Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Harlowton, Montana
A $179,000 home here costs
$1,431per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $920. The real number is $511 higher every month — 56% 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.
Harlowton against Wheatland County and Montana
| Measure | Harlowton | Wheatland County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $178,800 | $172,700 |
| Median property tax | $1,203 | $1,122 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.673% | 0.650% |
| Median gross rent | $766 | $741 |
| Population | 1,054 | 2,049 |
The weather behind that power bill
Harlowton sits in Wheatland County, which averages a high of 83.9°F in its hottest month and a low of 13.3°F in its coldest, with 13.18" of precipitation a year and 51% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 231 cooling and 7,934 heating degree days, which is what sets the $132 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Wheatland County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Wheatland County
No other places of this size are published in Wheatland County.
Full Wheatland County cost breakdown · Every county in Montana
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Harlowton?
A $179,000 home in Harlowton, Montana costs approximately $1,431 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $920 principal and interest, $100 property tax, $62 homeowners insurance, $200 utilities and $149 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Harlowton?
Harlowton has an effective property tax rate of 0.673%, based on a median home value of $178,800 and median real estate taxes of $1,203. That is higher than the Wheatland County average of 0.650%.
What is the average home price in Harlowton?
The median owner-occupied home value in Harlowton, Montana is $178,800, against $172,700 across Wheatland County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Harlowton?
Median gross rent in Harlowton is $766 a month, against $1,431 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 Harlowton — 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.