Most affordable counties to rent in Montana
Ranked by how much of the typical renter household's income the typical rent takes. Blaine County is the most affordable at 18.0%; Sanders County the least affordable at 34.8%.
| County | Rent-to-income | Median gross rent | Median renter income | Renters paying 30%+ | 2 BR FMR FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Blaine County | 18.0% | $660 | $43,889 | 29% | $1,187 |
| 2. Jefferson County | 18.9% | $925 | $58,578 | 30% | $1,410 |
| 3. Dawson County | 19.6% | $815 | $49,931 | 36% | $1,257 |
| 4. Rosebud County | 19.6% | $672 | $41,089 | 38% | $1,189 |
| 5. Richland County | 19.9% | $917 | $55,197 | 28% | $1,315 |
| 6. Beaverhead County | 20.6% | $837 | $48,702 | 40% | $1,074 |
| 7. Powell County | 20.8% | $820 | $47,326 | 17% | $1,136 |
| 8. Fergus County | 21.7% | $954 | $52,686 | 40% | $1,450 |
| 9. Pondera County | 22.0% | $784 | $42,750 | 36% | $1,257 |
| 10. Roosevelt County | 23.0% | $705 | $36,838 | 32% | $1,203 |
| 11. Toole County | 23.7% | $826 | $41,849 | 41% | $1,233 |
| 12. Park County | 24.1% | $976 | $48,615 | 51% | $1,608 |
| 13. Stillwater County | 24.2% | $961 | $47,583 | 29% | $1,271 |
| 14. Valley County | 24.5% | $767 | $37,547 | 43% | $1,202 |
| 15. Lewis and Clark County | 25.0% | $1,102 | $52,861 | 41% | $1,653 |
| 16. Hill County | 25.5% | $776 | $36,556 | 39% | $1,310 |
| 17. Cascade County | 26.6% | $939 | $42,381 | 44% | $1,308 |
| 18. Custer County | 26.8% | $893 | $40,000 | 40% | $1,612 |
| 19. Lake County | 26.9% | $901 | $40,231 | 41% | $1,448 |
| 20. Silver Bow County | 27.9% | $863 | $37,161 | 47% | $1,417 |
| 21. Flathead County | 28.5% | $1,142 | $48,137 | 51% | $1,682 |
| 22. Yellowstone County | 28.8% | $1,131 | $47,148 | 47% | $1,432 |
| 23. Missoula County | 29.0% | $1,190 | $49,309 | 48% | $1,690 |
| 24. Gallatin County | 29.6% | $1,694 | $68,740 | 48% | $2,109 |
| 25. Ravalli County | 30.8% | $1,054 | $41,079 | 42% | $1,426 |
| 26. Lincoln County | 31.2% | $762 | $29,317 | 46% | $1,173 |
| 27. Sanders County | 34.8% | $820 | $28,304 | 56% | $1,117 |
Rent-to-income = median gross rent × 12 ÷ median household income of renters. Both are medians of different households, so this is an area comparison, not the burden of any one household. 29 of 56 counties are left out because they have fewer than 500 renter households, a Census margin of error is too large (coefficient of variation above 15%) or a figure is not published.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates 2020–2024 and 2015–2019 (tables B25064, B25119, B25070). ± = margin of error at 90% confidence. Dollar figures are not adjusted for inflation. FMR: HUD FY2027.
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