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MTMontana rankings

Most affordable towns in Montana

Ranked by how many years of a typical MT household income ($72,509) it takes to buy each town's median home. Lower is easier to buy in. 42 towns with 2,500+ residents.

U.S. Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year

1 Wolf Point 1.6 yrs $118,600 median home 2 Hardin 2.0 yrs $147,100 median home Map of Cut Bank 3 Cut Bank 2.3 yrs $164,100 median home
#TownYears of incomeHome valueMedian income
1 Wolf Point2,602 people 1.6 yrs $118,600 $52,868
2 Hardin3,742 people 2.0 yrs $147,100 $60,423
3 Map of Cut Bank Cut Bank3,028 people 2.3 yrs $164,100 $49,432
4 Map of Glendive Glendive4,810 people 2.5 yrs $182,600 $72,670
5 North Browning3,144 people 2.6 yrs $187,500 $37,155
6 Conrad2,618 people 2.6 yrs $188,900 $47,857
7 Glasgow3,190 people 2.7 yrs $195,700 $90,310
8 Map of Lewistown Lewistown6,087 people 2.7 yrs $198,400 $48,750
9 Miles City8,407 people 2.8 yrs $200,200 $67,727
10 Map of Havre Havre9,258 people 2.9 yrs $211,700 $50,329
11 Anaconda-Deer Lodge County9,597 people 3.2 yrs $231,700 $57,527
12 Map of Shelby Shelby3,216 people 3.2 yrs $232,700 $58,413
13 Laurel7,215 people 3.2 yrs $235,100 $68,474
14 Lockwood7,181 people 3.2 yrs $235,400 $75,700
15 Sidney6,171 people 3.3 yrs $236,900 $62,538
16 Map of Deer Lodge Deer Lodge3,021 people 3.4 yrs $247,600 $60,302
17 Map of Butte-Silver Bow Butte-Silver Bow35,785 people 3.5 yrs $255,200 $61,754
18 Dillon4,085 people 3.5 yrs $256,700 $61,134
19 Great Falls60,329 people 3.5 yrs $257,000 $63,373
20 Map of Libby Libby3,042 people 3.5 yrs $257,400 $34,143
21 Map of Hamilton Hamilton5,101 people 4.3 yrs $310,000 $49,204
22 Helena Valley Southeast9,108 people 4.6 yrs $331,500 $74,075
23 Evergreen9,611 people 4.7 yrs $340,800 $76,446
24 Billings119,434 people 4.7 yrs $343,400 $73,712
25 Polson5,428 people 4.9 yrs $356,300 $53,418
26 Helena Valley West Central8,056 people 5.1 yrs $367,200 $90,082
27 Red Lodge2,502 people 5.3 yrs $380,700 $55,750
28 Columbia Falls5,615 people 5.3 yrs $384,400 $75,766
29 Helena33,639 people 5.3 yrs $387,300 $71,036
30 Livingston8,780 people 5.4 yrs $392,400 $65,861
31 Helena Valley Northwest5,183 people 5.6 yrs $404,200 $100,605
32 Map of Kalispell Kalispell28,504 people 5.9 yrs $428,000 $63,415
33 Lolo4,314 people 6.0 yrs $431,800 $86,065
34 Missoula76,514 people 6.5 yrs $473,100 $70,392
35 Belgrade11,872 people 7.4 yrs $535,200 $97,328
36 Orchard Homes5,588 people 7.6 yrs $553,700 $64,904
37 Montana City3,092 people 7.9 yrs $571,200 $129,755
38 Helena Valley Northeast4,659 people 8.0 yrs $576,700 $140,517
39 Four Corners5,791 people 8.9 yrs $648,400 $100,917
40 Map of Bigfork Bigfork5,565 people 9.3 yrs $674,600 $85,307
41 Whitefish8,749 people 9.4 yrs $684,300 $73,811
42 Map of Bozeman Bozeman56,114 people 9.5 yrs $687,900 $85,747

How this ranking works

We divide each town’s median home value by the MT median household income ($72,509). The result is how many years of a typical paycheck it takes to buy a typical home there. Lower is more affordable. Across Montana as a whole it’s 5.2 years.

Why not each town’s own income? That would rank wealthy towns with half-million-dollar homes as “affordable” only because their residents earn so much. One shared income answers the question people actually ask: where could a typical family afford to live?

Only towns with at least 2,500 residents are ranked; Census estimates for smaller places are too uncertain. Population and income: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates. Town photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each town’s page.

Same ranking in other states

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