Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Baker, Montana
A $199,000 home here costs
$1,578per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,023. The real number is $555 higher every month — 54% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Baker against Fallon County and Montana
| Measure | Baker | Fallon County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $198,800 | $237,000 |
| Median property tax | $1,447 | $1,359 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.728% | 0.573% |
| Median gross rent | $772 | $772 |
| Population | 1,535 | 2,817 |
The weather behind that power bill
Baker sits in Fallon County, which averages a high of 85.4°F in its hottest month and a low of 7.0°F in its coldest, with 14.58" of precipitation a year and 51% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 468 cooling and 8,276 heating degree days, which is what sets the $132 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Fallon County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Fallon County
No other places of this size are published in Fallon County.
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Baker?
A $199,000 home in Baker, Montana costs approximately $1,578 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,023 principal and interest, $121 property tax, $68 homeowners insurance, $200 utilities and $166 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Baker?
Baker has an effective property tax rate of 0.728%, based on a median home value of $198,800 and median real estate taxes of $1,447. That is higher than the Fallon County average of 0.573%.
What is the average home price in Baker?
The median owner-occupied home value in Baker, Montana is $198,800, against $237,000 across Fallon County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Baker?
Median gross rent in Baker is $772 a month, against $1,578 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Baker — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Montana.
- Electricity price — EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate — Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.