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 | $1,240/mo | 26.9% | affordable |
| Great Falls, MT | $1,388/mo | 30.1% | stretched |
| Livingston, MT | $1,406/mo | 30.5% | stretched |
| Butte, MT | $1,410/mo | 30.6% | stretched |
| Billings, MT | $1,437/mo | 31.2% | stretched |
| Missoula, MT | $1,550/mo | 33.7% | stretched |
| Helena, MT | $1,617/mo | 35.1% | stretched |
| Kalispell, MT | $1,952/mo | 42.4% | rent-burdened |
| Bozeman, MT | $2,164/mo | 47% | rent-burdened |
| Belgrade, MT | $2,344/mo | 50.9% | severely rent-burdened |
| Whitefish, MT | $2,841/mo | 61.7% | severely rent-burdened |