Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Hardin, Montana
A $143,000 home here costs
$1,280per 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 $55,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $780. The real number is $500 higher every month, 64% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Big Horn County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Hardin from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 3,766 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 Big Horn 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.
Hardin against Big Horn County and Montana
| Measure | Hardin | Big Horn County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $142,800 | $148,200 |
| Median property tax | $1,570 | $1,482 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.099% | 1.000% |
| Median gross rent | $726 | $686 |
| Population | 3,766 | 12,963 |
The weather behind that power bill
Hardin sits in Big Horn County, which averages a high of 90.0°F in its hottest month and a low of 10.4°F in its coldest, with 16.48" of precipitation a year and 49% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 468 cooling and 7,375 heating degree days, which is what sets the $133 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Big Horn County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Big Horn County
Full Big Horn County cost breakdown · Every county in Montana
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Hardin 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 Hardin every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Hardin I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Hardin?
A $143,000 home in Hardin, Montana costs approximately $1,280 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $780 principal and interest, $131 property tax, $49 homeowners insurance, $201 utilities and $119 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Hardin?
Hardin has an effective property tax rate of 1.099%, based on a median home value of $142,800 and median real estate taxes of $1,570. That is higher than the Big Horn County average of 1.000%.
What is the average home price in Hardin?
The median owner-occupied home value in Hardin, Montana is $142,800, against $148,200 across Big Horn County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Hardin?
Median gross rent in Hardin is $726 a month, against $1,280 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 Hardin?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Hardin, Montana at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $55,000 a year. That covers the full $1,280 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Hardin, 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.