County FMR · HUD FY2026
Petroleum County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Petroleum County, MT - 26% above the US average.
- $1,208
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,548
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +23.0%
- YoY change
- +26%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Petroleum is the 11th most expensive of 56 counties in Montana by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #440 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 23.0% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.
- #440
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #11
- most expensive of 56 in Montana (2BR)
- +12%
- vs the state average
- $48,320
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (14.5%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (49.5%); 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 Petroleum County, MT. Verify with HUD →
The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Petroleum County, Montana is $1,208 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $1,548/mo and a studio is $1,160/mo. This is 26% higher than the national average of $959 and 12% above the Montana average of $1,076.
Rent increased23.0% from FY 2025 ($982), outpacing inflation. A household needs about $48,320/year to stay under the 30% rent-to-income line.
Observed renter burden: 0.0% of the 46 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 0.0%, a tight rental market where HUD's annual FMR schedule can lag what landlords are actually asking.
Local labor market: The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 4.7% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Montana. Population: 416.
FMR filing desk
Area PETROLEUM·COUNTY·MT·MT
Petroleum County, MT: $1,208/mo 1BR · #440 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA MT
- 1BR-FMR $1,208
- 2BR-FMR $1,548
- RANK-MID #440
- YOY-SURGE +23.0%
- VSUS-HIGH +26%
- VS-ST-HIGH +12% MT
- INC-MID 24%
- POP-SMALL 416
- PHOTO-NEAR Yellowstone County
- VOUCH-90-110 $1,087–$1,329
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Yellowstone ($99 1BR gap)
Read with: Understanding rent burden
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $938 | $1,160 | +$222 (+23.7%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $982 | $1,208 | +$226 (+23.0%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,278 | $1,548 | +$270 (+21.1%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,747 | $2,139 | +$392 (+22.4%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $2,039 | $2,503 | +$464 (+22.8%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Petroleum 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 Petroleum sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,548 Top 14% higher than 86% 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 Petroleum 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
- Petroleum
Petroleum County
$1,208 1BR FMR / mo
- Yellowstone
Yellowstone County
$1,109 1BR FMR / mo
- Cascade
Cascade County
$979 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Petroleum 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), Petroleum County (this county) ($1,208), Yellowstone County ($1,109), Cascade County ($979).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
Against a high local FMR of $1,208/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 | 14.5% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $85,240 | 17% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $81,560 | 17.8% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $74,400 | 19.5% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $69,910 | 20.7% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $68,980 | 21% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $59,060 | 24.5% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $56,200 | 25.8% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $54,230 | 26.7% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $46,980 | 30.9% | Stretched |
| Customer Service Representatives | $43,820 | 33.1% | Stretched |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $37,390 | 38.8% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $35,000 | 41.4% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $33,720 | 43% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $29,280 | 49.5% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Petroleum County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Petroleum (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 76.9% overall, from $683 to $1,208. The path there hasn't been smooth: year-over-year moves have swung by as much as 29.2% (FY 2025), a volatility pattern that makes single-year comparisons a poor guide to the underlying trend.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑23.0% | $1,160 | $1,208 | $1,548 |
| FY 2025 ↑29.2% | $938 | $982 | $1,278 |
| FY 2024 ↑7.6% | $725 | $760 | $998 |
| FY 2023 ↑7.5% | $670 | $706 | $929 |
| FY 2022 ↓6.1% | $610 | $657 | $864 |
| FY 2021 ↑2.5% | $641 | $700 | $915 |
| FY 2020 | $610 | $683 | $885 |
Where Petroleum County Ranks in Montana
Petroleum 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 #46 of 56 counties in Montana. Nearest by rank: Carbon County ($1,417), Yellowstone County ($1,417), Ravalli County ($1,423), Lake County ($1,444), Fergus County ($1,446), Madison County ($1,540), McCone County ($1,548), Petroleum County (this county) ($1,548), Prairie County ($1,548), Treasure County ($1,548), Wibaux County ($1,548), Park County ($1,605), Custer County ($1,608), Lewis and Clark County ($1,647), Missoula County ($1,655).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Petroleum 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 Petroleum County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Petroleum County is $1,208 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,548 and a studio is $1,160.
How does Petroleum County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Petroleum County is 26% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,208 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Petroleum County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Petroleum County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,548 ranks #440 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 Petroleum County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $48,320 ($4,027/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Petroleum County.
Is rent going up or down in Petroleum County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Petroleum County increased by 23.0% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $982 to $1,208.
Which jobs can afford rent in Petroleum 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 $1,208/mo. 9 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Petroleum County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Petroleum County went from $683 in FY 2020 to $1,208 in FY 2026, a total change of +76.9% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Petroleum County?
In Petroleum County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,208/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 Petroleum County?
For Petroleum County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,208/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Petroleum County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 0.0%, a tight rental market where HUD's annual FMR schedule can lag what landlords are actually asking.
What is the unemployment rate in Petroleum County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 4.7% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Petroleum'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 $1,208 implies about $48,320/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 Petroleum 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.