County FMR · HUD FY2026
Carbon County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Carbon County, MT - 16% above the US average.
- $1,109
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,417
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +17.0%
- YoY change
- +16%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Carbon is the 18th most expensive of 56 counties in Montana by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #566 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 17.0% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.
- #566
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #18
- most expensive of 56 in Montana (2BR)
- +3%
- vs the state average
- $44,360
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (13.3%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (45.5%); nearby Montana counties range as much as 68% apart in 1-bedroom FMR, so the county line itself can matter for renters comparing options.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Carbon County, MT. Verify with HUD →
The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Carbon County, Montana is $1,109 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $1,417/mo and a studio is $1,016/mo. This is 16% higher than the national average of $959 and 3% above the Montana average of $1,076.
Rent increased17.0% from FY 2025 ($948), outpacing inflation. A household needs about $44,360/year to stay under the 30% rent-to-income line.
Observed renter burden: 34.3% of the 1,223 renter households counted by ACS paid at least 30% of income in gross rent. This ACS 2023 household measure is distinct from HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent benchmark above.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Montana. Population: 10,645. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+3.1%, Census ACS). That's slower than Montana's statewide growth of +6.1% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area CARBON·COUNTY·MT·MT
Carbon County, MT: $1,109/mo 1BR · #566 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA MT
- 1BR-FMR $1,109
- 2BR-FMR $1,417
- RANK-MID #566
- YOY-SURGE +17.0%
- VSUS-ABOVE +16%
- VS-ST-NEAR +3% MT
- INC-ROOM 19%
- POP-SMALL 11K
- PHOTO-FINISH Yellowstone County
- VOUCH-90-110 $998–$1,220
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Yellowstone ($0 1BR gap)
Read with: Understanding rent burden
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $904 | $1,016 | +$112 (+12.4%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $948 | $1,109 | +$161 (+17.0%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,226 | $1,417 | +$191 (+15.6%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,685 | $1,951 | +$266 (+15.8%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,897 | $2,216 | +$319 (+16.8%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Carbon County. The 30% threshold indicates cost burden.
How we calculate this
Rent burden = (FMR × 12) ÷ county median household income. Required income = (FMR × 12) ÷ 0.3, the federal 30%-of-gross-income rule HUD uses to define cost burden. Median household income is from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey; FMR is from HUD's FY2026 release. See methodology.
Where Carbon sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,417 Top 18% higher than 82% of 3,145 counties
Each bar is a $0.2K-wide band; taller bars hold more counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents · FY2026
How Carbon compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Montana counties
- Gallatin
Gallatin County
$1,642 1BR FMR / mo
- Missoula
Missoula County
$1,400 1BR FMR / mo
- Lewis and Clark
Lewis and Clark County
$1,319 1BR FMR / mo
- Flathead
Flathead County
$1,289 1BR FMR / mo
- Carbon
Carbon County
$1,109 1BR FMR / mo
- Yellowstone
Yellowstone County
$1,109 1BR FMR / mo
- Cascade
Cascade County
$979 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Carbon is highlighted. Nearby Montana counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Gallatin County ($1,642), Missoula County ($1,400), Lewis and Clark County ($1,319), Flathead County ($1,289), Carbon County (this county) ($1,109), Yellowstone County ($1,109), Cascade County ($979).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
Against a high local FMR of $1,109/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using Montana BLS wages?
| Occupation | MT Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $100,190 | 13.3% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $85,240 | 15.6% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $81,560 | 16.3% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $74,400 | 17.9% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $69,910 | 19% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $68,980 | 19.3% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $59,060 | 22.5% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $56,200 | 23.7% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $54,230 | 24.5% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $46,980 | 28.3% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $43,820 | 30.4% | Stretched |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $37,390 | 35.6% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $35,000 | 38% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $33,720 | 39.5% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $29,280 | 45.5% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Carbon County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Carbon (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 64.3% overall, from $675 to $1,109. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +17.0% in FY 2026, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑17.0% | $1,016 | $1,109 | $1,417 |
| FY 2025 ↑8.5% | $904 | $948 | $1,226 |
| FY 2024 ↑9.1% | $837 | $874 | $1,148 |
| FY 2023 ↑9.7% | $745 | $801 | $1,054 |
| FY 2022 ↑0.7% | $646 | $730 | $960 |
| FY 2021 ↑7.4% | $631 | $725 | $956 |
| FY 2020 | $579 | $675 | $889 |
Part of the Billings, MT Metro Area
Carbon County is a outlying county of the Billings, MT metropolitan statistical area, alongside 2 other metro-area counties.
Carbon County ranks #2 of 3 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Yellowstone County ($1,109), Carbon County (this county) ($1,109), Stillwater County ($958).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Carbon County, both outside Montana so the link neighborhoods are not the same-state geography lattice above. Axes stay disjoint: burden peers exclude the FMR peer set.
Similar 2-bedroom FMR
Nearest HUD 2BR Fair Market Rents outside MT (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside MT).
Nearby Counties in Montana
Largest counties by population in Montana
Showing the 8 largest of 55 other counties in Montana.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Carbon County? ▼
How does Carbon County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Where does Carbon County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Carbon County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Carbon County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Carbon County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Carbon County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Carbon County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Carbon County? ▼
Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau and HUD Fair Market Rents. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Every figure on PlainRent is rendered directly from HUD's published Fair Market Rent records, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of FY 2026.