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.
15th lowest home value out of 56 Montana counties with data | 4th lowest rent out of 56
Median home value
$197,600
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$536/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$561/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
3.7x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
23.2%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$25/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
2 notes
Home-value estimate has a $44,618 ACS margin of error.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$197,600 median home value is 16% below Montana county median
Lower rent
$536/mo is 34% below Montana county median
Rent burden below pressure line
23.20% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
What to Check
Lower income base
$53,417 median income is 19% 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 $44,618, so exact rankings should be read as directional.
Best Fit For
- Renters trying to keep rent below the burden threshold
- 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. | $197,600 | $235,550 | $281,900 | 16% favorable16% below Montana county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $536 | $818 | $1,163 | 34% favorable34% below Montana county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $561 | $779 | $1,672 | 28% favorable28% below Montana county median |
Median household income | $53,417 | $65,868 | $74,755 | 19% pressure19% below Montana county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.78% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 22% favorable22% below Montana county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 23.20% | 24.00% | N/A | Near state median23.20% 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
+$31,977
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$29,374
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chouteau County, MT | $207,800 | $536/mo | Same-state comparison near $207,800 home value and $536/mo rent. |
| Daniels County, MT | $184,800 | $581/mo | Same-state comparison near $184,800 home value and $581/mo rent. |
| Powder River County, MT | $192,100 | $533/mo | Same-state comparison near $192,100 home value and $533/mo rent. |
| Glacier County, MT | $165,100 | $548/mo | Same-state comparison near $165,100 home value and $548/mo rent. |
| Judith Basin County, MT | $238,300 | $495/mo | Same-state comparison near $238,300 home value and $495/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Home-value estimate has a $44,618 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.