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 | Lewis and Clark County | Montana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $284,700 | $242,768 | $242,182 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 2.2% | 4.0% | 8.2% |
| Median Gross Rent | $1,062 | $1,031 | $1,342 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 4.1% | 5.1% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Lewis and Clark County is about 17% higher than in Montana. Rent is about 3% higher 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 Lewis and Clark County, up about 2.2% and 4.1% a year respectively. Rent is changing faster.
Median rent in Lewis and Clark County rose about 35.8% between 2015 and 2023, from $782 to $1,062. Over the same span, rent in Montana rose about 45.0%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 3.8 yearly household incomes in Lewis and Clark County.
Buying the median-priced home in Lewis and Clark County costs roughly 22.3 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 Lewis and Clark County. The price-to-rent ratio in Montana is about 19.6.
| Metric | Lewis and Clark County | Montana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $284,700 | $242,768 | $242,182 |
| Median Household Income | $74,495 | $69,624 | $78,145 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 3.8 | 3.5 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2023, the median home price in Lewis and Clark County rose about 42.6%, while median household income rose about 48.2% 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 | Lewis and Clark County | Montana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 63.1% | 60.1% | 58.2% |
| Rental Rate | 27.5% | 26.5% | 31.3% |
| Vacancy Rate | 9.4% | 13.4% | 10.6% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 13.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2013 | 2011 | 2011 |
Lewis and Clark County has a homeownership rate of 63.1%, higher than the Montana average of 60.1%. Its housing vacancy rate is 9.4%, compared with 13.4% in Montana.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Lewis and Clark County | Montana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.31 people | 2.38 people | 2.54 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1982 | 1980 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 5.7 | 5.6 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Lewis and Clark County was built around 1982. On average, 2.3 people live in a home with about 5.7 rooms, staying for about 13.0 years on average.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Lewis and Clark County, Montana.
What is the median home price in Lewis and Clark County, Montana?
The median home price in Lewis and Clark County, Montana is $284,700, higher than the Montana average of $242,768.
What is the average home price in Lewis and Clark 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 Lewis and Clark County, Montana?
The median gross rent in Lewis and Clark County, Montana is $1,062 per month, higher than the Montana average of $1,031.
What was the median gross rent in Lewis and Clark County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Lewis and Clark County, Montana was $862 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Lewis and Clark County, Montana?
The price-to-rent ratio in Lewis and Clark County, Montana is about 22.3, meaning it would take roughly 22.3 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 Lewis and Clark County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Lewis and Clark County, Montana?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Lewis and Clark County, up about 2.2% and 4.1% a year respectively. Rent is changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Lewis and Clark County, Montana?
63.1% of households in Lewis and Clark County, Montana own their home, higher than the Montana average of 60.1%.
What is the vacancy rate in Lewis and Clark County, Montana?
The housing vacancy rate in Lewis and Clark County, Montana is 9.4%, lower than the Montana average of 13.4%.