Housing decision brief
Meagher County, MT Housing Market
Meagher 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.
35th lowest home value out of 56 Montana counties with data | 38th lowest rent out of 56
Median home value
$244,400
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$871/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$682/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
4.3x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
20.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$189/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
2 notes
Home-value estimate has a $102,116 ACS margin of error.
What Works
Rent burden below pressure line
20.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $189/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 97.2 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
Lower income base
$56,215 median income is 9% 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.
Wide home-value margin
The ACS margin of error on home value is $102,116, so exact rankings should be read as directional.
Best Fit For
- Renters trying to keep rent below the burden threshold
- Households weighing ownership against renting
- Long-term owners who care about disaster-risk exposure
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 Meagher 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. | $244,400 | $214,750 | $281,900 | 14% pressure14% above Montana county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $871 | $801 | $1,163 | 9% pressure9% above Montana county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $682 | $777 | $1,672 | 12% favorable12% below Montana county median |
Median household income | $56,215 | $61,858 | $74,755 | 9% pressure9% below Montana county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.70% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 30% favorable30% 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
+$21,375
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$26,986
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 Meagher County is affordable. The median rent is $871/month against a median household income of $56,215, putting rent at 18.6% of income.
Rent vs own
Renters in Meagher County pay $871/month on average, compared to $682/month for homeowners. This market favors buyers by about 22%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $34,840/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $29,229/year. With a median household income of $56,215, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 20.0% of renter households in Meagher County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Park County where rent averages $927/month, Meagher County is approximately 6% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Musselshell County, MT | $221,200 | $865/mo | Same-state comparison near $221,200 home value and $865/mo rent. |
| Silver Bow County, MT | $223,500 | $810/mo | Same-state comparison near $223,500 home value and $810/mo rent. |
| Cascade County, MT | $243,300 | $902/mo | Same-state comparison near $243,300 home value and $902/mo rent. |
| Fergus County, MT | $202,700 | $868/mo | Same-state comparison near $202,700 home value and $868/mo rent. |
| Beaverhead County, MT | $282,000 | $800/mo | Same-state comparison near $282,000 home value and $800/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Home-value estimate has a $102,116 ACS margin of error.
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Meagher County
Is Meagher County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Meagher County?
How much income do you need for housing in Meagher County?
What should I double-check before moving to Meagher County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.