Can A Registered Nurse Afford Rent in Helena, MT?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 24% of gross income.
Helena rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Montana state estimate).
About rent and a registered nurse salary
Rent is the single largest fixed cost most renters carry, and the rent-to-income ratio is the simplest measure of whether a city is livable on a given salary. For renters earning a typical registered-nurse income, the 30% rule supports about $2,360 a month in rent. That margin covers comfortable one-bedroom rent in the vast majority of US metros but tightens significantly in the highest-rent coastal cities, where rent can claim 40% or more of an RN paycheck. The per-city pages below show the local rent, the local nurse-pay estimate, and where that combination sits on the affordability scale.
Cheaper rent nearby
These Montana cities have lower median rent than Helena, which improves the affordability math on a registered nurse salary:
Compare with full rent data for Helena
View full rent data for Helena, MT →Frequently asked questions
Can a registered nurse afford rent in Helena, MT?
Median rent in Helena is $1,663 a month. A typical registered nurse in Montana earns about $83,142 a year, which makes that rent 24% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a registered nurse afford in Helena?
Using the 30% rule, a registered nurse salary in Montana (~$83,142/yr) supports up to $2,079 a month in rent. Helena's current median rent is $1,663/mo, which leaves a $416/mo buffer.
How many hours does a registered nurse work to cover rent in Helena?
At an hourly equivalent of about $40 an hour, a registered nurse in Montana works roughly 41.6 hours a month to cover Helena's median rent of $1,663.
Where is rent cheaper than Helena for a registered nurse?
Nearby Montana cities with lower median rent include Livingston ($1,600/mo), Missoula ($1,568/mo), Missoula ($1,550/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a registered nurse salary.