Rent Affordability for A Firefighter in Montana
A typical firefighter in Montana earns about $55,273 a year, which supports approximately $1,382 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. 2 of 12 cities tracked stay within the 30% rule; 10 are rent-burdened on this salary.
| City↕ | Median rent↕ | % of income↑ | Affordability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles City, MT | $850/mo | 18.5% | very comfortable |
| Laurel, MT | $1,282/mo | 27.8% | affordable |
| Billings, MT | $1,393/mo | 30.2% | stretched |
| Great Falls, MT | $1,433/mo | 31.1% | stretched |
| Butte, MT | $1,443/mo | 31.3% | stretched |
| Livingston, MT | $1,473/mo | 32% | stretched |
| Missoula, MT | $1,622/mo | 35.2% | stretched |
| Helena, MT | $1,630/mo | 35.4% | stretched |
| Kalispell, MT | $1,888/mo | 41% | rent-burdened |
| Belgrade, MT | $2,134/mo | 46.3% | rent-burdened |
| Bozeman, MT | $2,199/mo | 47.7% | rent-burdened |
| Whitefish, MT | $2,790/mo | 60.6% | severely rent-burdened |