Housing decision brief
Jefferson County, MT Housing Market
Jefferson County screens as a higher purchase price, rent that needs comparison, 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.
50th lowest home value out of 56 Montana counties with data | 41st lowest rent out of 56
Median home value
$408,000
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$886/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$1,166/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
5.3x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
20.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$280/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Rent burden below pressure line
20.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 78.5 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
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
- Renters trying to keep rent below the burden threshold
- Long-term owners who care about disaster-risk exposure
Poor Fit For
- 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 Jefferson 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. | $408,000 | $214,750 | $281,900 | 90% pressure90% above Montana county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $886 | $801 | $1,163 | 11% pressure11% above Montana county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,166 | $777 | $1,672 | 50% pressure50% above Montana county median |
Median household income | $76,576 | $61,858 | $74,755 | 24% favorable24% above Montana county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.56% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 44% favorable44% below Montana county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 20.00% | 24.00% | N/A | 17% favorable20.00% 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
+$41,136
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$26,605
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Housing in Jefferson County is affordable. The median rent is $886/month against a median household income of $76,576, putting rent at 13.9% of income.
Rent vs own
At $886/month rent versus $1,166/month in owner costs, renting is roughly $280/month cheaper , a 24% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $35,440/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $49,971/year. With a median household income of $76,576, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 20.0% of renter households in Jefferson County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Prairie County where rent averages $827/month, Jefferson County is approximately 7% more 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carbon County, MT | $379,300 | $882/mo | Same-state comparison near $379,300 home value and $882/mo rent. |
| Park County, MT | $429,700 | $927/mo | Same-state comparison near $429,700 home value and $927/mo rent. |
| Stillwater County, MT | $355,600 | $968/mo | Same-state comparison near $355,600 home value and $968/mo rent. |
| Ravalli County, MT | $435,000 | $1,054/mo | Same-state comparison near $435,000 home value and $1,054/mo rent. |
| Lake County, MT | $369,200 | $884/mo | Same-state comparison near $369,200 home value and $884/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Jefferson County
Is Jefferson County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Jefferson County?
How much income do you need for housing in Jefferson County?
What should I double-check before moving to Jefferson County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.