Housing decision brief
Dawson County, MT Housing Market
Dawson County screens as a below-state purchase price, rent that needs comparison, a higher tax-rate signal market. Use the page as a decision brief, not just a price lookup, because local income, taxes, and data confidence change how affordable the county really is.
18th lowest home value out of 56 Montana counties with data | 33rd lowest rent out of 56
Median home value
$187,400
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$823/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$796/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.6x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
19.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$27/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
2 notes
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$187,400 median home value is 13% below Montana county median
Rent burden below pressure line
19.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $27/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Tax rate needs attention
1.17% effective property-tax rate is 17% above Montana county median
Water quality cross-check
Water quality grade is F. Review water data before treating housing cost as the full story.
Crime data coverage
Crime data coverage is partial. Treat zero or low crime rates as incomplete until you check the source coverage.
Best Fit For
- Buyers comparing homes to local incomes
- Renters trying to keep rent below the burden threshold
- Households weighing ownership against renting
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
Poor Fit For
- Buyers focused only on purchase price and ignoring annual property tax
- Buyers who will not investigate local water systems before moving
- Anyone treating reported crime rates as complete without source context
County vs State vs National
The county number only matters after you see the benchmark. These comparisons show where Dawson County is genuinely cheap, where it is average, and where the hidden cost may be.
| Metric | County | State | U.S. | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Median home value Lower usually helps affordability. | $187,400 | $214,750 | $281,900 | 13% favorable13% below Montana county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $823 | $801 | $1,163 | Near state median3% above Montana county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $796 | $777 | $1,672 | Near state median2% above Montana county median |
Median household income | $70,953 | $61,858 | $74,755 | 15% favorable15% above Montana county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.17% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 17% pressure17% above Montana county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 19.00% | 24.00% | N/A | 21% favorable19.00% of renter income goes to rent. |
Income Fit
A low price only helps if local income can carry the monthly cost. This panel compares the county income base with rent and owner-cost thresholds.
Rent cushion
+$38,033
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$36,839
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Dawson County offers affordable rental housing at a median of $823/month , about 13.9% of the typical household income here.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Dawson County is $823/month, while owner costs run $796/month. Owning saves approximately $27/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $32,920/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $34,114/year. With a median household income of $70,953, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 19.0% of renter households in Dawson County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Dawson County sits 7% more expensive than Fallon County ($772/month) in terms of median gross rent.
Better Counties to Compare
Similar counties are matched on home value, rent, income, and state context. This is more useful than a simple nearest-price list.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Why compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garfield County, MT | $178,300 | $802/mo | Same-state comparison near $178,300 home value and $802/mo rent. |
| Valley County, MT | $198,600 | $769/mo | Same-state comparison near $198,600 home value and $769/mo rent. |
| Fergus County, MT | $202,700 | $868/mo | Same-state comparison near $202,700 home value and $868/mo rent. |
| Custer County, MT | $204,200 | $918/mo | Same-state comparison near $204,200 home value and $918/mo rent. |
| Fallon County, MT | $237,000 | $772/mo | Same-state comparison near $237,000 home value and $772/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
- Water-quality monitoring is based on 1 active site in recent WQP data.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Dawson County
Is Dawson County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Dawson County?
How much income do you need for housing in Dawson County?
What should I double-check before moving to Dawson County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.