Montana · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Carbon County, MT

Prices around Carbon County, MT run 6.5% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $80,261 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,417 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $56,680 a year.

Carbon County, MT at a glance

Median household income

$80,261$6,688 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,417HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)93.5-6.5% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity15.1¢per kWh · EIA Residential MT
Population11,116Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Carbon County, MT?

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

Affordable (< 30% of income)
HUD Fair Market Rent$1,417Monthly market rent
Share of gross income21.2%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$56,680To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$2,007At 30% of $80,261
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Carbon County, MT? By bedroom, 2026

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Carbon County, MT, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$1,016$12,192$40,64015.2%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,109$13,308$44,36016.6%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,417$17,004$56,68021.2%
3-Bedroom Home$1,951$23,412$78,04029.2%
4-Bedroom Home$2,216$26,592$88,64033.1%

Rent in Carbon County, MT, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Carbon County, MT

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $80,261 a year ($6,688 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,344/moRent ($1,417 2-BR), utilities (~$136/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$2,007/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,338/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $80,261 leaves after Montana taxes

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

$80,261
$30,000$165,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$80,261
Net 77%
Fed 11%
MT 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$62,120After all taxes
Monthly deposit$5,177Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,389Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate22.6%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$8,827 / yr
Montana state income tax$3,174 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$6,140 / yr

Living in Carbon County, MT: common questions

What is the median household income in Carbon County, MT?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Carbon County, MT is $80,261 per year (approximately $6,688 per month).

What is the average rent in Carbon County, MT?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $1,016 for a studio, $1,109 for one bedroom, $1,417 for two, $1,951 for three and $2,216 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 Carbon County, MT expensive to live in?

Prices there run 6.5% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 93.5, 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 Carbon County, MT?

To keep a $1,417 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $56,680 a year, or $4,723 a month. That is 71% of what the typical household in Carbon County, MT earns.

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

On the local median income of $80,261 ($6,688 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,344 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $2,007 for everything else and $1,338 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,417 takes 42% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Carbon County, 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.