Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Polson, Montana
A $321,000 home here costs
$2,406per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,650. The real number is $756 higher every month — 46% 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.
Polson against Lake County and Montana
| Measure | Polson | Lake County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $321,000 | $369,200 |
| Median property tax | $2,136 | $2,436 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.665% | 0.660% |
| Median gross rent | $921 | $884 |
| Population | 5,334 | 32,073 |
The weather behind that power bill
Polson sits in Lake County, which averages a high of 82.8°F in its hottest month and a low of 22.0°F in its coldest, with 15.01" of precipitation a year and 39% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 295 cooling and 7,130 heating degree days, which is what sets the $132 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Lake County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Lake County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Polson?
A $321,000 home in Polson, Montana costs approximately $2,406 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,650 principal and interest, $178 property tax, $110 homeowners insurance, $200 utilities and $268 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Polson?
Polson has an effective property tax rate of 0.665%, based on a median home value of $321,000 and median real estate taxes of $2,136. That is in line with the Lake County average of 0.660%.
What is the average home price in Polson?
The median owner-occupied home value in Polson, Montana is $321,000, against $369,200 across Lake County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Polson?
Median gross rent in Polson is $921 a month, against $2,406 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 Polson — 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.