Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Plains, Montana
A $209,000 home here costs
$1,692per 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 $72,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,139. The real number is $552 higher every month, 48% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Sanders County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Plains from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 1,077 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 Sanders 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.
Plains against Sanders County and Montana
| Measure | Plains | Sanders County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $209,200 | $323,800 |
| Median property tax | $1,265 | $1,777 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.605% | 0.549% |
| Median gross rent | $782 | $774 |
| Population | 1,077 | 12,936 |
The weather behind that power bill
Plains sits in Sanders County, which averages a high of 77.9°F in its hottest month and a low of 14.9°F in its coldest, with 22.31" of precipitation a year and 34% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 27 cooling and 9,042 heating degree days, which is what sets the $133 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Sanders County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Sanders County
Full Sanders County cost breakdown · Every county in Montana
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Plains 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 Plains every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Plains I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Plains?
A $209,000 home in Plains, Montana costs approximately $1,692 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $1,139 principal and interest, $105 property tax, $72 homeowners insurance, $201 utilities and $174 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Plains?
Plains has an effective property tax rate of 0.605%, based on a median home value of $209,200 and median real estate taxes of $1,265. That is higher than the Sanders County average of 0.549%.
What is the average home price in Plains?
The median owner-occupied home value in Plains, Montana is $209,200, against $323,800 across Sanders County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Plains?
Median gross rent in Plains is $782 a month, against $1,692 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 Plains?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Plains, Montana at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $72,500 a year. That covers the full $1,692 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Plains, 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.