Housing decision brief
Judith Basin County, MT Housing Market
Judith Basin 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.
28th lowest home value out of 56 Montana counties with data | 2nd lowest rent out of 56
Median home value
$214,200
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$502/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$598/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
3.9x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
16.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$96/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
$214,200 median home value is At the Montana county median
Lower rent
$502/mo is 37% below Montana county median
Rent burden below pressure line
16.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 94.5 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
Lower income base
$55,417 median income is 10% below Montana county median
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
- 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 Judith Basin 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. | $214,200 | $214,750 | $281,900 | Near state medianAt the Montana county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $502 | $801 | $1,163 | 37% favorable37% below Montana county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $598 | $777 | $1,672 | 23% favorable23% below Montana county median |
Median household income | $55,417 | $61,858 | $74,755 | 10% pressure10% below Montana county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.45% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 55% favorable55% below Montana county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 16.00% | 24.00% | N/A | 33% favorable16.00% 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
+$35,337
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$29,788
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Judith Basin County is affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $502/month representing approximately 10.9% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 16.0%.
Rent vs own
Renters in Judith Basin County pay $502/month on average, compared to $598/month for homeowners. This market favors renters by about 16%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $20,080/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $25,629/year. With a median household income of $55,417, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 16.0% of renter households in Judith Basin County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Glacier County where rent averages $553/month, Judith Basin County is approximately 9% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chouteau County, MT | $185,100 | $485/mo | Same-state comparison near $185,100 home value and $485/mo rent. |
| Daniels County, MT | $177,800 | $588/mo | Same-state comparison near $177,800 home value and $588/mo rent. |
| Rosebud County, MT | $188,900 | $644/mo | Same-state comparison near $188,900 home value and $644/mo rent. |
| Deer Lodge County, MT | $209,700 | $661/mo | Same-state comparison near $209,700 home value and $661/mo rent. |
| McCone County, MT | $197,400 | $543/mo | Same-state comparison near $197,400 home value and $543/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Judith Basin County
Is Judith Basin County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Judith Basin County?
How much income do you need for housing in Judith Basin County?
What should I double-check before moving to Judith Basin County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.