Housing decision brief
McCone County, MT Housing Market
McCone 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.
22nd lowest home value out of 56 Montana counties with data | 3rd lowest rent out of 56
Median home value
$197,400
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$543/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$635/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.7x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
15.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$92/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
$197,400 median home value is 8% below Montana county median
Lower rent
$543/mo is 32% below Montana county median
Rent burden below pressure line
15.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 94.8 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
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
- Long-term owners who care about disaster-risk exposure
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
Poor Fit For
- 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 McCone 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. | $197,400 | $214,750 | $281,900 | 8% favorable8% below Montana county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $543 | $801 | $1,163 | 32% favorable32% below Montana county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $635 | $777 | $1,672 | 18% favorable18% below Montana county median |
Median household income | $71,842 | $61,858 | $74,755 | 16% favorable16% above Montana county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.67% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 33% favorable33% below Montana county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 15.00% | 24.00% | N/A | 37% favorable15.00% 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
+$50,122
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$44,628
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
McCone County offers affordable rental housing at a median of $543/month , about 9.1% of the typical household income here.
Rent vs own
At $543/month rent versus $635/month in owner costs, renting is roughly $92/month cheaper , a 14% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $21,720/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $27,214/year. With a median household income of $71,842, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 15.0% of renter households in McCone County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Within Montana, McCone County is more affordable than Chouteau County by roughly 12% ($543/mo vs $485/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daniels County, MT | $177,800 | $588/mo | Same-state comparison near $177,800 home value and $588/mo rent. |
| Chouteau County, MT | $185,100 | $485/mo | Same-state comparison near $185,100 home value and $485/mo rent. |
| Judith Basin County, MT | $214,200 | $502/mo | Same-state comparison near $214,200 home value and $502/mo rent. |
| Powder River County, MT | $149,400 | $609/mo | Same-state comparison near $149,400 home value and $609/mo rent. |
| Rosebud County, MT | $188,900 | $644/mo | Same-state comparison near $188,900 home value and $644/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for McCone County
Is McCone County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in McCone County?
How much income do you need for housing in McCone County?
What should I double-check before moving to McCone County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.