22.5% |
| Beaverhead County | Under $1,000$837/mo | $308,300 | $697/mo | 65.9 | 25.4% |
| Toole County | Under $1,000$826/mo | $218,400 | $1,007/mo | 47.0 | 22.2% |
| Carter County | Under $1,000$824/mo | $199,200 | $518/mo | 78.2 | 29.9% |
| Powell County | Under $1,000$820/mo | $306,500 | $936/mo | 51.3 | 21.1% |
| Sanders County | Under $1,000$820/mo | $359,000 | $655/mo | 70.8 | 36.5% |
| Dawson County | Under $1,000$815/mo | $185,300 | $707/mo | 67.7 | 18.8% |
| Mineral County | Under $1,000$801/mo | $364,300 | $910/mo | 54.6 | 26.0% |
| Petroleum County | Under $1,000$800/mo | $201,400 | $657/mo | 72.8 | 19.2% |
| Pondera County | Under $1,000$784/mo | $206,100 | $639/mo | 76.2 | 22.3% |
| Golden Valley County | Under $1,000$783/mo | $212,200 | $795/mo | 64.9 | 19.2% |
| Fallon County | Under $1,000$779/mo | $244,800 | $816/mo | 64.0 | 19.7% |
| Hill County | Under $1,000$776/mo | $202,600 | $772/mo | 67.6 | 25.4% |
| Valley County | Under $1,000$767/mo | $198,400 | $822/mo | 65.0 | 26.6% |
| Lincoln County | Under $1,000$762/mo | $296,500 | $662/mo | 77.3 | 28.5% |
| Sheridan County | Under $1,000$746/mo | $124,000 | $749/mo | 72.5 | 31.0% |
| Teton County | Under $1,000$730/mo | $264,000 | $913/mo | 62.5 | 23.6% |
| Wheatland County | Under $1,000$730/mo | $180,800 | $576/mo | 85.8 | 18.8% |
| Garfield County | Under $1,000$725/mo | $169,900 | $709/mo | 77.3 | 19.5% |
| Liberty County | Under $1,000$710/mo | $169,100 | $740/mo | 76.3 | 23.0% |
| Roosevelt County | Under $1,000$705/mo | $118,800 | $446/mo | 92.6 | 19.2% |
| Big Horn County | Under $1,000$697/mo | $143,400 | $554/mo | 89.6 | 17.2% |
| Deer Lodge County | Under $1,000$696/mo | $231,700 | $846/mo | 69.6 | 26.1% |
| Granite County | Under $1,000$675/mo | $352,700 | $642/mo | 85.8 | 27.9% |
| Rosebud County | Under $1,000$672/mo | $182,400 | $651/mo | 85.2 | 20.6% |
| Blaine County | Under $1,000$660/mo | $155,500 | $559/mo | 91.8 | 17.3% |
| Prairie County | Under $1,000$627/mo | $165,700 | $602/mo | 90.3 | 25.4% |
| Daniels County | Under $1,000$581/mo | $184,800 | $761/mo | 80.5 | 23.0% |
| McCone County | Under $1,000$556/mo | $211,600 | $697/mo | 85.7 | 19.2% |
| Glacier County | Under $1,000$548/mo | $165,100 | $453/mo | 98.4 | 23.9% |
| Chouteau County | Under $1,000$536/mo | $207,800 | $700/mo | 85.8 | 18.3% |
| Phillips County | Under $1,000$536/mo | $197,600 | $561/mo | 94.9 | 23.2% |
| Powder River County | Under $1,000$533/mo | $192,100 | $717/mo | 84.5 | 15.5% |
| Judith Basin County | Under $1,000$495/mo | $238,300 | $708/mo | 85.5 | 14.6% |
Compare Montana to Other States
See how Montana counties stack up against counties in other states. Compare rent, home values, and affordability side by side.
Start a ComparisonFrequently Asked Questions About Montana Housing Costs
Which Montana county has the lowest median rent?
Which Montana county has the highest median rent?
How does Montana's cost of living compare to the national average?
What is the unweighted county-mean home value in Montana?
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Compare Moving QuotesData: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2020-2024). Data is informational only and is not personalized financial advice.