Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Three Forks, Montana
A $382,000 home here costs
$2,911per 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 $125,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $2,083. The real number is $828 higher every month, 40% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Gallatin County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Three Forks from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 2,034 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 Gallatin 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.
Three Forks against Gallatin County and Montana
| Measure | Three Forks | Gallatin County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $382,400 | $604,900 |
| Median property tax | $2,137 | $3,625 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.559% | 0.599% |
| Median gross rent | $1,263 | $1,574 |
| Population | 2,034 | 122,194 |
The weather behind that power bill
Three Forks sits in Gallatin County, which averages a high of 85.4°F in its hottest month and a low of 9.7°F in its coldest, with 13.43" of precipitation a year and 47% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 232 cooling and 8,244 heating degree days, which is what sets the $133 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Gallatin County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Gallatin County
Full Gallatin County cost breakdown · Every county in Montana
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Three Forks 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 Three Forks every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Three Forks I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Three Forks?
A $382,000 home in Three Forks, Montana costs approximately $2,911 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $2,083 principal and interest, $178 property tax, $131 homeowners insurance, $201 utilities and $318 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Three Forks?
Three Forks has an effective property tax rate of 0.559%, based on a median home value of $382,400 and median real estate taxes of $2,137. That is lower than the Gallatin County average of 0.599%.
What is the average home price in Three Forks?
The median owner-occupied home value in Three Forks, Montana is $382,400, against $604,900 across Gallatin County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Three Forks?
Median gross rent in Three Forks is $1,263 a month, against $2,911 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 Three Forks?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Three Forks, Montana at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $125,000 a year. That covers the full $2,911 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Three Forks, 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.