County FMR · HUD FY2026
Ravalli County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Ravalli County, MT - 19% above the US average.
- $1,145
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,423
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +22.3%
- YoY change
- +19%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Ravalli is the 16th most expensive of 56 counties in Montana by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #535 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 22.3% since FY 2025, a sharp move relative to most counties.
- #535
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #16
- most expensive of 56 in Montana (2BR)
- +6%
- vs the state average
- $45,800
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (13.7%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (46.9%); 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 Ravalli County, MT. Verify with HUD →
The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in Ravalli County, Montana is $1,145 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $1,423/mo and a studio is $1,116/mo. This is 19% higher than the national average of $959 and 6% above the Montana average of $1,076.
Rent increased22.3% from FY 2025 ($936), outpacing inflation. A household needs about $45,800/year to stay under the 30% rent-to-income line.
Observed renter burden: 40.7% of the 4,022 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 5.6%, 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 3.9% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Montana. Population: 44,876. Population grew 9.3% 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 RAVALLI·COUNTY·MT·MT
Ravalli County, MT: $1,145/mo 1BR · #535 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA MT
- 1BR-FMR $1,145
- 2BR-FMR $1,423
- RANK-MID #535
- YOY-SURGE +22.3%
- VSUS-ABOVE +19%
- VS-ST-NEAR +6% MT
- INC-ROOM 19%
- POP-SMALL 45K
- PHOTO-NEAR Yellowstone County
- VOUCH-90-110 $1,031–$1,260
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Yellowstone ($36 1BR gap)
Read with: Understanding rent burden
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $928 | $1,116 | +$188 (+20.3%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $936 | $1,145 | +$209 (+22.3%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,175 | $1,423 | +$248 (+21.1%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,646 | $1,979 | +$333 (+20.2%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,973 | $2,387 | +$414 (+21.0%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Ravalli 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 Ravalli sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,423 Top 17% higher than 83% 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 Ravalli 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 Ravalli 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 (this county) ($1,145), Yellowstone County ($1,109), Cascade County ($979).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
Against a high local FMR of $1,145/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 | 13.7% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $85,240 | 16.1% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $81,560 | 16.8% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $74,400 | 18.5% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $69,910 | 19.7% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $68,980 | 19.9% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $59,060 | 23.3% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $56,200 | 24.4% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $54,230 | 25.3% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $46,980 | 29.2% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $43,820 | 31.4% | Stretched |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $37,390 | 36.7% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $35,000 | 39.3% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $33,720 | 40.7% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $29,280 | 46.9% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Ravalli County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Ravalli (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 71.9% overall, from $666 to $1,145. The path there hasn't been smooth: year-over-year moves have swung by as much as 30.4% (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 ↑22.3% | $1,116 | $1,145 | $1,423 |
| FY 2025 ↑30.4% | $928 | $936 | $1,175 |
| FY 2024 ↑7.0% | $674 | $718 | $928 |
| FY 2023 ↑10.2% | $633 | $671 | $878 |
| FY 2022 ↓5.9% | $566 | $609 | $801 |
| FY 2021 ↓2.9% | $597 | $647 | $853 |
| FY 2020 | $605 | $666 | $877 |
Where Ravalli County Ranks in Montana
Ravalli 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 #41 of 56 counties in Montana. Nearest by rank: Mineral County ($1,361), Meagher County ($1,393), Fallon County ($1,401), Jefferson County ($1,404), Silver Bow County ($1,414), Carbon County ($1,417), Yellowstone County ($1,417), Ravalli County (this county) ($1,423), Lake County ($1,444), Fergus County ($1,446), Madison County ($1,540), McCone County ($1,548), Petroleum County ($1,548), Prairie County ($1,548), Treasure County ($1,548).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Ravalli 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 Ravalli County?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Ravalli County is $1,145 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,423 and a studio is $1,116.
How does Ravalli County rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Ravalli County is 19% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $1,145 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Ravalli County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Ravalli County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,423 ranks #535 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 Ravalli County?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $45,800 ($3,817/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Ravalli County.
Is rent going up or down in Ravalli County?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Ravalli County increased by 22.3% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $936 to $1,145.
Which jobs can afford rent in Ravalli 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 $1,145/mo. 10 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Ravalli County over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Ravalli County went from $666 in FY 2020 to $1,145 in FY 2026, a total change of +71.9% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Ravalli County?
In Ravalli County, the FY 2026 FMR of $1,145/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 Ravalli County?
For Ravalli County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($1,145/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in Ravalli County?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 5.6%, close to the range where market rents and HUD's FMR benchmark tend to track each other.
What is the unemployment rate in Ravalli County?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 3.9% over the past 12 months, close to the typical US county range.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat Ravalli'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 $1,145 implies about $45,800/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 Ravalli 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.