Rent Affordability for An Auto Mechanic in Montana

A typical auto mechanic in Montana earns about $45,118 a year, which supports approximately $1,128 a month in rent under the 30% rule. Below, every tracked Montana city is ranked by how local rent compares against that affordability ceiling.

As of May 2026. 1 of 12 cities tracked stay within the 30% rule; 11 are rent-burdened on this salary.

CityMedian rent% of incomeAffordability
Miles City, MT$813/mo21.6%affordable
Laurel, MT$1,286/mo34.2%stretched
Butte, MT$1,314/mo34.9%stretched
Livingston, MT$1,339/mo35.6%stretched
Great Falls, MT$1,367/mo36.4%stretched
Billings, MT$1,458/mo38.8%stretched
Missoula, MT$1,550/mo41.2%rent-burdened
Helena, MT$1,663/mo44.2%rent-burdened
Kalispell, MT$1,852/mo49.3%rent-burdened
Belgrade, MT$2,188/mo58.2%severely rent-burdened
Bozeman, MT$2,227/mo59.2%severely rent-burdened
Whitefish, MT$2,712/mo72.1%severely rent-burdened
Methodology: Salary is the BLS-derived state estimate for Montana. Rent is the latest ZORI monthly value for each city. Affordability uses the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income).