CostBy County

Cost of Living in Chouteau County, Montana

$536/mo
Median Monthly Rent
$207,800
Median Home Value

At a Glance

Median Monthly Rent
$536/mo
36% below state average
Median Home Value
$207,800
38% below national
Census GRAPI
18.3%
Median gross rent as % of renter income

Rent burden measured as median gross rent as a percentage of renter household income (Census ACS B25071)

Affordability Rating
Affordable
Median gross rent is under 30% of renter household income

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 Chouteau County Compares

Median monthly rent comparison

Chouteau County$536/mo
Montana Average$842/mo
National Median$1,413/mo

Detailed Housing Stats

$536/mo
Median Gross Rent
$207,800
Median Home Value
$700/mo
Monthly Owner Cost
18.3%
Census GRAPI

National Ranking

Affordability Rank

Chouteau County ranks #342 of 3,142 counties for affordability (top 11%)

Most AffordableLeast Affordable

Sourced county brief

Chouteau County Median Gross Rent and Household Cost Data

In Chouteau County, the median gross rent was $536 per month, which is $306 below the Montana unweighted county mean of $842. The official gross rent as a percentage of household income (GRAPI) was 18.3%, or 5.8 percentage points below the unweighted state county mean of 24.1%. Median selected monthly owner costs for owner-occupied housing units were $700, compared to the state unweighted county mean of $842. The median value for owner-occupied homes was $207,800, while the unweighted county mean for Montana was $276,877. The median renter-household income was $48,892. These figures are from the U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates. The rent-to-income percentage is the official ACS B25071 GRAPI estimate and not a derived value. See ACS table B25071 for the underlying estimate.

Cost of Living Advisory: Chouteau County

Affordability Verdict

ACS B25071 estimates median gross rent at 18.3% of renter household income in Chouteau 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 $536 per month; median selected monthly owner costs are $700. These ACS medians describe different tenure groups and are not a personalized rent-versus-buy calculation.

Income Needed

Using the common 30% budgeting benchmark, $21,440 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. Chouteau County's $536 median is 36.3% below that comparison value.

Data version acs5-2020-2024 · Method cost-advisory-v2

Affordability Calculator

See how your income compares to housing costs in Chouteau County

$

Rent Burden

11.0%

of gross income

Max Housing (28% Rule)

$1,358

per month

Owner Cost Burden

14.4%

of gross income

The median home in Chouteau County may be a stretch

Median home value is $207,800. Estimated monthly cost: $1,659 vs. your max of $1,358.

Rent Affordability Guide

Your entered rent as a share of entered income11.0%
Recommended max30.0%

Income Needed Calculator

See how much you need to earn to comfortably afford housing

$
Rent Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $58,218Needed: $21,440
Owner Cost Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $58,218Needed: $30,000
Mortgage Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $58,218Needed: $48,361

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

What is the cost of living in Chouteau County, Montana?
Chouteau County, Montana has a median monthly rent of $536/mo and a median home value of $207,800. The affordability rating is Affordable, with median gross rent equal to approximately 18.3% of renter household income.
What is the median rent in Chouteau County?
The median gross rent in Chouteau County is $536/mo. This is 36% below state average for Montana.
Is Chouteau County affordable?
Chouteau County is rated Affordable using the Census median gross-rent-as-a-percentage-of-income measure of 18.3%. Median gross rent is under 30% of renter household income.
How does Chouteau County's rent compare to the state average?
Chouteau County's median rent of $536/mo is 36% below state average of $842/mo for Montana.
What is the median home value in Chouteau County?
The median home value in Chouteau County, Montana is $207,800. This is 38% below the national median home value of $332,700.

Counties with Similar Housing Costs

Sponsored

Planning a Move?

Researching the cost of living in Chouteau County, Montana? Compare moving quotes from top providers and save on your relocation.

Compare Moving Quotes
Sponsored

Compare Mortgage Rates in Chouteau County

Whether you're buying in Chouteau County, Montana, or refinancing, compare rates from top lenders using the terms each lender provides.

See Today's Rates
Published by the CostByCounty Editorial Team. See our methodology and corrections policy.Data build reviewed 2026-07-09; first published 2026-03-10.

Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2020-2024). Data is informational only and is not personalized financial advice.

CostByCounty participates in affiliate programs. We may earn a commission when you use our links, at no extra cost to you.