Housing decision brief
Glacier County, MT Housing Market
Glacier County screens as a below-state purchase price, below-state rent, a manageable 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.
8th lowest home value out of 56 Montana counties with data | 4th lowest rent out of 56
Median home value
$153,400
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$553/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$468/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
3.4x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
23.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$85/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$153,400 median home value is 29% below Montana county median
Lower rent
$553/mo is 31% below Montana county median
Rent burden below pressure line
23.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $85/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Lower income base
$45,129 median income is 27% below Montana county median
Health context
Health score is 10.4 out of 100, so affordability should be weighed against local health indicators.
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
- 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
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- 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 Glacier 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. | $153,400 | $214,750 | $281,900 | 29% favorable29% below Montana county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $553 | $801 | $1,163 | 31% favorable31% below Montana county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $468 | $777 | $1,672 | 40% favorable40% below Montana county median |
Median household income | $45,129 | $61,858 | $74,755 | 27% pressure27% below Montana county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.81% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 19% favorable19% below Montana county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 23.00% | 24.00% | N/A | Near state median23.00% 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
+$23,009
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$25,072
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Glacier County offers affordable rental housing at a median of $553/month , about 14.7% of the typical household income here.
Rent vs own
Renters in Glacier County pay $553/month on average, compared to $468/month for homeowners. This market favors buyers by about 15%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $22,120/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $20,057/year. With a median household income of $45,129, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 23.0% of renter households in Glacier County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Within Montana, Glacier County is more affordable than Judith Basin County by roughly 10% ($553/mo vs $502/mo).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wright County, MO | $152,300 | $558/mo | Out-of-state peer near $152,300 home value and $558/mo rent. |
| Wheatland County, MT | $172,700 | $741/mo | Same-state comparison near $172,700 home value and $741/mo rent. |
| Daniels County, MT | $177,800 | $588/mo | Same-state comparison near $177,800 home value and $588/mo rent. |
| Big Horn County, MT | $148,200 | $686/mo | Same-state comparison near $148,200 home value and $686/mo rent. |
| Clay County, TN | $136,900 | $546/mo | Out-of-state peer near $136,900 home value and $546/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Glacier County
Is Glacier County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Glacier County?
How much income do you need for housing in Glacier County?
What should I double-check before moving to Glacier County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.