Housing decision brief
Hill County, MT Housing Market
Hill County screens as a below-state purchase price, below-state rent, 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.
20th lowest home value out of 56 Montana counties with data | 20th lowest rent out of 56
Median home value
$187,600
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$752/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$754/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
24.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$2/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$187,600 median home value is 13% below Montana county median
Lower rent
$752/mo is 6% below Montana county median
Rent burden below pressure line
24.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
What to Check
Lower income base
$55,313 median income is 11% below Montana county median
Tax rate needs attention
1.08% effective property-tax rate is 8% above Montana county median
Water quality cross-check
Water quality grade is F. Review water data before treating housing cost as the full story.
Health context
Health score is 34.9 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
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
Poor Fit For
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- 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 Hill 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. | $187,600 | $214,750 | $281,900 | 13% favorable13% below Montana county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $752 | $801 | $1,163 | 6% favorable6% below Montana county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $754 | $777 | $1,672 | Near state median3% below Montana county median |
Median household income | $55,313 | $61,858 | $74,755 | 11% pressure11% below Montana county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.08% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 8% pressure8% above Montana county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 24.00% | 24.00% | N/A | Near state median24.00% 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
+$25,233
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$22,999
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
For renters in Hill County, the market is affordable. Expect to pay around $752/month in gross rent, with 24.0% of renter households considered cost-burdened.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Hill County is $752/month, while owner costs run $754/month. Renting saves approximately $2/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $30,080/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $32,314/year. With a median household income of $55,313, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 24.0% of renter households in Hill County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Pondera County where rent averages $806/month, Hill County is approximately 7% less expensive.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toole County, MT | $187,400 | $753/mo | Same-state comparison near $187,400 home value and $753/mo rent. |
| Golden Valley County, MT | $203,900 | $769/mo | Same-state comparison near $203,900 home value and $769/mo rent. |
| Carter County, MT | $176,600 | $731/mo | Same-state comparison near $176,600 home value and $731/mo rent. |
| Pondera County, MT | $179,200 | $806/mo | Same-state comparison near $179,200 home value and $806/mo rent. |
| Petroleum County, MT | $173,700 | $769/mo | Same-state comparison near $173,700 home value and $769/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Hill County
Is Hill County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Hill County?
How much income do you need for housing in Hill County?
What should I double-check before moving to Hill County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.