Housing decision brief
Mineral County, MT Housing Market
Mineral County screens as a higher 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.
41st lowest home value out of 56 Montana counties with data | 17th lowest rent out of 56
Median home value
$313,600
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$746/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$984/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
5.1x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
30.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$238/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower rent
$746/mo is 7% below Montana county median
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 92.7 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
Lower income base
$61,117 median income is 1% below Montana county median
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
- Long-term owners who care about disaster-risk exposure
Poor Fit For
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- 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 Mineral 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. | $313,600 | $214,750 | $281,900 | 46% pressure46% above Montana county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $746 | $801 | $1,163 | 7% favorable7% below Montana county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $984 | $777 | $1,672 | 27% pressure27% above Montana county median |
Median household income | $61,117 | $61,858 | $74,755 | Near state median1% below Montana county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.55% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 45% favorable45% below Montana county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 30.00% | 24.00% | N/A | 25% pressure30.00% 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
+$31,277
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$18,946
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Mineral County offers affordable rental housing at a median of $746/month , about 14.6% of the typical household income here.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Mineral County is $746/month, while owner costs run $984/month. Renting saves approximately $238/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $29,840/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $42,171/year. With a median household income of $61,117, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 30.0% of renter households in Mineral County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Mineral County sits 7% less expensive than Beaverhead County ($800/month) in terms of median gross rent.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sanders County, MT | $323,800 | $774/mo | Same-state comparison near $323,800 home value and $774/mo rent. |
| Granite County, MT | $339,500 | $734/mo | Same-state comparison near $339,500 home value and $734/mo rent. |
| Beaverhead County, MT | $282,000 | $800/mo | Same-state comparison near $282,000 home value and $800/mo rent. |
| Powell County, MT | $255,700 | $770/mo | Same-state comparison near $255,700 home value and $770/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 Mineral County
Is Mineral County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Mineral County?
How much income do you need for housing in Mineral County?
What should I double-check before moving to Mineral County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.