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City · 76,514 residents · Missoula County, Montana

Missoula , Montana

In Missoula, a typical home is worth $473,100 and typical rent is $1,189 a month. Compared with all of Missoula County, typical household income is 7% lower and the share of households that own their home is 12 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $473,100

    About the same as the county

    26% above Montana

    • Missoula
    • County
    • Montana

  • Typical rent

    $1,189a month

    About the same as the county

    10% above Montana

    • Missoula
    • County
    • Montana

  • Typical household income

    $70,392a year

    7% below the county

    3% below Montana

    • Missoula
    • County
    • Montana

  • Households that own their home

    47%

    12 points below the county

    22 points below Montana

    • Missoula
    • County
    • Montana

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$563,970
1.1% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$1,622 a month
2.7% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Missoula is in Missoula County. The FHA loan limit ($598,000 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Missoula County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Missoula apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Missoula has the 2nd lowest homeownership rate of the 26 cities in Montana with more than 5,000 people (47%).

  2. Nearby, in Hamilton, the typical home value is $310,000: 34% less than in Missoula ($473,100).

  3. Nearby, in Polson, the typical rent is $912: 23% less than in Missoula ($1,189).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Missoula

What homes there are in Missoula, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

No kind of home is the majority in Missoula; the largest group, detached houses, adds up to 49%, less than in Missoula County (58%).

Year built

The typical home in Missoula was built in 1981, 4 years before the typical one in Missoula County.

In Missoula, 26% of homes have 1 bedroom or none (studios); 45% have 3 bedrooms or more, against 54% in Missoula County.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes

The FHA loan limit for Missoula County is $598,000, and about 67% of owner-occupied homes in Missoula are worth less than that.

Monthly rent with utilities

By rent, most homes in Missoula cost less than HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent ($1,690): about 77%.

With a mortgage

$1,958 a month

Missoula County: $1,968 a month

Without a mortgage

$747 a month

Missoula County: $708 a month

Owners with a mortgage

69%

Missoula County: 64%

Owning costs about the same in Missoula as in Missoula County: with a mortgage, $1,958 a month; without one, $747.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

Much as in Missoula County, the typical home value in Missoula rose 69% since 2015–2019.

The typical rent in Missoula rose 38% since 2015–2019, about the same as in Missoula County (38%).

To compare: typical income in Missoula rose 48%; the home, +69%; the rent, +38%.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureMissoulaMissoula CountyMontanaUnited States
Rental vacancy 4.0%3.8%5.3%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate0.9%0.9%
More than one person per room 1.5%1.5%1.8%3.4%
People per household 2.102.232.372.53
Drive alone 67%69%71%69%
Carpool 8%8%10%9%
Public transit 2%1%1%3%
Walk or bike 8%6%5%3%
Work from home 15%15%13%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate1%1%2%
Typical commute 10 to 19 minutes10 to 19 minutes10 to 19 minutes20 to 29 minutes

In Missoula, the rental vacancy rate is 4.0%, about the same as in Missoula County.

In Missoula, 1.5% of households live with more than one person per room, about the same as in Missoula County.

Fewer people live in each home here: 2.10 on average, against 2.23 in Missoula County.

The car rules in Missoula: 67% of workers drive to work alone, and the typical trip takes 10 to 19 minutes.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Missoula?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Missoula, worth $473,100, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 67% of the typical household income in Missoula, which is $70,392 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $168,166 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Missoula County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Missoula. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $16,559 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$3,924

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$464,530
Total interest
$668,350
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $7,989 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,642 a month

  • Tight

    $1,642 to $2,112 a month

  • Hard

    more than $2,112 a month

    Your payment · 67%

Compared with the typical household income in Missoula ($70,392 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$3,924
Principal & interest$3,147
Property tax$371
Home insurance$197
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$209

You need at least $16,559 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Missoula and Missoula County

Missoula is in Missoula County, Montana. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Missoula's own numbers

Typical home value
$473,100
Typical monthly rent
$1,189
Typical yearly household income
$70,392
Households that own their home
47%
Effective property tax rate
0.94%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Missoula County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$598,000
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,690
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+69%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
2.1%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Missoula County.

Everything about Missoula County

Buying

Buying a home in Missoula

A typical home in Missoula is worth $473,100: about the same as the county and 26% above Montana. With the typical household income in Missoula ($70,392 a year), a typical home costs 6.7 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Missoula 6.7 years
  • County 6.2 years
  • Montana 5.2 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Missoula County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Missoula County rose 122% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Missoula County.

Period County Montana U.S.
Last year (2025) +1.7% +2.3% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +69% +62% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +122% +105% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Missoula next to Missoula County, Montana and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Missoula $473,100
  • County $472,100
  • Montana $375,800
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Missoula $1,189
  • County $1,190
  • Montana $1,081
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Missoula $70,392
  • County $75,598
  • Montana $72,509
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Missoula next to Missoula County and Montana
Measure Missoula Missoula County Montana U.S.
Typical home value $473,100 $472,100 $375,800 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,189 $1,190 $1,081 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $70,392 $75,598 $72,509 $80,734
Households that own their home 47% 59% 69% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $4,450 $4,150 $2,693 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.94% 0.88% 0.72% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 50% 48% 45% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Missoula County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Missoula

For a typical $473,100 home in Missoula, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Missoula's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $3,924a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $16,559
    Cash to close
    $30,752
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $209

  • Conventional, 5% down $3,837a month

    Down payment
    $23,655
    Cash to close
    $37,848
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $225

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $3,132a month

    Down payment
    $94,620
    Cash to close
    $108,813
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $3,569a month

    Down payment
    $70,965
    Cash to close
    $85,158
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Missoula and for Missoula County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Missoula

0.94%of the home’s value each year

$4,450 a year for the typical owner in Missoula.

  • Missoula 0.94%
  • County 0.88%
  • Montana 0.72%

What Montana publishes Homestead reduced tax rate for your principal residence (Montana Department of Revenue)

Exemptions and deadlines in Montana

Flood risk in Missoula County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Missoula County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
2.1%
944
Of those, with NFIP insurance
14%
County Montana U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 2.1% 2.6% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 14% 16% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Missoula

Typical rent in Missoula is $1,189 a month: about the same as the county. In Missoula, 50% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Missoula County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,690 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $32.50 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Missoula County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $1,177 $22.63 $47,080
1 bedroom $1,433 $27.56 $57,320
2 bedrooms $1,690 $32.50 $67,600
3 bedrooms $2,340 $45.00 $93,600
4 bedrooms $2,825 $54.33 $113,000

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Missoula

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Missoula has 5 ZIP codes with their own.

For 2 bedrooms it runs from $1,600 in 59801 to $1,840 in 59803.

2 of the 5 are above the fair market rent for Missoula County ($1,690).

  • 59801 $1,600$2,220
  • 59802 $1,610$2,230
  • 59803 $1,840$2,550
  • 59808 $1,820$2,520
  • 59812 $1,600$2,220

3 of these ZIP codes cross the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Missoula when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Missoula

HUD lists 42 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Missoula. These are the largest.

  • Creekside Apartments 1405 E Broadway St, Missoula 59802 160 homes, 159 low-income · Studio: 12 · 1 bd: 40 · 2 bd: 88 · 3 bd: 20 · In service since 1996 · For families
  • Clark Fork Riverside 301 W Front St, Missoula 59802 133 homes, 131 low-income · For older adults (406) 721-2439
  • Parkside Village Apartments 3602 Stephens Ave, Missoula 59801 104 low-income homes · Studio: 15 · 1 bd: 20 · 2 bd: 68 · 3 bd: 1 · In service since 2000
  • Wildflower Apartments 1250 34th St, Missoula 59801 96 homes, 94 low-income · Studio: 20 · 1 bd: 20 · 2 bd: 36 · 3 bd: 20 · In service since 1994 · For families (406) 721-2113
  • Missoula Manor Homes 909 W Central Ave, Missoula 59801 126 homes, 88 low-income · For older adults (406) 728-3210

See all 43 buildings in Missoula County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Missoula

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

There is 1 HUD-approved agency with an office in Missoula County; none says it serves in Spanish.

A man shakes hands with the specialist who helped him with his loan, in the kitchen of his new home.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Missoula

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Missoula or Missoula County. The ones below are statewide in Montana: they work in Missoula the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Montana

  • Bond Advantage Down Payment Assistance

    Statewide in Montana

    Montana Board of Housing loan for up to 5% of the price (maximum $15,000) for the down payment, over 15 years with low payments and the same rate as the bond program's first mortgage; there is also a Plus version, 0% and deferred, for lower incomes. Offered by Montana Board of Housing (Montana Department of Commerce).

    RepayableDeferred

    See the program Official page

  • Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC)

    Statewide in Montana

    Montana Board of Housing certificate that lets you take 20% of the interest you pay each year on your mortgage off your federal taxes, up to $2,000 a year, while you live in the home; for first-time buyers, with a loan that is not from another Board program. Offered by Montana Board of Housing (Montana Department of Commerce).

    Tax credit

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Missoula

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Missoula, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Homeword, Inc.

    1535 Liberty Ln Ste 116A, Missoula · 0 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 5 more
    (406) 532-4663

  • Headwaters RC&D Area, Inc.

    65 E Broadway St, Butte · 93 miles away

    • Workshops for new owners
    • Pre-purchase counseling
    • and 2 more
    (406) 533-6784

  • Rocky Mountain Development Council

    200 S Cruse Ave, Helena · 96 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 2 more
    (406) 447-1680

Every agency in Missoula County All counseling agencies in Montana

Help in Spanish near Missoula

None of the 3 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Missoula

HUD’s record names them for Missoula or Missoula County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

  • Missoula Housing Authority Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (406) 549-4113

All housing agencies in Montana Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Missoula County

These cities are also in Missoula County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Missoula County Housing in Montana

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Missoula, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Missoula County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Missoula.

All guides
A mother and her daughters smile together on a mountain trail with a snowy peak behind them.

Questions

Housing questions about Missoula

Short answers with the numbers for Missoula and all of Missoula County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Missoula?

The typical home value in Missoula is $473,100, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Missoula County it is $472,100.

How much does it cost to rent in Missoula?

Typical rent in Missoula is $1,189 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Missoula County is $1,690.

What is the FHA loan limit in Missoula?

Missoula uses the FHA limit for all of Missoula County (2026): $598,000 for a one-unit home and $1,150,000 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Missoula?

The typical homeowner in Missoula pays $4,450 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.94% of the home’s value; in Missoula County, the rate is 0.88%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Missoula?

There is 1 HUD-approved counseling agency with an office in Missoula County. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).