Housing Market Overview
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Jefferson County | Montana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $325,038 | $242,768 | $242,182 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 4.1% | 4.0% | 8.2% |
| Median Gross Rent | $885 | $1,031 | $1,342 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 2.9% | 5.1% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Jefferson County is about 34% higher than in Montana. Rent is about 14% lower than the Montana average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2023
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2023
Both home prices and rent are rising in Jefferson County, up about 4.1% and 2.9% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Jefferson County rose about 24.5% between 2015 and 2023, from $710 to $885. Over the same span, rent in Montana rose about 45.0%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 4.2 yearly household incomes in Jefferson County.
Buying the median-priced home in Jefferson County costs roughly 30.6 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 Jefferson County. The price-to-rent ratio in Montana is about 19.6.
| Metric | Jefferson County | Montana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $325,038 | $242,768 | $242,182 |
| Median Household Income | $77,803 | $69,624 | $78,145 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 4.2 | 3.5 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2023, the median home price in Jefferson County rose about 30.1%, while median household income rose about 38.3% between 2009 and 2023 — income grew faster than the home price.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | Jefferson County | Montana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 75.4% | 60.1% | 58.2% |
| Rental Rate | 15.3% | 26.5% | 31.3% |
| Vacancy Rate | 9.2% | 13.4% | 10.6% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 15.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2011 | 2011 | 2011 |
Jefferson County has a homeownership rate of 75.4%, higher than the Montana average of 60.1%. Its housing vacancy rate is 9.2%, compared with 13.4% in Montana.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Jefferson County | Montana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.50 people | 2.38 people | 2.54 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1977 | 1980 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 6.6 | 5.6 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Jefferson County was built around 1977. On average, 2.5 people live in a home with about 6.6 rooms, staying for about 15.0 years on average.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Jefferson County, Montana.
What is the median home price in Jefferson County, Montana?
The median home price in Jefferson County, Montana is $325,038, higher than the Montana average of $242,768.
What is the average home price in Jefferson County, Montana?
The typical home price in %s, reported as the median sale price, is %s. 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 Jefferson County, Montana?
The median gross rent in Jefferson County, Montana is $885 per month, lower than the Montana average of $1,031.
What was the median gross rent in Jefferson County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Jefferson County, Montana was $834 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Jefferson County, Montana?
The price-to-rent ratio in Jefferson County, Montana is about 30.6, meaning it would take roughly 30.6 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 Jefferson County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Jefferson County, Montana?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Jefferson County, up about 4.1% and 2.9% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Jefferson County, Montana?
75.4% of households in Jefferson County, Montana own their home, higher than the Montana average of 60.1%.
What is the vacancy rate in Jefferson County, Montana?
The housing vacancy rate in Jefferson County, Montana is 9.2%, lower than the Montana average of 13.4%.