Cost of Living in Carbon 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 Carbon County Compares
Median monthly rent comparison
Detailed Housing Stats
National Ranking
Affordability Rank
Carbon County ranks #1,902 of 3,142 counties for affordability (bottom 39%)
Sourced county brief
Carbon County Median Home Value and Housing Cost Overview
The median home value in Carbon County was $420,800, which is $143,923 above the Montana unweighted county mean of $276,877. The official gross rent as a percentage of household income (GRAPI) was 22.5%, or 1.6 percentage points below the unweighted state county mean of 24.1%. Median gross rent in the county was recorded at $844 per month, which is $2 above the unweighted state mean of $842. For owner-occupied units, median selected monthly owner costs were $1,090, compared to the unweighted state mean of $842. The median renter-household income was $55,833. These data points are sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates. The rent-to-income percentage is the official ACS B25071 GRAPI estimate rather than a derived estimate. 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: Carbon County
Affordability Verdict
ACS B25071 estimates median gross rent at 22.5% of renter household income in Carbon County, which is below the 30% affordability benchmark. This is a median percentage among renter-occupied units, not the share of households above a threshold.
Rent vs. Own
Median gross rent is $844 per month; median selected monthly owner costs are $1,090. These ACS medians describe different tenure groups and are not a personalized rent-versus-buy calculation.
Income Needed
Using the common 30% budgeting benchmark, $33,760 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. Carbon County's $844 median is 0.2% above that comparison value.
Data version acs5-2020-2024 · Method cost-advisory-v2
Affordability Calculator
See how your income compares to housing costs in Carbon County
Rent Burden
12.6%
of gross income
Max Housing (28% Rule)
$1,873
per month
Owner Cost Burden
16.3%
of gross income
The median home in Carbon County may be a stretch
Median home value is $420,800. Estimated monthly cost: $3,359 vs. your max of $1,873.
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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