Can A Registered Nurse Afford Rent in Missoula, MT?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 22.4% of gross income.
Missoula 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 Missoula, which improves the affordability math on a registered nurse salary:
Compare with full rent data for Missoula
View full rent data for Missoula, MT →Frequently asked questions
Can a registered nurse afford rent in Missoula, MT?
Median rent in Missoula is $1,550 a month. A typical registered nurse in Montana earns about $83,142 a year, which makes that rent 22.4% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a registered nurse afford in Missoula?
Using the 30% rule, a registered nurse salary in Montana (~$83,142/yr) supports up to $2,079 a month in rent. Missoula's current median rent is $1,550/mo, which leaves a $529/mo buffer.
How many hours does a registered nurse work to cover rent in Missoula?
At an hourly equivalent of about $40 an hour, a registered nurse in Montana works roughly 38.8 hours a month to cover Missoula's median rent of $1,550.
Where is rent cheaper than Missoula for a registered nurse?
Nearby Montana cities with lower median rent include Helena ($1,491/mo), Helena ($1,490/mo), Helena ($1,490/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a registered nurse salary.