Renting
Data from November 2026
Renting in Montana
The typical rent in Montana is $1,081 a month (Average 2020–2024). HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms is about $1,529 (Fiscal year 2027, population-weighted average): paying it without spending more than 30% of income takes $29.40 an hour full time. Here are the figures by size and by county, how many households spend too much, and where to ask for help.
Key numbers in Montana
- Typical rent
- $1,081
- per month, Average 2020–2024
- 23% less than the U.S.
- Fair market rent, 2 BR
- $1,529
- HUD, Fiscal year 2027, weighted average
- From $1,014 to $2,109 depending on the county.
- Wage needed
- $29.40
- per hour, 2 bedrooms
- About $61,160 a year to stay under 30% of income.
- Burdened households
- 45%
- spend 30% or more on rent
- Nationwide, 51%.
Fair market rent
What HUD sets by size
HUD publishes a fair market rent every year by area and home size; Section 8 and other programs use it to set what they cover. Here it runs from the cheapest to the most expensive area of Montana, with the hourly wage it takes to pay it without going past 30% of income (40 hours a week).
Includes basic utilities. It is neither the lowest nor the highest rent on the market: it is a reference point.
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Studio
Wage: $14.90–$28.25 an hour
Lowest: $775 Highest: $1,469
-
1 bedroom
Wage: $15.52–$31.00 an hour
Lowest: $807 Highest: $1,612
-
2 bedrooms
Wage: $19.50–$40.56 an hour
Lowest: $1,014 Highest: $2,109
-
3 bedrooms
Wage: $25.60–$56.15 an hour
Lowest: $1,331 Highest: $2,920
-
4 bedrooms
Wage: $29.81–$67.06 an hour
Lowest: $1,550 Highest: $3,487
Each bar runs from the cheapest area to the most expensive; all share one scale that starts at zero. Source: Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Fair Market Rents (HUD) (external site)
Rent burden
How many households spend too much
HUD counts rent as a burden when it reaches 30% of income or more. In Montana, 45% of renter households are in that position; nationwide, 51% (Average 2020–2024, Census).
Paying too much rent leaves little for food, transportation and savings. If that is you, the agencies below can guide you for free.
45%
of renter households spend 30% or more of their income on rent.
141,459 renter households in Montana
- Spend half or more of their income 21%
- Spend 30% or more, but less than half 24%
- Spend less than 30% 55%
By place
Every county, with its figure
The 2-bedroom fair market rent, the typical rent, the hourly wage it takes and the share of burdened households, in every county in Montana. Highest fair market rent first.
| Gallatin County | $2,109 | $1,694 | $40.56 | 48% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broadwater County | $1,755 | $955 | $33.75 | 58% |
| Missoula County | $1,690 | $1,190 | $32.50 | 48% |
| Flathead County | $1,682 | $1,142 | $32.35 | 51% |
| Lewis and Clark County | $1,653 | $1,102 | $31.79 | 40% |
| Custer County | $1,612 | $893 | $31.00 | 39% |
| Park County | $1,608 | $976 | $30.92 | 51% |
| Wibaux County | $1,552 | $963 | $29.85 | — |
| Petroleum County | $1,552 | $800 | $29.85 | — |
| Prairie County | $1,552 | $627 | $29.85 | — |
| McCone County | $1,552 | $556 | $29.85 | — |
| Treasure County | $1,552 | — | $29.85 | 42% |
| Madison County | $1,543 | $1,000 | $29.67 | 41% |
| Fergus County | $1,450 | $954 | $27.88 | 40% |
| Lake County | $1,448 | $901 | $27.85 | 41% |
| Yellowstone County | $1,432 | $1,131 | $27.54 | 47% |
| Carbon County | $1,432 | $844 | $27.54 | — |
| Ravalli County | $1,426 | $1,054 | $27.42 | 42% |
| Silver Bow County | $1,417 | $863 | $27.25 | 47% |
| Jefferson County | $1,410 | $925 | $27.12 | 30% |
| Fallon County | $1,404 | $779 | $27.00 | — |
| Meagher County | $1,396 | $1,263 | $26.85 | — |
| Mineral County | $1,390 | $801 | $26.73 | 48% |
| Teton County | $1,363 | $730 | $26.21 | 42% |
| Musselshell County | $1,348 | — | $25.92 | 61% |
| Golden Valley County | $1,342 | $783 | $25.81 | — |
| Richland County | $1,315 | $917 | $25.29 | 28% |
| Hill County | $1,310 | $776 | $25.19 | 39% |
| Chouteau County | $1,310 | $536 | $25.19 | 33% |
| Cascade County | $1,308 | $939 | $25.15 | 44% |
| Big Horn County | $1,306 | $697 | $25.12 | — |
| Glacier County | $1,278 | $548 | $24.58 | 41% |
| Stillwater County | $1,271 | $961 | $24.44 | 29% |
| Dawson County | $1,257 | $815 | $24.17 | 36% |
| Pondera County | $1,257 | $784 | $24.17 | 36% |
| Carter County | $1,247 | $824 | $23.98 | — |
| Toole County | $1,233 | $826 | $23.71 | 41% |
| Sheridan County | $1,214 | $746 | $23.35 | 51% |
| Roosevelt County | $1,203 | $705 | $23.13 | 32% |
| Valley County | $1,202 | $767 | $23.12 | 43% |
| Rosebud County | $1,189 | $672 | $22.87 | 38% |
| Blaine County | $1,187 | $660 | $22.83 | 29% |
| Sweet Grass County | $1,179 | $1,149 | $22.67 | 42% |
| Lincoln County | $1,173 | $762 | $22.56 | 46% |
| Judith Basin County | $1,162 | $495 | $22.35 | — |
| Powell County | $1,136 | $820 | $21.85 | — |
| Wheatland County | $1,119 | $730 | $21.52 | — |
| Sanders County | $1,117 | $820 | $21.48 | 56% |
| Garfield County | $1,101 | $725 | $21.17 | 39% |
| Deer Lodge County | $1,082 | $696 | $20.81 | 34% |
| Beaverhead County | $1,074 | $837 | $20.65 | 39% |
| Granite County | $1,055 | $675 | $20.29 | — |
| Liberty County | $1,036 | $710 | $19.92 | 45% |
| Powder River County | $1,028 | $533 | $19.77 | — |
| Daniels County | $1,026 | $581 | $19.73 | — |
| Phillips County | $1,014 | $536 | $19.50 | 39% |
- Gallatin $2,109$40.56
- Broadwater $1,755$33.75
- Missoula $1,690$32.50
- Flathead $1,682$32.35
- Lewis and Clark $1,653$31.79
- Custer $1,612$31.00
- Park $1,608$30.92
- Wibaux $1,552$29.85
- Petroleum $1,552$29.85
- Prairie $1,552$29.85
- McCone $1,552$29.85
- Treasure $1,552$29.85
- Madison $1,543$29.67
- Fergus $1,450$27.88
- Lake $1,448$27.85
- Yellowstone $1,432$27.54
- Carbon $1,432$27.54
- Ravalli $1,426$27.42
- Silver Bow $1,417$27.25
- Jefferson $1,410$27.12
- Fallon $1,404$27.00
- Meagher $1,396$26.85
- Mineral $1,390$26.73
- Teton $1,363$26.21
- Musselshell $1,348$25.92
- Golden Valley $1,342$25.81
- Richland $1,315$25.29
- Hill $1,310$25.19
- Chouteau $1,310$25.19
- Cascade $1,308$25.15
- Big Horn $1,306$25.12
- Glacier $1,278$24.58
- Stillwater $1,271$24.44
- Dawson $1,257$24.17
- Pondera $1,257$24.17
- Carter $1,247$23.98
- Toole $1,233$23.71
- Sheridan $1,214$23.35
- Roosevelt $1,203$23.13
- Valley $1,202$23.12
- Rosebud $1,189$22.87
- Blaine $1,187$22.83
- Sweet Grass $1,179$22.67
- Lincoln $1,173$22.56
- Judith Basin $1,162$22.35
- Powell $1,136$21.85
- Wheatland $1,119$21.52
- Sanders $1,117$21.48
- Garfield $1,101$21.17
- Deer Lodge $1,082$20.81
- Beaverhead $1,074$20.65
- Granite $1,055$20.29
- Liberty $1,036$19.92
- Powder River $1,028$19.77
- Daniels $1,026$19.73
- Phillips $1,014$19.50
Source: Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Fair Market Rents (HUD) (external site) Source: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates Average 2020–2024 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (external site)
Your rights as a tenant in Montana
What Montana law says about deposits, notices and eviction, with the citation for each rule.
See your rights, rule by ruleA summary of state law, not legal advice. Cities may have additional rules.
- If I fall behind on rent, what notice must I get?
- 3 days
- Mont. Code Ann. §70-24-422(2)
- How much notice before a rent increase?
- 15 days
- Mont. Code Ann. §70-26-109
- Only a court order can remove youMont. Code Ann. §70-24-428
- Protection from retaliationMont. Code Ann. §70-24-431(1)
Help
Where to ask for help with rent in Montana
Free or official help. Demand usually exceeds funding, so waiting lists are common: ask at the agency for your county.
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11 counseling agencies
HUD-approved; 1 serve in Spanish. They counsel renters for free.
See the agencies
Tool
How much rent can you afford?
Enter your income and compare with the fair market rent in your county.
Frequently asked questions
Which county in Montana is the most expensive to rent in?
By 2-bedroom fair market rent (Fiscal year 2027), the most expensive is Gallatin County ($2,109, about $40.56 an hour) and the cheapest Phillips County ($1,014, about $19.50 an hour).
How many households in Montana spend too much on rent?
45% of renter households in Montana spend 30% or more of their income on rent, and 21% spend half or more (Average 2020–2024, Census). Nationwide, 51%.
What is fair market rent?
A figure HUD publishes every year by area and home size; Section 8 and other programs use it to set what they pay. It is not a market price or a cap on landlords. In Montana, for 2 bedrooms in Fiscal year 2027, it runs from $1,014 to $2,109 depending on the county.
Where do I ask for help paying rent in Montana?
12 public housing agencies run Section 8 vouchers and public housing in Montana; demand usually exceeds funding and waiting lists are common. HUD-approved counseling agencies counsel for free. Your county page shows the nearest ones.