County housing intelligence
Montana Housing Market by County
Montana is not one housing market. Across 56 counties, the median county home value is $235,550 and the median county rent is $818/mo. The useful question is not whether Montana is cheap. It is which county fits your income, tax tolerance, and buy-versus-rent plan.
County median home value
$235,550
Median of county medians, less distorted by the largest metros.
County median rent
$818/mo
Gross rent includes rent plus utilities where Census reports it.
Counties compared
56
Every county with available ACS housing data in this state.
Fast answers
Start with the housing question.
Market brief
The state-level housing signal
These benchmarks use the median county in the state, not one metro-weighted average. That makes the brief better for county comparison and rural-to-urban screening.
Purchase price
State county median vs national benchmark
Rent
State county median vs national benchmark
Owner cost
State county median vs national benchmark
Income base
State county median vs national benchmark
Tax rate
State county median vs national benchmark
The Montana Pattern
These are the signals a statewide average hides. Start here before choosing counties to compare.
Price geography
Gallatin County, Flathead County, Ravalli County sit at the top of the purchase market, while Wibaux County, Roosevelt County, Sheridan County anchor the lower-cost end.
Rent reality
Gallatin County, Meagher County, Missoula County lead on rent, while Judith Basin County, Powder River County, Chouteau County show where monthly lease costs are lowest.
Decision lens
Wibaux County, Sheridan County, Roosevelt County screen best for purchase affordability when home values are measured against local household income.
Best Counties by Housing Goal
Different households need different rankings. Price alone is not enough, so these groups compare rent, income, owner costs, and tax exposure.
Cheapest to buy
Lowest median home values. Useful for purchase-price screening.
- 1. Wibaux County
$98,600
- 2. Roosevelt County
$118,800
- 3. Sheridan County
$124,000
- 4. Big Horn County
$143,400
- 5. Blaine County
$155,500
Best buy affordability
Lowest home-value-to-income ratios. Better than price alone.
- 1. Wibaux County
1.5x home-value-to-income
- 2. Sheridan County
1.8x home-value-to-income
- 3. Roosevelt County
2.1x home-value-to-income
- 4. Big Horn County
2.4x home-value-to-income
- 5. Blaine County
2.4x home-value-to-income
Cheapest to rent
Lowest median gross rent among counties with ACS rent data.
- 1. Judith Basin County
$495/mo
- 2. Powder River County
$533/mo
- 3. Chouteau County
$536/mo
- 4. Phillips County
$536/mo
- 5. Glacier County
$548/mo
Lowest rent burden
Where typical renters spend the smallest share of income on rent.
- 1. Wibaux County
11.8% rent burden
- 2. Meagher County
14.4% rent burden
- 3. Judith Basin County
14.6% rent burden
- 4. Powder River County
15.5% rent burden
- 5. Big Horn County
17.2% rent burden
Lowest tax-rate signal
Lowest effective property-tax rates in the state data.
- 1. Madison County
0.41% effective tax rate
- 2. Judith Basin County
0.45% effective tax rate
- 3. Carter County
0.45% effective tax rate
- 4. Mineral County
0.48% effective tax rate
- 5. Sweet Grass County
0.49% effective tax rate
Owner-cost advantage
Counties where median owner costs are furthest below median rent.
- 1. Meagher County
$668/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 2. Wibaux County
$509/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 3. Musselshell County
$395/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 4. Carter County
$306/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 5. Sweet Grass County
$285/mo cheaper to own than rent
Income-backed value
Higher-income counties that still hold a reasonable value-to-income profile.
- 1. Wibaux County
$67,462 income, 1.5x value-to-income
- 2. Sheridan County
$70,147 income, 1.8x value-to-income
- 3. Garfield County
$69,583 income, 2.4x value-to-income
- 4. Dawson County
$71,334 income, 2.6x value-to-income
- 5. Roosevelt County
$57,063 income, 2.1x value-to-income
Tradeoffs to Check
The best page is not the one that crowns a winner. It is the one that shows where a county can surprise you after the headline price looks attractive.
| Signal | County | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Cheap price, weaker income base | Roosevelt County $118,800 home value, $57,063 income | Low purchase prices can still feel tight when local wages are also low. |
| Affordable homes, higher tax rate | Roosevelt County $118,800 home value, 1.28% tax rate | A low home price can be offset by the annual property-tax bill. |
| Renter pressure | Broadwater County $955/mo rent, 42.50% rent burden | Monthly rent alone does not show whether renters can comfortably absorb the cost. |
| Expensive, but income-supported | Gallatin County $667,600 home value, $93,528 income | Some high-price counties also have stronger incomes, so affordability depends on both sides of the equation. |
Lowest home values
Best value-to-income
Lowest rents
Compare Every Montana County
Sorted by home-value-to-income ratio so the first rows are not just cheap counties, but counties where purchase prices look smaller relative to local income.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Income | Value/Income | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wibaux County | $98,600 | $963/mo | $67,462 | 1.5x | 0.61% |
| Sheridan County | $124,000 | $746/mo | $70,147 | 1.8x | 1.23% |
| Roosevelt County | $118,800 | $705/mo | $57,063 | 2.1x | 1.28% |
| Big Horn County | $143,400 | $697/mo | $58,750 | 2.4x | 1.10% |
| Blaine County | $155,500 | $660/mo | $64,813 | 2.4x | 1.34% |
| Garfield County | $169,900 | $725/mo | $69,583 | 2.4x | 0.62% |
| Dawson County | $185,300 | $815/mo | $71,334 | 2.6x | 1.14% |
| Valley County | $198,400 | $767/mo | $71,695 | 2.8x | 1.18% |
| Liberty County | $169,100 | $710/mo | $57,857 | 2.9x | 0.93% |
| Powder River County | $192,100 | $533/mo | $67,045 | 2.9x | 0.68% |
| Custer County | $219,100 | $893/mo | $70,605 | 3.1x | 1.03% |
| McCone County | $211,600 | $556/mo | $69,375 | 3.1x | 0.68% |
| Fallon County | $244,800 | $779/mo | $76,250 | 3.2x | 0.50% |
| Prairie County | $165,700 | $627/mo | $51,250 | 3.2x | 0.84% |
| Daniels County | $184,800 | $581/mo | $55,625 | 3.3x | 0.87% |
| Petroleum County | $201,400 | $800/mo | $60,208 | 3.3x | 0.60% |
| Treasure County | $230,300 | $850/mo | $67,917 | 3.4x | 0.59% |
| Glacier County | $165,100 | $548/mo | $46,875 | 3.5x | 0.84% |
| Chouteau County | $207,800 | $536/mo | $58,218 | 3.6x | 0.75% |
| Golden Valley County | $212,200 | $783/mo | $58,333 | 3.6x | 0.53% |
| Meagher County | $259,800 | $1,263/mo | $71,932 | 3.6x | 0.66% |
| Richland County | $263,000 | $917/mo | $73,084 | 3.6x | 0.74% |
| Carter County | $199,200 | $824/mo | $54,167 | 3.7x | 0.45% |
| Fergus County | $236,100 | $954/mo | $63,706 | 3.7x | 0.75% |
| Phillips County | $197,600 | $536/mo | $53,417 | 3.7x | 0.78% |
| Rosebud County | $182,400 | $672/mo | $49,914 | 3.7x | 0.70% |
| Teton County | $264,000 | $730/mo | $70,430 | 3.7x | 0.75% |
| Wheatland County | $180,800 | $730/mo | $49,489 | 3.7x | 0.56% |
| Hill County | $202,600 | $776/mo | $52,798 | 3.8x | 0.98% |
| Toole County | $218,400 | $826/mo | $57,731 | 3.8x | 0.87% |
| Cascade County | $265,300 | $939/mo | $67,690 | 3.9x | 0.87% |
| Pondera County | $206,100 | $784/mo | $52,338 | 3.9x | 0.80% |
| Deer Lodge County | $231,700 | $696/mo | $57,527 | 4.0x | 0.78% |
| Judith Basin County | $238,300 | $495/mo | $59,000 | 4.0x | 0.45% |
| Musselshell County | $235,000 | $1,138/mo | $58,920 | 4.0x | 0.55% |
| Silver Bow County | $255,200 | $863/mo | $61,754 | 4.1x | 0.98% |
| Sweet Grass County | $330,100 | $1,149/mo | $77,000 | 4.3x | 0.49% |
| Powell County | $306,500 | $820/mo | $66,923 | 4.6x | 0.69% |
| Yellowstone County | $349,500 | $1,131/mo | $76,570 | 4.6x | 0.81% |
| Jefferson County | $446,900 | $925/mo | $95,490 | 4.7x | 0.55% |
| Stillwater County | $405,800 | $961/mo | $84,732 | 4.8x | 0.57% |
| Beaverhead County | $308,300 | $837/mo | $61,268 | 5.0x | 0.67% |
| Lewis and Clark County | $393,500 | $1,102/mo | $78,237 | 5.0x | 0.79% |
| Carbon County | $420,800 | $844/mo | $80,261 | 5.2x | 0.54% |
| Mineral County | $364,300 | $801/mo | $63,450 | 5.7x | 0.48% |
| Granite County | $352,700 | $675/mo | $59,265 | 6.0x | 0.60% |
| Broadwater County | $426,600 | $955/mo | $70,374 | 6.1x | 0.56% |
| Madison County | $470,100 | $1,000/mo | $75,250 | 6.2x | 0.41% |
| Missoula County | $472,100 | $1,190/mo | $75,598 | 6.2x | 0.88% |
| Sanders County | $359,000 | $820/mo | $57,476 | 6.2x | 0.53% |
| Lincoln County | $296,500 | $762/mo | $47,143 | 6.3x | 0.54% |
| Lake County | $421,800 | $901/mo | $63,360 | 6.7x | 0.61% |
| Park County | $467,500 | $976/mo | $70,047 | 6.7x | 0.56% |
| Ravalli County | $476,600 | $1,054/mo | $71,283 | 6.7x | 0.50% |
| Gallatin County | $667,600 | $1,694/mo | $93,528 | 7.1x | 0.59% |
| Flathead County | $535,500 | $1,142/mo | $73,925 | 7.2x | 0.58% |
Questions This Page Answers
Each answer is generated from the current county dataset, so it changes when the underlying ACS data changes.
What is the typical home value in Montana by county?
What is the typical rent in Montana by county?
Which Montana counties are most affordable to buy in?
Why do cheap counties still need a closer look?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.