Last checked October 29, 2026.
At the south end of Flathead Lake, Polson is cheaper to rent than the Flathead Valley: a single adult needs about $38,900 a year at the Census median rent.
At a glance
| Population | 5,653 (July 2025 Census estimate) |
| Region | Glacier Country, Lake County |
| Median rent paid, Census | $912 all units (utilities included; 2020–2024 average) |
| Home prices | $541,265 typical value (Zillow, Jan 2026) |
| Median home value, Census | $356,300 (2020–2024) |
| Median household income, Census | $53,418 (2020–2024) |
| Income needed, own place | $38,866 at the Census median rent (all unit sizes) |
| Electric and gas | Mission Valley Power (City of Polson) for electricity. Neither NorthWestern Energy nor Montana-Dakota Utilities lists Polson among the towns where it supplies natural gas (NorthWestern 2025 report, MDU communities list), so ask how a home is heated before you rent or buy. |
| Resort tax | None |
| Hospital / airport | Providence St. Joseph Medical Center / nearest airports in Kalispell (FCA) and Missoula (MSO) |
Rent
The listing sites’ Polson figures are either out of date or contradict themselves, so we rely on Census figures here.
The Census American Community Survey puts the median rent actually paid in Polson at $912 across all rentals, including utilities (Census ACS 2020–2024). That’s an average over five years and includes long-time tenants, so it runs below what a new renter is quoted today.
Buying a home
Zillow’s typical home value was $541,265 as of January 2026, its latest figure for Polson (Zillow). Redfin doesn’t publish a median for Polson. See property tax for the 2026 homestead rate.
Monthly budget, own place
| Rent (Census median rent, all unit sizes, utilities included) | $912 |
| Car, paid off | $441 |
| Groceries, health premium, phone and internet, eating out, renters insurance, other | $1,018 |
| Total | $2,371 |
| Salary needed with 10% saved, after taxes | $38,866 ($18.69 an hour) |
Same budget as our salary calculator; the car and other lines are explained there. Current asking rents are likely above the Census median.
Recent news
- Salish and Kootenai Housing Authority opened four 2-bedroom units in Polson; more than 100 people were on its waitlist, with waits of two years or more (Char-Koosta News, Jul 31, 2025).