MT · Housing Choice Voucher
Montana Section 8 rent calculator
5,127 Montana households rented with a tenant-based voucher at the end of 2025; Montana Department of Commerce ran 3,148. The average household paid $393 a month toward rent and utilities.
How much Section 8 can pay by bedroom size in Montana
Your voucher pays the lower of the gross rent and your agency’s payment standard, minus your total tenant payment; the standard is the one for the smaller of your voucher size and the unit’s bedrooms. Standards are normally set at 90% to 110% of HUD’s published fair market rent for the area. Montana’s FY2027 two-bedroom fair market rent runs from $1,014 in Phillips County, MT to $2,109 in Bozeman, MT MSA; three bedrooms, $1,331 in Sanders County, MT to $2,920 in Bozeman, MT MSA.
| Unit | Lowest area | Highest area |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $775 Phillips County, MT | $1,469 Bozeman, MT MSA |
| 1 bedroom | $807 Powder River County, MT | $1,612 Bozeman, MT MSA and 1 other area |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,014 Phillips County, MT | $2,109 Bozeman, MT MSA |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,331 Sanders County, MT | $2,920 Bozeman, MT MSA |
| 4 bedrooms | $1,550 Sweet Grass County, MT | $3,487 Bozeman, MT MSA |
An agency with an approved exception standard can pay above 110%. Ask yours for its actual figure (Montana agencies), then enter it below. Rules: 24 CFR 982.503(c), 982.505(c); rents: HUD FY2027 workbook.
Work out a Montana voucher rent split
Monthly rent split
Enter your figures to see who pays what.
- You pay the owner
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- plus Voucher pays the owner
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- equals Owner receives
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- Your total share with utilities
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- Total tenant payment
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- Total assistance
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- Utility reimbursement
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- Gross rent
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- Above the payment standard
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Who runs vouchers in Montana
Montana Department of Commerce is the largest voucher agency in Montana, ahead of Missoula Housing Authority (715 households) and 6 smaller agencies.
Waits before admission averaged 13 months at Great Falls Housing Authority and 49 at HomeFront.
Average family payments ran from $376 at Housing Authority of Butte to $441 at Missoula Housing Authority.
- Households
- 5,127
- Avg. family payment
- $393
- Avg. yearly income
- $16,099
- Avg. wait
- 21 months
- 2-bed / 3+ bed units
- 39% / 18%
| Agency | Households | Avg. family payment | Avg. wait |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montana Department of Commerce MT901 | 3,148 | $379 | 17 mo |
| Missoula Housing Authority MT033 | 715 | $441 | 20 mo |
| HomeFront MT001 | 652 | $407 | 49 mo |
| Helena Housing Authority MT004 | 288 | $386 | 18 mo |
| Great Falls Housing Authority MT002 | 141 | $420 | 13 mo |
| Housing Authority of Butte MT003 | 93 | $376 | 19 mo |
| City of Ronan Housing Authority MT036 | 35 | $407 | 16 mo |
| Whitefish Housing Authority MT015 | 11 | $482 | 12 mo |
Source: HUD Picture of Subsidized Households 2025; field notes.
FY2027 rent references for Montana
HUD’s county workbook contains 56 location rows across 55 FMR areas in Montana. The two-bedroom references range from $1,014 in Phillips County (Phillips County, MT) to $2,109 in Gallatin County (Bozeman, MT MSA). These are area references including utilities, not a statewide voucher amount.
Montana metropolitan HUD areas
| HUD area | Rows | Studio | 1 bed | 2 beds | 3 beds | 4 beds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bozeman, MT MSA | 1 | $1,469 | $1,612 | $2,109 | $2,920 | $3,487 |
| Broadwater County, MT HUD Metro FMR Area | 1 | $1,222 | $1,612 | $1,755 | $2,258 | $2,571 |
| Missoula, MT HUD Metro FMR Area | 1 | $1,177 | $1,433 | $1,690 | $2,340 | $2,825 |
| Lewis and Clark County, MT HUD Metro FMR Area | 1 | $1,151 | $1,320 | $1,653 | $2,289 | $2,392 |
| Billings, MT HUD Metro FMR Area | 2 | $1,003 | $1,132 | $1,432 | $1,983 | $2,261 |
| Jefferson County, MT HUD Metro FMR Area | 1 | $982 | $1,078 | $1,410 | $1,847 | $1,854 |
| Mineral County, MT HUD Metro FMR Area | 1 | $968 | $1,173 | $1,390 | $1,679 | $1,854 |
| Great Falls, MT MSA | 1 | $993 | $1,000 | $1,308 | $1,811 | $1,988 |
| Stillwater County, MT HUD Metro FMR Area | 1 | $885 | $972 | $1,271 | $1,760 | $2,124 |
The other 46 Montana rows use 46 nonmetropolitan references, with two-bedroom amounts from $1,014 to $1,682; $1,552 applies to 5 of them.
56 location rows
| Location / HUD area | Studio | 1 bed | 2 beds | 3 beds | 4 beds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beaverhead County Beaverhead County, MT | $821 | $987 | $1,074 | $1,487 | $1,795 |
| Big Horn County Big Horn County, MT | $998 | $1,007 | $1,306 | $1,795 | $2,183 |
| Blaine County Blaine County, MT | $907 | $932 | $1,187 | $1,433 | $1,950 |
| Broadwater County Broadwater County, MT HUD Metro FMR Area | $1,222 | $1,612 | $1,755 | $2,258 | $2,571 |
| Carbon County Billings, MT HUD Metro FMR Area | $1,003 | $1,132 | $1,432 | $1,983 | $2,261 |
| Carter County Carter County, MT | $953 | $953 | $1,247 | $1,486 | $2,048 |
| Cascade County Great Falls, MT MSA | $993 | $1,000 | $1,308 | $1,811 | $1,988 |
| Chouteau County Chouteau County, MT | $1,001 | $1,001 | $1,310 | $1,814 | $1,964 |
| Custer County Custer County, MT | $1,160 | $1,232 | $1,612 | $2,195 | $2,471 |
| Daniels County Daniels County, MT | $784 | $903 | $1,026 | $1,421 | $1,685 |
| Dawson County Dawson County, MT | $961 | $961 | $1,257 | $1,587 | $2,065 |
| Deer Lodge County Deer Lodge County, MT | $827 | $973 | $1,082 | $1,498 | $1,809 |
| Fallon County Fallon County, MT | $1,073 | $1,102 | $1,404 | $1,944 | $2,306 |
| Fergus County Fergus County, MT | $1,108 | $1,108 | $1,450 | $1,995 | $2,382 |
| Flathead County Flathead County, MT | $1,277 | $1,286 | $1,682 | $2,263 | $2,626 |
| Gallatin County Bozeman, MT MSA | $1,469 | $1,612 | $2,109 | $2,920 | $3,487 |
| Garfield County Garfield County, MT | $842 | $864 | $1,101 | $1,442 | $1,809 |
| Glacier County Glacier County, MT | $977 | $1,174 | $1,278 | $1,523 | $1,827 |
| Golden Valley County Golden Valley County, MT | $1,026 | $1,053 | $1,342 | $1,858 | $2,204 |
| Granite County Granite County, MT | $806 | $828 | $1,055 | $1,461 | $1,733 |
| Hill County Hill County, MT | $1,001 | $1,077 | $1,310 | $1,814 | $1,925 |
| Jefferson County Jefferson County, MT HUD Metro FMR Area | $982 | $1,078 | $1,410 | $1,847 | $1,854 |
| Judith Basin County Judith Basin County, MT | $888 | $912 | $1,162 | $1,609 | $1,909 |
| Lake County Lake County, MT | $1,116 | $1,123 | $1,448 | $1,821 | $2,046 |
| Lewis and Clark County Lewis and Clark County, MT HUD Metro FMR Area | $1,151 | $1,320 | $1,653 | $2,289 | $2,392 |
| Liberty County Liberty County, MT | $792 | $813 | $1,036 | $1,435 | $1,702 |
| Lincoln County Lincoln County, MT | $1,034 | $1,078 | $1,173 | $1,624 | $1,927 |
| Madison County Madison County, MT | $1,179 | $1,211 | $1,543 | $2,115 | $2,579 |
| McCone County McCone County, MT | $1,186 | $1,218 | $1,552 | $2,149 | $2,549 |
| Meagher County Meagher County, MT | $1,067 | $1,096 | $1,396 | $1,933 | $2,293 |
| Mineral County Mineral County, MT HUD Metro FMR Area | $968 | $1,173 | $1,390 | $1,679 | $1,854 |
| Missoula County Missoula, MT HUD Metro FMR Area | $1,177 | $1,433 | $1,690 | $2,340 | $2,825 |
| Musselshell County Musselshell County, MT | $1,030 | $1,238 | $1,348 | $1,867 | $2,214 |
| Park County Park County, MT | $1,120 | $1,373 | $1,608 | $2,209 | $2,688 |
| Petroleum County Petroleum County, MT | $1,186 | $1,218 | $1,552 | $2,149 | $2,549 |
| Phillips County Phillips County, MT | $775 | $931 | $1,014 | $1,404 | $1,666 |
| Pondera County Pondera County, MT | $961 | $1,030 | $1,257 | $1,705 | $2,023 |
| Powder River County Powder River County, MT | $786 | $807 | $1,028 | $1,423 | $1,689 |
| Powell County Powell County, MT | $868 | $1,044 | $1,136 | $1,573 | $1,866 |
| Prairie County Prairie County, MT | $1,186 | $1,218 | $1,552 | $2,149 | $2,549 |
| Ravalli County Ravalli County, MT | $1,091 | $1,166 | $1,426 | $1,971 | $2,383 |
| Richland County Richland County, MT | $1,160 | $1,176 | $1,315 | $1,567 | $2,198 |
| Roosevelt County Roosevelt County, MT | $917 | $923 | $1,203 | $1,433 | $1,976 |
| Rosebud County Rosebud County, MT | $909 | $971 | $1,189 | $1,646 | $1,987 |
| Sanders County Sanders County, MT | $778 | $854 | $1,117 | $1,331 | $1,835 |
| Sheridan County Sheridan County, MT | $928 | $928 | $1,214 | $1,681 | $1,994 |
| Silver Bow County Silver Bow County, MT | $1,076 | $1,176 | $1,417 | $1,962 | $2,325 |
| Stillwater County Stillwater County, MT HUD Metro FMR Area | $885 | $972 | $1,271 | $1,760 | $2,124 |
| Sweet Grass County Sweet Grass County, MT | $901 | $925 | $1,179 | $1,544 | $1,550 |
| Teton County Teton County, MT | $1,042 | $1,205 | $1,363 | $1,887 | $2,278 |
| Toole County Toole County, MT | $892 | $947 | $1,233 | $1,629 | $1,769 |
| Treasure County Treasure County, MT | $1,186 | $1,218 | $1,552 | $2,149 | $2,549 |
| Valley County Valley County, MT | $919 | $1,023 | $1,202 | $1,664 | $1,844 |
| Wheatland County Wheatland County, MT | $855 | $878 | $1,119 | $1,549 | $1,838 |
| Wibaux County Wibaux County, MT | $1,186 | $1,218 | $1,552 | $2,149 | $2,549 |
| Yellowstone County Billings, MT HUD Metro FMR Area | $1,003 | $1,132 | $1,432 | $1,983 | $2,261 |
Source: HUD FY2027 county and town workbook, effective October 1, 2026 (notice); scope and dates. Section 8 fair market rents by ZIP code.
Montana housing agency directory
The HUD Montana contact report lists 12 agencies; these 9 run Section 8 or combined programs.
- HomeFrontMT001 · Combined
- Housing Authority of ButteMT003 · Combined
- Great Falls Housing AuthorityMT002 · Combined
- Montana Department of CommerceMT901 · Section 8
- Helena Housing AuthorityMT004 · Combined
- Missoula Housing AuthorityMT033 · Combined
- City of Ronan Housing AuthorityMT036 · Section 8
- Richland County Housing AuthorityMT006 · Combined
- Whitefish Housing AuthorityMT015 · Combined
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