Flathead County, Montana Housing Market Prices
Flathead County Home Prices and Rent at a Glance
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
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Median home price 77% above the Montana median More expensive than 91% of counties in Montana$442,215
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Median rent 6% above the Montana median Among the 5 most expensive counties in Montana$1,141
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Flathead County | Montana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $442,215 | $249,140 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 7.0% | 3.8% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $1,141 | $1,081 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 4.5% | 5.0% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Flathead County is about 77% higher than in Montana. Rent is about 6% higher than the Montana average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2024
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2024
Both home prices and rent are rising in Flathead County, up about 7.0% and 4.5% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Flathead County rose about 45.0% between 2015 and 2024, from $787 to $1,141. Over the same span, rent in Montana rose about 52.0%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 6.0 yearly household incomes in Flathead County.
Buying the median-priced home in Flathead County costs roughly 32.3 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in Flathead County. The price-to-rent ratio in Montana is about 19.2.
| Metric | Flathead County | Montana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $442,215 | $249,140 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $73,879 | $72,476 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 6.0 | 3.4 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2024, the median home price in Flathead County rose about 63.0%, while median household income rose about 54.8% between 2009 and 2025 — the home price grew faster than income.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | Flathead County | Montana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 61.9% | 60.1% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 23.7% | 26.8% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 14.4% | 13.2% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 14.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2012 | 2011 | 2011 |
Flathead County has a homeownership rate of 61.9%, higher than the Montana average of 60.1%. Its housing vacancy rate is 14.4%, compared with 13.2% in Montana.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Flathead County | Montana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.47 people | 2.37 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1989 | 1981 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 5.4 | 5.6 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Flathead County was built around 1989. On average, 2.5 people live in a home with about 5.4 rooms, staying for about 14.0 years on average.
Flathead County, MT Housing Compared With Nearby Counties
Flathead County, MT is the 2nd largest of the 5 counties compared here, 110,697 residents against a local median of 26,864. The measure that sets Flathead County, MT apart most is median rent: $1,141, 33% above the local median of $860.
Median home price tells the same story from another angle: $442,215 against a local median of $382,548, 16% above it. The counties themselves spread $427 on median rent, so Flathead County, MT sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Flathead County, MT has the 2nd highest median rent of the 5 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median home price | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flathead County, MT | 110,697 | $442,215 #2/5 | $1,141 #2/5 | 72.4% #4/5 |
| Lake County, MT | 32,553 | $402,194 | $901 | 75.0% |
| Sanders County, MT | 13,282 | $229,555 | $820 | 81.3% |
| Missoula County, MT | 120,671 | $463,380 | $1,189 | 58.8% |
| Lincoln County, MT | 21,175 | $362,903 | $762 | 77.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Flathead County, Montana.
What is the median home price in Flathead County, Montana?
The median home price in Flathead County, Montana is $442,215, higher than the Montana average of $249,140.
What is the average home price in Flathead County, Montana?
The typical home price in Flathead County, Montana, reported as the median sale price, is $442,215. The median is used instead of a mathematical average because it is not skewed by a small number of very expensive or very cheap homes, so it better reflects what a typical buyer pays.
What is the median rent in Flathead County, Montana?
The median gross rent in Flathead County, Montana is $1,141 per month, higher than the Montana average of $1,081.
What was the median gross rent in Flathead County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Flathead County, Montana was $883 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Flathead County, Montana?
The price-to-rent ratio in Flathead County, Montana is about 32.3, meaning it would take roughly 32.3 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in Flathead County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Flathead County, Montana?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Flathead County, up about 7.0% and 4.5% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Flathead County, Montana?
61.9% of households in Flathead County, Montana own their home, higher than the Montana average of 60.1%.
What is the vacancy rate in Flathead County, Montana?
The housing vacancy rate in Flathead County, Montana is 14.4%, higher than the Montana average of 13.2%.
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