Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Fort Benton, Montana
A $202,000 home here costs
$1,714per 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 $73,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,101. The real number is $612 higher every month, 56% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Chouteau County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Fort Benton from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 1,470 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 Chouteau 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.
Fort Benton against Chouteau County and Montana
| Measure | Fort Benton | Chouteau County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $201,900 | $185,100 |
| Median property tax | $2,083 | $1,446 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.032% | 0.781% |
| Median gross rent | $745 | $485 |
| Population | 1,470 | 5,888 |
The weather behind that power bill
Fort Benton sits in Chouteau County, which averages a high of 87.6°F in its hottest month and a low of 7.2°F in its coldest, with 12.79" of precipitation a year and 46% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 413 cooling and 7,741 heating degree days, which is what sets the $133 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Chouteau County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Chouteau County
No other places of this size are published in Chouteau County.
Full Chouteau County cost breakdown · Every county in Montana
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Fort Benton 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 Fort Benton every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Fort Benton I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Fort Benton?
A $202,000 home in Fort Benton, Montana costs approximately $1,714 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $1,101 principal and interest, $174 property tax, $70 homeowners insurance, $201 utilities and $168 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Fort Benton?
Fort Benton has an effective property tax rate of 1.032%, based on a median home value of $201,900 and median real estate taxes of $2,083. That is higher than the Chouteau County average of 0.781%.
What is the average home price in Fort Benton?
The median owner-occupied home value in Fort Benton, Montana is $201,900, against $185,100 across Chouteau County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Fort Benton?
Median gross rent in Fort Benton is $745 a month, against $1,714 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 Fort Benton?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Fort Benton, Montana at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $73,500 a year. That covers the full $1,714 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Fort Benton, 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.