Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Frenchtown, Montana
A $392,000 home here costs
$3,127per 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 $134,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $2,137. The real number is $990 higher every month, 46% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Missoula County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Frenchtown from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 1,629 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 Missoula 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.
Frenchtown against Missoula County and Montana
| Measure | Frenchtown | Missoula County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $391,600 | $423,100 |
| Median property tax | $3,927 | $3,833 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.003% | 0.906% |
| Median gross rent | $1,458 | $1,125 |
| Population | 1,629 | 119,639 |
The weather behind that power bill
Frenchtown sits in Missoula County, which averages a high of 85.4°F in its hottest month and a low of 17.8°F in its coldest, with 14.11" of precipitation a year and 37% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 306 cooling and 7,514 heating degree days, which is what sets the $133 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Missoula County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Missoula County
Full Missoula County cost breakdown · Every county in Montana
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Frenchtown 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 Frenchtown every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Frenchtown I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Frenchtown?
A $392,000 home in Frenchtown, Montana costs approximately $3,127 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $2,137 principal and interest, $328 property tax, $135 homeowners insurance, $201 utilities and $327 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Frenchtown?
Frenchtown has an effective property tax rate of 1.003%, based on a median home value of $391,600 and median real estate taxes of $3,927. That is higher than the Missoula County average of 0.906%.
What is the average home price in Frenchtown?
The median owner-occupied home value in Frenchtown, Montana is $391,600, against $423,100 across Missoula County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Frenchtown?
Median gross rent in Frenchtown is $1,458 a month, against $3,127 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 Frenchtown?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Frenchtown, Montana at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $134,000 a year. That covers the full $3,127 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Frenchtown, 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.