Montana · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Bozeman, MT

Prices around Bozeman, MT run 2.5% above the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $85,747 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $2,154 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $86,160 a year.

Bozeman, MT at a glance

Median household income

$85,747$7,146 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$2,154HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)102.5+2.5% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity15.1¢per kWh · EIA Residential MT
Population56,114Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Bozeman, MT?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Moderate cost burden (30–50%)
HUD Fair Market Rent$2,154Monthly market rent
Share of gross income30.1%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$86,160To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$2,144At 30% of $85,747
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Bozeman, MT? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Bozeman, MT MSA, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Bozeman, MT, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$1,485$17,820$59,40020.8%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,642$19,704$65,68023%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$2,154$25,848$86,16030.1%
3-Bedroom Home$2,996$35,952$119,84041.9%
4-Bedroom Home$3,537$42,444$141,48049.5%

Rent in Bozeman, MT, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Bozeman, MT

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $85,747 a year ($7,146 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,573/moRent ($2,154 2-BR), utilities (~$136/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$2,144/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,429/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $85,747 leaves after Montana taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Montana tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$85,747
$30,000$175,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$85,747
Net 77%
Fed 12%
MT 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$65,669After all taxes
Monthly deposit$5,472Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,526Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate23.4%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$10,034 / yr
Montana state income tax$3,484 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$6,560 / yr

Living in Bozeman, MT: common questions

What is the median household income in Bozeman, MT?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Bozeman, MT is $85,747 per year (approximately $7,146 per month).

What is the average rent in Bozeman, MT?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $1,485 for a studio, $1,642 for one bedroom, $2,154 for two, $2,996 for three and $3,537 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Bozeman, MT expensive to live in?

Prices there run 2.5% above the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 102.5, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Bozeman, MT?

To keep a $2,154 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $86,160 a year, or $7,180 a month. That is 100% of what the typical household in Bozeman, MT earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Bozeman, MT?

On the local median income of $85,747 ($7,146 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,573 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $2,144 for everything else and $1,429 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $2,154 takes 60% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Bozeman, MT?

Homes in Montana paid 15.1¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $136. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.