County FMR · HUD FY2026

Lewis and Clark County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Lewis and Clark County, MT - 38% above the US average.

$1,319
1-bedroom FMR
$1,647
2-bedroom FMR
+23.0%
YoY change
+38%
vs US avg

The verdict

Lewis and Clark is the 5th most expensive of 56 counties in Montana by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #377 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 23.0% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.

#377
most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#5
most expensive of 56 in Montana (2BR)
+23%
vs the state average
$52,760
income to afford it (30% rule)

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (15.8%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (54.1%); 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 Lewis and Clark County, MT. Verify with HUD →

The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Lewis and Clark County, Montana is $1,319 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $1,647/mo and a studio is $1,136/mo. This is 38% higher than the national average of $959 and 23% above the Montana average of $1,076.

Rent increased23.0% from FY 2025 ($1,072), outpacing inflation. A household needs about $52,760/year to stay under the 30% rent-to-income line.

Observed renter burden: 39.9% of the 9,292 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: 71,487. Population grew 8.2% over the past five years (Census ACS) - among the faster-growing counties nationally, a trend that typically adds upward pressure on rents. That's faster than Montana's statewide growth of +6.1% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area LEWIS·AND·CLARK·COUNTY·MT·MT

Lewis and Clark County, MT: $1,319/mo 1BR · #377 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA MT
  • 1BR-FMR $1,319
  • 2BR-FMR $1,647
  • RANK-MID #377
  • YOY-SURGE +23.0%
  • VSUS-HIGH +38%
  • VS-ST-HIGH +23% MT
  • INC-MID 21%
  • POP-MID 71K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Yellowstone County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $1,187–$1,451
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Yellowstone ($210 1BR gap)

Read with: Understanding rent burden

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $988 · US avg: $893
$1,136/mo
↑ 21.9% YoY +15% vs state +27% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $1,076 · US avg: $959
$1,319/mo
↑ 23.0% YoY +23% vs state +38% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $1,336 · US avg: $1,175
$1,647/mo
↑ 21.2% YoY +23% vs state +40% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,789 · US avg: $1,525
$2,250/mo
↑ 25.5% YoY +26% vs state +48% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $2,113 · US avg: $1,756
$2,496/mo
↑ 22.3% YoY +18% vs state +42% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $932
$1,136
+$204 (+21.9%)
1 Bedroom $1,072
$1,319
+$247 (+23.0%)
2 Bedroom $1,359
$1,647
+$288 (+21.2%)
3 Bedroom $1,793
$2,250
+$457 (+25.5%)
4 Bedroom $2,041
$2,496
+$455 (+22.3%)

Rent Burden Analysis

How much of household income goes to rent in Lewis and Clark County. The 30% threshold indicates cost burden.

Studio
18.3%
Affordable
Need $45,440/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
21.2%
Affordable
Need $52,760/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
26.5%
Affordable
Need $65,880/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
36.2%
Burdened
Need $90,000/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
40.2%
Burdened
Need $99,840/yr for 30% rule
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.

0%100%National avg22%26.5%
Lewis and Clark County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $74,543 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Montana rent burden →

Where Lewis and Clark sits among every US county

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties

$1,647 Top 12% higher than 88% of 3,145 counties

$600–$800: 23 counties (1%). Below this entry. $800–$1,000: 1,406 counties (45%). Below this entry. $1,000–$1,200: 723 counties (23%). Below this entry. $1,200–$1,400: 417 counties (13%). Below this entry. $1,400–$1,600: 181 counties (6%). Below this entry. $1,600–$1,800: 172 counties (5%). This entry sits in this band. $1,800–$2,000: 108 counties (3%). Above this entry. $2,000–$2,200: 29 counties (1%). Above this entry. $2,200–$2,400: 40 counties (1%). Above this entry. $2,400–$2,600: 13 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,600–$2,800: 9 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,800–$3,000: 15 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,000–$3,200: 3 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,200–$3,400: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,400–$3,600: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,600–$3,800: 3 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,800–$4,000: 0 counties (0%). Above this entry. $4,000–$4,200: 0 counties (0%). Above this entry. $4,200–$4,400: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. This county $600 $4,400 every US county, bucketed by value

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 Lewis and Clark compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Montana counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Lewis and Clark is highlighted. Nearby Montana counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Gallatin County ($1,642), Missoula County ($1,400), Lewis and Clark County (this county) ($1,319), Flathead County ($1,289), Ravalli County ($1,145), Yellowstone County ($1,109), Cascade County ($979).

Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) As of FY2026

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

Against a high local FMR of $1,319/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 15.8% Affordable
General & Operations Managers $85,240 18.6% Affordable
Registered Nurses $81,560 19.4% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $74,400 21.3% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $69,910 22.6% Affordable
Electricians $68,980 22.9% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $59,060 26.8% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $56,200 28.2% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $54,230 29.2% Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians $46,980 33.7% Stretched
Customer Service Representatives $43,820 36.1% Stretched
Janitors & Cleaners $37,390 42.3% Stretched
Retail Salespersons $35,000 45.2% Stretched
Teaching Assistants $33,720 46.9% Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers $29,280 54.1% Unaffordable
Salaries: BLS OES (Montana) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

7-year Fair Market Rent history for Lewis and Clark County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Lewis and Clark (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 68.7% overall, from $782 to $1,319. The path there hasn't been smooth: year-over-year moves have swung by as much as 28.1% (FY 2025), a volatility pattern that makes single-year comparisons a poor guide to the underlying trend.

$600$800$1,000$1,200$1,400 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $1,319
Lewis and Clark County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↑23.0% $1,136 $1,319 $1,647
FY 2025 ↑28.1% $932 $1,072 $1,359
FY 2024 ↑5.8% $729 $837 $1,057
FY 2023 ↑7.5% $683 $791 $1,003
FY 2022 ↓4.9% $618 $736 $923
FY 2021 ↓1.0% $649 $774 $984
FY 2020 $647 $782 $993
Total change (6yr): +68.7%
Annualized: +9.1%/yr
1 BR: $782 → $1,319

Part of the Helena, MT Metro Area

Lewis and Clark County is a central county of the Helena, MT metropolitan statistical area, alongside 2 other metro-area counties.

Lewis and Clark County ranks #2 of 3 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Broadwater County ($1,595), Lewis and Clark County (this county) ($1,319), Jefferson County ($1,070).

Broadwater County
1 BR: $1,595/mo
Lewis and Clark County (this county)
1 BR: $1,319/mo
Jefferson County
1 BR: $1,070/mo

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Lewis and Clark 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).

San Miguel County
CO · 2 BR $1,645/mo
Kendall County
TX · 2 BR $1,650/mo
Skagway Municipality
AK · 2 BR $1,644/mo
Teton County
WY · 2 BR $1,653/mo

Similar rent burden

Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside MT).

Walton County
GA · 26.5% of income · 2 BR $1,820/mo
Alleghany County
NC · 26.5% of income · 2 BR $978/mo
St. Francis County
AR · 26.5% of income · 2 BR $923/mo
Whitman County
WA · 26.5% of income · 2 BR $1,169/mo

Nearby Counties in Montana

Largest counties by population in Montana

Showing the 8 largest of 55 other counties in Montana.

Yellowstone County
1 BR: $1,109/mo Pop: 165,524
Gallatin County
1 BR: $1,642/mo Pop: 119,685
Missoula County
1 BR: $1,400/mo Pop: 118,541
Flathead County
1 BR: $1,289/mo Pop: 105,950
Cascade County
1 BR: $979/mo Pop: 84,423
Ravalli County
1 BR: $1,145/mo Pop: 44,876
Silver Bow County
1 BR: $1,149/mo Pop: 35,306
Lake County
1 BR: $1,104/mo Pop: 31,509
View all counties in Montana →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Lewis and Clark County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Lewis and Clark County is $1,319 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,647 and a studio is $1,136.
How does Lewis and Clark County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Lewis and Clark County is 38% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,319 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Lewis and Clark County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Lewis and Clark County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,647 ranks #377 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 Lewis and Clark County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $52,760 ($4,397/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Lewis and Clark County.
Is rent going up or down in Lewis and Clark County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Lewis and Clark County increased by 23.0% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $1,072 to $1,319.
Which jobs can afford rent in Lewis and Clark 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 $1,319/mo. 9 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Lewis and Clark County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Lewis and Clark County went from $782 in FY 2020 to $1,319 in FY 2026, a total change of +68.7% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Lewis and Clark County? ▼
In Lewis and Clark County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,319/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 Lewis and Clark County? ▼
For Lewis and Clark County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,319/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).

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.

All federal data sources used on this page
  • HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR) - county-level fair-market rent estimates by bedroom count. huduser.gov/datasets/fmr
  • HUD Income Limits - area median income for affordability calculations. huduser.gov/datasets/il
  • HUD Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) - rent burden and housing-cost distribution. huduser.gov/datasets/cp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - county and metro housing characteristics + median rent. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • BLS Consumer Price Index, Rent of Primary Residence - rent inflation by metro. bls.gov/cpi
  • IRS Migration Data (SOI) - interstate migration aggregates affecting county demand. irs.gov/statistics/migration
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics - state-level median wages by occupation, used for job affordability analysis. bls.gov/oes

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.