Cost of Living in Broadwater County, Montana
At a Glance
Rent burden measured as median gross rent as a percentage of renter household income (Census ACS B25071)
These figures are county medians, not a personal budget. Use them to frame rent, ownership, and income tradeoffs, then account for household size, commute, financing, insurance, taxes, debt, and local availability before making a decision.
How Broadwater County Compares
Median monthly rent comparison
Detailed Housing Stats
National Ranking
Affordability Rank
Broadwater County ranks #2,246 of 3,142 counties for affordability (bottom 29%)
Sourced county brief
Broadwater County Official GRAPI and Home Value Statistics
In Broadwater County, the official gross rent as a percentage of household income (GRAPI) was 42.5%. This is 18.4 percentage points above the Montana unweighted county mean of 24.1%. The median gross rent in the county was $955 per month, which is $113 higher than the state unweighted county mean of $842. For owner-occupied housing units, the median selected monthly owner cost was $1,130, compared to an unweighted state county mean of $842. The median home value in the area was $426,600, while the unweighted county mean for Montana was $276,877. The median renter-household income was $31,806. All data points are from the U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates. The canonical rent-to-income percentage reported is the official ACS B25071 GRAPI estimate and not a derived value. See ACS table B25071 for the underlying estimate.
Source record
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25064 Median Gross Rent
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25071 GRAPI
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25077 Median Home Value
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25088 Selected Monthly Owner Costs
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25119 Household Income by Tenure
Data version acs5-2020-2024 · Method cost-brief-v1
Cost of Living Advisory: Broadwater County
Affordability Verdict
ACS B25071 estimates median gross rent at 42.5% of renter household income in Broadwater County, which is between the 30% and 50% rent-burden benchmarks. This is a median percentage among renter-occupied units, not the share of households above a threshold.
Rent vs. Own
Median gross rent is $955 per month; median selected monthly owner costs are $1,130. These ACS medians describe different tenure groups and are not a personalized rent-versus-buy calculation.
Income Needed
Using the common 30% budgeting benchmark, $38,200 in annual gross income would allocate 30% to the county's median gross rent. This is a reproducible illustration, not evidence that a particular household can afford housing.
Regional Context
The Montana unweighted mean of county median rents is $842 per month. Broadwater County's $955 median is 13.4% above that comparison value.
Data version acs5-2020-2024 · Method cost-advisory-v2
Affordability Calculator
See how your income compares to housing costs in Broadwater County
Rent Burden
16.3%
of gross income
Max Housing (28% Rule)
$1,642
per month
Owner Cost Burden
19.3%
of gross income
The median home in Broadwater County may be a stretch
Median home value is $426,600. Estimated monthly cost: $3,406 vs. your max of $1,642.
Rent Affordability Guide
Income Needed Calculator
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Based on the 30% rule for rent and 28% rule for housing costs (mortgage + owner costs). Mortgage estimate assumes 20% down, 7.2% interest, 30-year fixed.
Frequently Asked Questions
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See Today's RatesData: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2020-2024). Data is informational only and is not personalized financial advice.
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