Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Bigfork, Montana
A $614,000 home here costs
$4,533per 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 $194,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $3,348. The real number is $1,186 higher every month, 35% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Flathead County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Bigfork against Flathead County and Montana
| Measure | Bigfork | Flathead County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $614,300 | $467,700 |
| Median property tax | $3,144 | $2,867 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.512% | 0.613% |
| Median gross rent | $1,103 | $1,094 |
| Population | 5,249 | 108,445 |
The weather behind that power bill
Bigfork sits in Flathead County, which averages a high of 82.3°F in its hottest month and a low of 19.8°F in its coldest, with 34.62" of precipitation a year and 32% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 293 cooling and 7,787 heating degree days, which is what sets the $133 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Flathead County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Flathead County
Full Flathead County cost breakdown · Every county in Montana
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Bigfork 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 Bigfork every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Bigfork I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Bigfork?
A $614,000 home in Bigfork, Montana costs approximately $4,533 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $3,348 principal and interest, $262 property tax, $211 homeowners insurance, $201 utilities and $512 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Bigfork?
Bigfork has an effective property tax rate of 0.512%, based on a median home value of $614,300 and median real estate taxes of $3,144. That is lower than the Flathead County average of 0.613%.
What is the average home price in Bigfork?
The median owner-occupied home value in Bigfork, Montana is $614,300, against $467,700 across Flathead County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Bigfork?
Median gross rent in Bigfork is $1,103 a month, against $4,533 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 Bigfork?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Bigfork, Montana at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $194,500 a year. That covers the full $4,533 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Bigfork, 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.