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. 5 of 12 cities tracked stay within the 30% rule; 7 are rent-burdened on this salary.
| City↕ | Median rent↕ | % of income↑ | Affordability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles City, MT | $813/mo | 17.7% | very comfortable |
| Laurel, MT | $1,286/mo | 27.9% | affordable |
| Butte, MT | $1,314/mo | 28.5% | affordable |
| Livingston, MT | $1,339/mo | 29.1% | affordable |
| Great Falls, MT | $1,367/mo | 29.7% | affordable |
| Billings, MT | $1,458/mo | 31.7% | stretched |
| Missoula, MT | $1,550/mo | 33.7% | stretched |
| Helena, MT | $1,663/mo | 36.1% | stretched |
| Kalispell, MT | $1,852/mo | 40.2% | rent-burdened |
| Belgrade, MT | $2,188/mo | 47.5% | rent-burdened |
| Bozeman, MT | $2,227/mo | 48.3% | rent-burdened |
| Whitefish, MT | $2,712/mo | 58.9% | severely rent-burdened |