Last checked October 29, 2026.
Butte is the most affordable larger town in Montana we’ve found: a single adult needs about $43,500 a year at current asking rents, and the buses are free.
At a glance
| Population | 35,052 (Census ACS 2020–2024) |
| Region | Southwest Montana, Butte-Silver Bow |
| Average 1-bedroom asking rent | $972 (listing sites, Sep–Oct 2026) |
| Median rent paid, Census | $695 for a 1-bedroom; $948 for a 2-bedroom (utilities included; 2020–2024 average) |
| Home prices | $349,769 median sale (Redfin, 3 months ending Aug 2026) |
| Median home value, Census | $257,800 (2020–2024) |
| Median household income, Census | $61,857 (2020–2024) |
| Income needed, own 1-bedroom | $43,527 at current asking rents; $34,899 at the Census median 1-bedroom rent |
| Electric and gas | NorthWestern Energy for both |
| Resort tax | None |
| Buses | Butte-Silver Bow Transit, free; weekdays and Saturdays |
| Hospital / airport | St. James Hospital (Intermountain Health) / Bert Mooney Airport (BTM), with commercial service |
Rent
| Source | 1-bedroom | 2-bedroom | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apartments.com | $818 | $927 | Sep 2026 |
| Zumper | $1,125 | $1,400 | Oct 2026 |
The Census American Community Survey puts the median rent actually paid in Butte at $695 for a 1-bedroom and $948 for a 2-bedroom, 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 run from about $820 to $1,125 for a 1-bedroom.
Buying a home
Redfin’s median sale price was $349,769 for the three months ending August 2026, up 11% from a year earlier (Redfin). See property tax for the 2026 homestead rate.
Monthly budget, own 1-bedroom
| Rent (average 1-bedroom asking rent) | $972 |
| Electric and gas (NorthWestern Energy typical bills) | $195 |
| Car, paid off | $441 |
| Groceries, health premium, phone and internet, eating out, renters insurance, other | $1,018 |
| Total | $2,626 |
| Salary needed with 10% saved, after taxes | $43,527 ($20.93 an hour) |
Same budget as our salary calculator; the car and other lines are explained there. Living without a car near a bus route would cut about $441 a month.
Recent news
- Gov. Gianforte visited Butte to push $100 million more for the state’s HOMES housing program, which helped fund seven Habitat homes there for health-care workers (MTPR, Apr 16, 2025).