Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Big Timber, Montana
A $235,000 home here costs
$1,868per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.24% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $80,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,281. The real number is $587 higher every month, 46% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Sweet Grass County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Big Timber from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 1,530 residents that sample is small. The median home value here carries a much wider margin of error than a big-city figure does, so treat it as indicative rather than exact. The Sweet Grass County figures are drawn from a far larger sample if you want a steadier number.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Big Timber against Sweet Grass County and Montana
| Measure | Big Timber | Sweet Grass County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $235,100 | $295,500 |
| Median property tax | $1,317 | $1,452 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.560% | 0.491% |
| Median gross rent | $1,009 | $1,073 |
| Population | 1,530 | 3,713 |
The weather behind that power bill
Big Timber sits in Sweet Grass County, which averages a high of 86.2°F in its hottest month and a low of 19.5°F in its coldest, with 16.93" of precipitation a year and 46% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 374 cooling and 6,910 heating degree days, which is what sets the $133 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Sweet Grass County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Sweet Grass County
No other places of this size are published in Sweet Grass County.
Full Sweet Grass County cost breakdown · Every county in Montana
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Big Timber averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Big Timber every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Big Timber I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Big Timber?
A $235,000 home in Big Timber, Montana costs approximately $1,868 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $1,281 principal and interest, $110 property tax, $81 homeowners insurance, $201 utilities and $196 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Big Timber?
Big Timber has an effective property tax rate of 0.560%, based on a median home value of $235,100 and median real estate taxes of $1,317. That is higher than the Sweet Grass County average of 0.491%.
What is the average home price in Big Timber?
The median owner-occupied home value in Big Timber, Montana is $235,100, against $295,500 across Sweet Grass County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Big Timber?
Median gross rent in Big Timber is $1,009 a month, against $1,868 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
What salary do you need to buy a home in Big Timber?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Big Timber, Montana at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $80,000 a year. That covers the full $1,868 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Big Timber, 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.