Rents are 9% below what Missoula's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,622 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
January. Asking rents in Missoula usually run 1.7% below trend in January and 1.6% above it in July, about $54 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Missoula is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Missoula rose 54.4% while median household income rose 48.4% ($47,426 to $70,392). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Missoula is 60.6% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent rose in 8 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($70,392) is $1,760 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,630); a 3-bedroom is $2,285.
The priciest of 4 ZIP codes in Missoula, 59803 ($2,384/mo), costs 1.7 times the cheapest, 59802 ($1,408/mo).
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Missoula. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Missoula, MT is roughly split between renters and owners, skews toward younger working-age adults, 53% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Missoula, MT has changed in 5 years
Since 2021, the typical rent in Missoula, MT has increased from $1,215 to $1,622, a 33.5% change over five years. On the earnings side, the typical household in Missoula, MT now reports about $70,392, up from $54,423 in 2021. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. The population has grown by 4.4% since 2021, moving from about 73,300 residents to roughly 76,514. College-educated residents now make up 53% of adults here, versus 50.3% in 2021. For context, the 2021 to 2026 window covers an unusually volatile run for US rents nationally, and Missoula, MT reflects that arc in its own way.
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At $1,622/mo, how Missoula rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Missoula rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Missoula. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Missoula
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Missoula is $1,622/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,143/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,630/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,363/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,285/mo.
At 28% of local median household income ($70,392/yr), Missoula ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.9% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does Missoula rent compare to other cities in Montana?
At $1,622/mo, rent takes ~28% of Missoula's median household income ($70,392/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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