Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Choteau, Montana
A $195,000 home here costs
$1,596per 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 $593 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.
Choteau against Teton County and Montana
| Measure | Choteau | Teton County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $194,900 | $235,500 |
| Median property tax | $1,966 | $1,929 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.009% | 0.819% |
| Median gross rent | $713 | $750 |
| Population | 1,719 | 6,291 |
The weather behind that power bill
Choteau sits in Teton County, which averages a high of 82.0°F in its hottest month and a low of 13.4°F in its coldest, with 11.93" of precipitation a year and 51% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 155 cooling and 7,845 heating degree days, which is what sets the $132 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Teton County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Teton County
No other places of this size are published in Teton County.
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Choteau?
A $195,000 home in Choteau, Montana costs approximately $1,596 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,002 principal and interest, $164 property tax, $67 homeowners insurance, $200 utilities and $163 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Choteau?
Choteau has an effective property tax rate of 1.009%, based on a median home value of $194,900 and median real estate taxes of $1,966. That is higher than the Teton County average of 0.819%.
What is the average home price in Choteau?
The median owner-occupied home value in Choteau, Montana is $194,900, against $235,500 across Teton County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Choteau?
Median gross rent in Choteau is $713 a month, against $1,596 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 Choteau — 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.