Cost to Own
United States › Montana › Rosebud County › Lame Deer Population 1,939 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-10-29
The part nobody budgets Even with the mortgage fully paid off, the median home here still costs $400 a month in taxes, insurance, utilities and upkeep. See the full Rosebud County picture

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Lame Deer, Montana

A $117,000 home here costs

$1,038

per 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 $44,500 a year.

P&I 61%Tax 6%Insurance 4%Utilities 19%Upkeep 9%

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $638. The real number is $400 higher every month, 63% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Compare Rosebud County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown

Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Lame Deer from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 1,939 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 Rosebud County figures are drawn from a far larger sample if you want a steadier number.

Lame Deer median: $117,300
Under 20% adds PMI
Freddie Mac PMMS
MT average household

Where every dollar goes

Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.

Principal & interest30-year fixed, $93,600 borrowed $638
Property tax0.630%, Rosebud County rate; no place-level figure published $61
Homeowners insuranceMontana averages $1,471/yr (NAIC), or 0.413% of home value $40
Electricity15.57¢/kWh, Montana residential average, EIA $133
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $98
Total monthly $1,038

Lame Deer against Rosebud County and Montana

MeasureLame DeerRosebud County
Median home value$117,300$188,900
Median property tax—$1,191
Effective tax rate0.630%0.630%
Median gross rent$553$644
Population1,9398,236

The weather behind that power bill

Lame Deer sits in Rosebud County, which averages a high of 88.0°F in its hottest month and a low of 10.2°F in its coldest, with 16" of precipitation a year and 46% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 619 cooling and 7,248 heating degree days, which is what sets the $133 electricity line above.

See the full climate breakdown for Rosebud County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.

Other cities in Rosebud County

Full Rosebud County cost breakdown · Every county in Montana

Talk to someone who works this market

These are Lame Deer 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 Lame Deer every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.

I'm looking to buy in Lame Deer I already own here and may sell

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Lame Deer?

A $117,000 home in Lame Deer, Montana costs approximately $1,038 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $638 principal and interest, $61 property tax, $40 homeowners insurance, $201 utilities and $98 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Lame Deer?

Place-level tax data is not published for Lame Deer, so the Rosebud County rate of 0.630% applies here.

What is the average home price in Lame Deer?

The median owner-occupied home value in Lame Deer, Montana is $117,300, against $188,900 across Rosebud County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Lame Deer?

Median gross rent in Lame Deer is $553 a month, against $1,038 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 Lame Deer?

Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Lame Deer, Montana at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $44,500 a year. That covers the full $1,038 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.

Sources & methodology

  • Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Lame Deer, 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.

Full methodology