Housing decision brief
Silver Bow County, MT Housing Market
Silver Bow County screens as a higher purchase price, rent that needs comparison, a higher 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.
31st lowest home value out of 56 Montana counties with data | 32nd lowest rent out of 56
Median home value
$223,500
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$810/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$944/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
3.9x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
29.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$134/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Rent burden below pressure line
29.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
What to Check
Lower income base
$57,504 median income is 7% below Montana county median
Tax rate needs attention
1.05% effective property-tax rate is 5% above 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.
Best Fit For
- No strong fit signal was available in the current dataset.
Poor Fit For
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- Buyers focused only on purchase price and ignoring annual property tax
- 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 Silver Bow 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. | $223,500 | $214,750 | $281,900 | Near state median4% above Montana county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $810 | $801 | $1,163 | Near state median1% above Montana county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $944 | $777 | $1,672 | 21% pressure21% above Montana county median |
Median household income | $57,504 | $61,858 | $74,755 | 7% pressure7% below Montana county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.05% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 5% pressure5% above Montana county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 29.00% | 24.00% | N/A | 21% pressure29.00% 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
+$25,104
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$17,047
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
For renters in Silver Bow County, the market is affordable. Expect to pay around $810/month in gross rent, with 29.0% of renter households considered cost-burdened.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Silver Bow County is $810/month, while owner costs run $944/month. Renting saves approximately $134/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $32,400/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $40,457/year. With a median household income of $57,504, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 29.0% of renter households in Silver Bow County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Silver Bow County sits 6% less expensive than Musselshell County ($865/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Musselshell County, MT | $221,200 | $865/mo | Same-state comparison near $221,200 home value and $865/mo rent. |
| Golden Valley County, MT | $203,900 | $769/mo | Same-state comparison near $203,900 home value and $769/mo rent. |
| Meagher County, MT | $244,400 | $871/mo | Same-state comparison near $244,400 home value and $871/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
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Silver Bow County
Is Silver Bow County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Silver Bow County?
How much income do you need for housing in Silver Bow County?
What should I double-check before moving to Silver Bow County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.