County FMR · HUD FY2026
Cascade County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Cascade County, MT - 2% above the US average.
- $979
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,284
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +14.6%
- YoY change
- +2%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Cascade is the 26th cheapest of 56 counties in Montana by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #786 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 14.6% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.
- #786
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #26
- cheapest of 56 in Montana (2BR)
- -9%
- vs the state average
- $39,160
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (11.7%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (40.1%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Cascade County, MT. Verify with HUD →
The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Cascade County, Montana is $979 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $1,284/mo and a studio is $960/mo. This is 2% higher than the national average of $959 and 9% below the Montana average of $1,076.
Rent increased14.6% from FY 2025 ($854), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $39,160/year for a 1-bedroom.
Observed renter burden: 40.0% of the 10,419 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.
Market slack: The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 6.3%, close to the range where market rents and HUD's FMR benchmark tend to track each other.
Local labor market: The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 3.4% over the past 12 months, a tight labor market that typically supports steadier rent demand.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Montana. Population: 84,423. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+3.5%, Census ACS). That's slower than Montana's statewide growth of +6.1% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area CASCADE·COUNTY·MT·MT
Cascade County, MT: $979/mo 1BR · #786 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA MT
- 1BR-FMR $979
- 2BR-FMR $1,284
- RANK-MID #786
- YOY-SURGE +14.6%
- VSUS-NEAR +2%
- VS-ST-LOW -9% MT
- INC-ROOM 18%
- POP-MID 84K
- PHOTO-NEAR Yellowstone County
- VOUCH-90-110 $881–$1,077
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Yellowstone ($130 1BR gap)
Read with: How Fair Market Rent works
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $814 | $960 | +$146 (+17.9%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $854 | $979 | +$125 (+14.6%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,121 | $1,284 | +$163 (+14.5%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,571 | $1,786 | +$215 (+13.7%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,781 | $2,035 | +$254 (+14.3%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Cascade 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 Cascade sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,284 Top 25% higher than 75% 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 Cascade 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
- Ravalli
Ravalli County
$1,145 1BR FMR / mo
- Yellowstone
Yellowstone County
$1,109 1BR FMR / mo
- Cascade
Cascade County
$979 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Cascade 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), Ravalli County ($1,145), Yellowstone County ($1,109), Cascade County (this county) ($979).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $979/mo compares to Montana salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).
| Occupation | MT Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $100,190 | 11.7% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $85,240 | 13.8% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $81,560 | 14.4% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $74,400 | 15.8% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $69,910 | 16.8% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $68,980 | 17% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $59,060 | 19.9% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $56,200 | 20.9% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $54,230 | 21.7% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $46,980 | 25% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $43,820 | 26.8% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $37,390 | 31.4% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $35,000 | 33.6% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $33,720 | 34.8% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $29,280 | 40.1% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Cascade County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Cascade (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 72.1% overall, from $569 to $979. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +14.6% in FY 2026, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑14.6% | $960 | $979 | $1,284 |
| FY 2025 ↑14.6% | $814 | $854 | $1,121 |
| FY 2024 ↑6.3% | $708 | $745 | $979 |
| FY 2023 ↑7.5% | $666 | $701 | $914 |
| FY 2022 ↑6.4% | $638 | $652 | $849 |
| FY 2021 ↑7.7% | $609 | $613 | $808 |
| FY 2020 | $565 | $569 | $749 |
Part of the Great Falls, MT Metro Area
Cascade County is a central county of the Great Falls, MT metropolitan statistical area.
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Cascade 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 Cascade County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Cascade County is $979 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,284 and a studio is $960.
How does Cascade County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Cascade County is 2% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $979 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Cascade County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Cascade County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,284 ranks #786 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the upper-rent quarter of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Cascade County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $39,160 ($3,263/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Cascade County.
Is rent going up or down in Cascade County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Cascade County increased by 14.6% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $854 to $979.
Which jobs can afford rent in Cascade County?
Based on Montana BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $979/mo. 11 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Cascade County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Cascade County went from $569 in FY 2020 to $979 in FY 2026, a total change of +72.1% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Cascade County?
In Cascade County, the FY 2026 FMR of $979/mo for a 1-bedroom sets the baseline that local housing authorities use for Section 8 payment standards.
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Cascade County?
For Cascade County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($979/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Cascade County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 6.3%, close to the range where market rents and HUD's FMR benchmark tend to track each other.
What is the unemployment rate in Cascade County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 3.4% over the past 12 months, a tight labor market that typically supports steadier rent demand.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Cascade's FY2026 Fair Market Rent as HUD's affordability benchmark, not a single market quote.
- Budget to roughly 30% of income: the FY2026 1-bedroom FMR of $979 implies about $39,160/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Montana counties vary widely around this figure - compare specific counties before assuming this applies to yours. Compare vs Yellowstone
- See where Cascade ranks nationally on rent. National rankings
Fair Market Rent is HUD's 40th-percentile policy benchmark used to set Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. Actual asking rents can run higher or lower, and HUD updates FMRs once a year. This site is informational and not financial or relocation advice.
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.