Housing decision brief
Phillips County, MT Housing Market
Phillips 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.
12th lowest home value out of 56 Montana counties with data | 7th lowest rent out of 56
Median home value
$175,000
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$623/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$589/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
3.0x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
24.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$34/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
2 notes
Home-value estimate has a $47,638 ACS margin of error.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$175,000 median home value is 19% below Montana county median
Lower rent
$623/mo is 22% below Montana county median
Rent burden below pressure line
24.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $34/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Lower income base
$58,156 median income is 6% 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.
Wide home-value margin
The ACS margin of error on home value is $47,638, so exact rankings should be read as directional.
Best Fit For
- Buyers comparing homes to local incomes
- Renters trying to keep rent below the burden threshold
- Households weighing ownership against renting
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
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 Phillips 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. | $175,000 | $214,750 | $281,900 | 19% favorable19% below Montana county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $623 | $801 | $1,163 | 22% favorable22% below Montana county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $589 | $777 | $1,672 | 24% favorable24% below Montana county median |
Median household income | $58,156 | $61,858 | $74,755 | 6% pressure6% below Montana county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.85% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 15% favorable15% below Montana county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 24.00% | 24.00% | N/A | Near state median24.00% 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
+$33,236
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$32,913
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 Phillips County is affordable. The median rent is $623/month against a median household income of $58,156, putting rent at 12.9% of income.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Phillips County is $623/month, while owner costs run $589/month. Owning saves approximately $34/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $24,920/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $25,243/year. With a median household income of $58,156, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 24.0% of renter households in Phillips County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Big Horn County where rent averages $686/month, Phillips 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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. |
| Petroleum County, MT | $173,700 | $769/mo | Same-state comparison near $173,700 home value and $769/mo rent. |
| Carter County, MT | $176,600 | $731/mo | Same-state comparison near $176,600 home value and $731/mo rent. |
| Big Horn County, MT | $148,200 | $686/mo | Same-state comparison near $148,200 home value and $686/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Home-value estimate has a $47,638 ACS margin of error.
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Phillips County
Is Phillips County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Phillips County?
How much income do you need for housing in Phillips County?
What should I double-check before moving to Phillips County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.