Housing decision brief
Powder River County, MT Housing Market
Powder River 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.
7th lowest home value out of 56 Montana counties with data | 6th lowest rent out of 56
Median home value
$149,400
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$609/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$713/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.2x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
16.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$104/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
2 notes
Home-value estimate has a $50,339 ACS margin of error.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$149,400 median home value is 30% below Montana county median
Lower rent
$609/mo is 24% below Montana county median
Rent burden below pressure line
16.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 96.0 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.
Wide home-value margin
The ACS margin of error on home value is $50,339, 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
- 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 Powder River 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. | $149,400 | $214,750 | $281,900 | 30% favorable30% below Montana county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $609 | $801 | $1,163 | 24% favorable24% below Montana county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $713 | $777 | $1,672 | 8% favorable8% below Montana county median |
Median household income | $68,009 | $61,858 | $74,755 | 10% favorable10% above Montana county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.83% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 17% favorable17% below Montana county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 16.00% | 24.00% | N/A | 33% favorable16.00% 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
+$43,649
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$37,452
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 Powder River County is affordable. The median rent is $609/month against a median household income of $68,009, putting rent at 10.7% of income.
Rent vs own
At $609/month rent versus $713/month in owner costs, renting is roughly $104/month cheaper , a 15% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $24,360/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $30,557/year. With a median household income of $68,009, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 16.0% of renter households in Powder River County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Deer Lodge County where rent averages $661/month, Powder River County is approximately 8% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big Horn County, MT | $148,200 | $686/mo | Same-state comparison near $148,200 home value and $686/mo rent. |
| Phillips County, MT | $175,000 | $623/mo | Same-state comparison near $175,000 home value and $623/mo rent. |
| Blaine County, MT | $124,900 | $689/mo | Same-state comparison near $124,900 home value and $689/mo rent. |
| Daniels County, MT | $177,800 | $588/mo | Same-state comparison near $177,800 home value and $588/mo rent. |
| McLean County, KY | $145,600 | $602/mo | Out-of-state peer near $145,600 home value and $602/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Home-value estimate has a $50,339 ACS margin of error.
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Powder River County
Is Powder River County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Powder River County?
How much income do you need for housing in Powder River County?
What should I double-check before moving to Powder River County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.