County FMR · HUD FY2026
Deer Lodge County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Deer Lodge County, MT - 3% above the US average.
- $985
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,080
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +16.8%
- YoY change
- +3%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Deer Lodge is the 7th cheapest of 56 counties in Montana by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #1,384 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 16.8% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.
- #1,384
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #7
- cheapest of 56 in Montana (2BR)
- -8%
- vs the state average
- $39,400
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (11.8%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (40.4%); 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 Deer Lodge County, MT. Verify with HUD →
HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Deer Lodge County, Montana at $985 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,080/mo and a studio is $809/mo. This is 3% higher than the national average of $959 and 8% below the Montana average of $1,076.
Rent increased16.8% from FY 2025 ($843), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $39,400/year for a 1-bedroom.
Observed renter burden: 39.4% of the 1,392 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 7.1%, 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 4.1% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Montana. Population: 9,435. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+4.5%, Census ACS). That's slower than Montana's statewide growth of +6.1% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area DEER·LODGE·COUNTY·MT·MT
Deer Lodge County, MT: $985/mo 1BR · #1384 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA MT
- 1BR-FMR $985
- 2BR-FMR $1,080
- RANK-MID #1,384
- YOY-SURGE +16.8%
- VSUS-NEAR +3%
- VS-ST-LOW -8% MT
- INC-MID 24%
- POP-SMALL 9K
- PHOTO-NEAR Yellowstone County
- VOUCH-90-110 $887–$1,084
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Yellowstone ($124 1BR gap)
Read with: How Fair Market Rent works
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $684 | $809 | +$125 (+18.3%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $843 | $985 | +$142 (+16.8%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $933 | $1,080 | +$147 (+15.8%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,307 | $1,502 | +$195 (+14.9%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,541 | $1,812 | +$271 (+17.6%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Deer Lodge 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 Deer Lodge sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,080 higher than 56% 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 Deer Lodge 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
- Yellowstone
Yellowstone County
$1,109 1BR FMR / mo
- Deer Lodge
Deer Lodge County
$985 1BR FMR / mo
- Cascade
Cascade County
$979 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Deer Lodge 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), Yellowstone County ($1,109), Deer Lodge County (this county) ($985), Cascade County ($979).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $985/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 | 11.8% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $85,240 | 13.9% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $81,560 | 14.5% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $74,400 | 15.9% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $69,910 | 16.9% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $68,980 | 17.1% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $59,060 | 20% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $56,200 | 21% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $54,230 | 21.8% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $46,980 | 25.2% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $43,820 | 27% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $37,390 | 31.6% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $35,000 | 33.8% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $33,720 | 35.1% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $29,280 | 40.4% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Deer Lodge County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Deer Lodge (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 60.2% overall, from $615 to $985. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +16.8% in FY 2026, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑16.8% | $809 | $985 | $1,080 |
| FY 2025 ↑4.6% | $684 | $843 | $933 |
| FY 2024 ↑10.3% | $658 | $806 | $905 |
| FY 2023 ↑10.8% | $596 | $731 | $826 |
| FY 2022 ↑3.4% | $535 | $660 | $757 |
| FY 2021 ↑3.7% | $514 | $638 | $734 |
| FY 2020 | $492 | $615 | $714 |
Where Deer Lodge County Ranks in Montana
Deer Lodge County is not part of any federally-designated metropolitan or micropolitan statistical area -- an independent rental market not administratively tied to a larger urban core. By 2-bedroom FMR, it ranks #7 of 56 counties in Montana. Nearest by rank: Phillips County ($973), Daniels County ($1,023), Powder River County ($1,025), Liberty County ($1,034), Granite County ($1,053), Beaverhead County ($1,072), Deer Lodge County (this county) ($1,080), Garfield County ($1,099), Sanders County ($1,115), Wheatland County ($1,117), Powell County ($1,133), Judith Basin County ($1,160), Lincoln County ($1,170), Sweet Grass County ($1,176).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Deer Lodge 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 Deer Lodge County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Deer Lodge County is $985 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,080 and a studio is $809.
How does Deer Lodge County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Deer Lodge County is 3% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $985 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Deer Lodge County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Deer Lodge County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,080 ranks #1,384 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the middle half of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Deer Lodge County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $39,400 ($3,283/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Deer Lodge County.
Is rent going up or down in Deer Lodge County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Deer Lodge County increased by 16.8% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $843 to $985.
Which jobs can afford rent in Deer Lodge 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 $985/mo. 11 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Deer Lodge County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Deer Lodge County went from $615 in FY 2020 to $985 in FY 2026, a total change of +60.2% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Deer Lodge County?
In Deer Lodge County, the FY 2026 FMR of $985/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 Deer Lodge County?
For Deer Lodge County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($985/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Deer Lodge County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 7.1%, close to the range where market rents and HUD's FMR benchmark tend to track each other.
What is the unemployment rate in Deer Lodge County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 4.1% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Deer Lodge'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 $985 implies about $39,400/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 Deer Lodge 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.