Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Boulder, Montana
A $195,000 home here costs
$1,591per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,002. The real number is $588 higher every month — 59% 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.
Boulder against Jefferson County and Montana
| Measure | Boulder | Jefferson County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $194,800 | $408,000 |
| Median property tax | $1,906 | $2,274 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.978% | 0.557% |
| Median gross rent | $692 | $886 |
| Population | 1,326 | 12,501 |
The weather behind that power bill
Boulder sits in Jefferson County, which averages a high of 82.5°F in its hottest month and a low of 11.5°F in its coldest, with 10.8" of precipitation a year and 51% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 157 cooling and 8,312 heating degree days, which is what sets the $132 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Jefferson County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Jefferson County
Full Jefferson County cost breakdown · Every county in Montana
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Boulder?
A $195,000 home in Boulder, Montana costs approximately $1,591 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,002 principal and interest, $159 property tax, $67 homeowners insurance, $200 utilities and $163 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Boulder?
Boulder has an effective property tax rate of 0.978%, based on a median home value of $194,800 and median real estate taxes of $1,906. That is higher than the Jefferson County average of 0.557%.
What is the average home price in Boulder?
The median owner-occupied home value in Boulder, Montana is $194,800, against $408,000 across Jefferson County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Boulder?
Median gross rent in Boulder is $692 a month, against $1,591 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 Boulder — 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.