Last checked October 29, 2026.
Renting your own 1-bedroom in Whitefish takes about $53,100 a year at current asking rents, and buying is far harder: the median home sold for about $894,000.
At a glance
| Population | 9,358 (July 2025 Census estimate) |
| Region | Glacier Country, Flathead County |
| Average 1-bedroom asking rent | $1,549 (listing sites, Apr–Oct 2026) |
| Median rent paid, Census | $1,354 all units (utilities included; 2020–2024 average) |
| Home prices | $894,408 median sale (Redfin, 3 months ending Aug 2026); $870,463 typical value (Zillow, Sep 2026) |
| Median home value, Census | $684,300 (2020–2024) |
| Median household income, Census | $73,811 (2020–2024) |
| Income needed, own 1-bedroom | $53,068 at current asking rents; $46,945 at the Census median rent (all unit sizes) |
| Electric and gas | Flathead Electric Cooperative (service area); NorthWestern Energy gas |
| Resort tax | 3% on lodging, restaurant meals, alcohol, ski-resort goods and services and some luxury items; renewed through January 2045 |
| Hospital / airport | Logan Health – Whitefish / Glacier Park International (FCA) |
Rent
| Source | 1-bedroom | 2-bedroom | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zumper | $1,600 | $2,272 | Oct 28, 2026 |
| RentCafe | $1,559 | $1,854 | Apr 23, 2026 |
| Apartments.com | $1,487 | $1,709 | Oct 2026 |
The Census American Community Survey puts the median rent actually paid in Whitefish at $1,354 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: listing sites average about $1,550 for a 1-bedroom.
Buying a home
Whitefish is the priciest town in northwest Montana. Redfin’s median sale price was $894,408 for the three months ending August 2026, down 10.4% from a year earlier (Redfin), while Zillow’s typical home value was $870,463 in September 2026, up 1.7% (Zillow). See property tax for the 2026 homestead rate.
Property tax on a $894,408 home is about $2,827 a year if it’s your primary residence and about $6,162 as a second home, using the 362.62-mill total levy on 2026 Flathead County tax bills for City of Whitefish parcels (our calculation; see property tax). That total is low for a Montana town partly because it includes a 20.10-mill reduction labeled resort tax relief. City assessments for streets, street lighting, parks and stormwater are billed on top.
Monthly budget, own 1-bedroom
| Rent (average 1-bedroom asking rent) | $1,549 |
| Electric and gas (Flathead Electric, 750 kWh, plus NorthWestern gas) | $140 |
| Car, paid off | $441 |
| Groceries, health premium, phone and internet, eating out, renters insurance, other | $1,018 |
| Total | $3,148 |
| Salary needed with 10% saved, after taxes | $53,068 ($25.51 an hour) |
Same budget as our salary calculator; the car and other lines are explained there. The 3% resort tax adds a little to eating out and entertainment, not to groceries.
Recent news
- Habitat for Humanity of Flathead Valley plans 10 homes a year for 10 years in Whitefish, on a lot the city is buying with resort tax funds (Whitefish Pilot, May 21, 2026).