Broadwater County, MT
The Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Broadwater County, MT is $1,748 per month, ranking #122 out of 693 areas nationwide. The area median household income is $63,636, meaning a household spending Fair Market Rent on a 2-bedroom would pay 33% of income on housing. The area has a population of 7.3K, with 17.8% of households renting.
Broadwater County, Montana sits in the middle of the U.S. rental-cost distribution. HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom is $1,748, with the full bedroom-size range covered on this page.
Rent burden is at the federal "cost-burdened" threshold: 33 percent of median income going to rent. Manageable for most households but leaves limited room for savings or unplanned expenses. For renters and prospective movers, the HUD FMR is the asking-rent baseline for a modest unit; actual market rents on freshly-listed units typically run 5-15 percent above the FMR in faster-growing markets. The county vacancy rate (8.7 percent) is the structural indicator of how much availability exists in the local market.
Fair Market Rent by Bedroom Size
Fair Market Rents (FMRs) are set annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality units in an area. FMRs are used to determine payment standards for the Housing Choice Voucher program and other federal housing assistance.
Housing Affordability
In Broadwater County, MT, a household earning the area median income of $63,636 would spend 33% of their gross income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. HUD considers households spending more than 30% of income on housing to be "cost-burdened." This means many renters in this area face financial strain from housing costs.
Minimum Wage Affordability
The minimum wage in Montana is $10.55/hr. A minimum-wage worker would need to work 127.5 hours per week to afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding 30% of income on housing. This means a single minimum-wage earner cannot afford a 2-bedroom working a standard 40-hour week. The poverty rate in Broadwater County is 10.7%, below the national average of approximately 12.4%.
Housing Market Context
The median home value in Broadwater County is $364,800. At a median income of $63,636, this represents a price-to-income ratio of 5.7x. 8.7% of housing units in the area are vacant, which is near the national average. The local unemployment rate is 3%, below the national average, indicating a relatively strong local labor market.
Other Areas in Montana
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Frequently Asked Questions
The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Broadwater County, MT is $1,748 per month. A studio is $1,240/mo, a 1-bedroom is $1,595/mo, and a 3-bedroom is $2,096/mo. The actual median gross rent from Census data is $978/mo.
Broadwater County has a rent burden of 33%, meaning a household earning the median income of $63,636 would spend 33% of income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. HUD considers spending 30%+ on housing to be cost-burdened. To afford a 2-bedroom without being cost-burdened, a household would need an annual income of at least $69,920.
Broadwater County's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,748/mo is $498 above the national median of $1,250/mo. Broadwater County ranks #122 out of 693 areas for highest rent in the United States.
To afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Broadwater County without spending more than 30% of income on housing, you would need an annual household income of at least $69,920, or a full-time hourly wage of $34/hour. The area median income is $63,636.
Fair Market Rents represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality rental units. Rent burden is calculated as annual 2BR FMR divided by area median household income. Census data (income, home value, population, vacancy) is from the ACS 5-Year estimates. Unemployment rates are from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics.