Rent Affordability for A Police Officer in Montana
A typical police officer in Montana earns about $67,998 a year, which supports approximately $1,700 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. 8 of 12 cities tracked stay within the 30% rule; 4 are rent-burdened on this salary.
| City↕ | Median rent↕ | % of income↑ | Affordability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles City, MT | $850/mo | 15% | very comfortable |
| Laurel, MT | $1,240/mo | 21.9% | affordable |
| Great Falls, MT | $1,388/mo | 24.5% | affordable |
| Livingston, MT | $1,406/mo | 24.8% | affordable |
| Butte, MT | $1,410/mo | 24.9% | affordable |
| Billings, MT | $1,437/mo | 25.4% | affordable |
| Missoula, MT | $1,550/mo | 27.4% | affordable |
| Helena, MT | $1,617/mo | 28.5% | affordable |
| Kalispell, MT | $1,952/mo | 34.4% | stretched |
| Bozeman, MT | $2,164/mo | 38.2% | stretched |
| Belgrade, MT | $2,344/mo | 41.4% | rent-burdened |
| Whitefish, MT | $2,841/mo | 50.1% | severely rent-burdened |