Montana · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Custer County, MT

Prices around Custer County, MT run 5.4% below the U.S. average (BEA, Montana). The typical household there earns $70,605 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,608 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $64,320 a year.

Custer County, MT at a glance

Median household income

$70,605$5,884 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,608HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)94.6-5.4% · BEA, Montana
Electricity15.1¢per kWh · EIA Residential MT
Population11,961Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Custer 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$1,608Monthly market rent
Share of gross income27.3%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$64,320To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,765At 30% of $70,605
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Custer County, MT, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$1,109$13,308$44,36018.8%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,226$14,712$49,04020.8%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,608$19,296$64,32027.3%
3-Bedroom Home$2,154$25,848$86,16036.6%
4-Bedroom Home$2,322$27,864$92,88039.5%

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

What a typical income covers in Custer County, MT

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $70,605 a year ($5,884 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,942/moRent ($1,608 2-BR), utilities (~$136/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,765/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,177/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $70,605 leaves after Montana taxes

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

$70,605
$25,000$145,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$70,605
Net 79%
Fed 9%
MT 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$55,872After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,656Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,149Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate20.9%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$6,703 / yr
Montana state income tax$2,628 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$5,401 / yr

Living in Custer County, MT: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Custer County, MT is $70,605 per year (approximately $5,884 per month).

What is the average rent in Custer County, MT?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $1,109 for a studio, $1,226 for one bedroom, $1,608 for two, $2,154 for three and $2,322 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 Custer County, MT expensive to live in?

Prices there run 5.4% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for Montana is 94.6, 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 Custer County, MT?

To keep a $1,608 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $64,320 a year, or $5,360 a month. That is 91% of what the typical household in Custer County, MT earns.

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

On the local median income of $70,605 ($5,884 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,942 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,765 for everything else and $1,177 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,608 takes 55% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Custer 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.