Montana · FIPS 30011 · HUD FY 2027
Carter County, Montana Fair Market Rent
HUD’s FY 2027 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Carter County is $1,247 a month (rent plus utilities), 18% below the Montana average of $1,529 and 29% below the U.S. average of $1,761. That is up $3 (0.2%) from FY 2026. At 30% of income, a household needs about $49,880 a year to afford it.
- $1,2472-bedroom FMR+$3 (+0.2%) vs FY 2026
- $9531-bedroom FMRMontana: $1,223 · U.S.: $1,478
- $49,880Income for a 2-bedroom$24/hour full-time
- 36 of 562BR rank in Montana1 = highest rent
| Unit | Carter County FY 2027 | FY 2026 | Change | Montana avg | U.S. avg | Income needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $953 | $932 | +$21 (+2.3%) | $1,114 | $1,379 | $38,120 |
| 1 bedroom | $953 | $1,002 | −$49 (−4.9%) | $1,223 | $1,478 | $38,120 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,247 | $1,244 | +$3 (+0.2%) | $1,529 | $1,761 | $49,880 |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,486 | $1,492 | −$6 (−0.4%) | $2,086 | $2,266 | $59,440 |
| 4 bedrooms | $2,048 | $2,011 | +$37 (+1.8%) | $2,430 | $2,607 | $81,920 |
How Carter County compares
- Carter County is a non-metro county, so HUD sets one Fair Market Rent for the whole county.
- Across Montana, 2-bedroom FMRs run from $1,014 (Phillips County) to $2,109 (Gallatin County).
- Studio to 4-bedroom: $953, $953, $1,247, $1,486, $2,048. HUD derives the other sizes from the 2-bedroom figure with fixed ratios, adjusted where local data warrant.
- HUD also publishes ZIP-level Small Area FMRs. For the 4 ZIP codes mostly in Carter County (by land area), the 2-bedroom figure ranges from $1,150 to $1,260.
Small Area FMRs by ZIP code in Carter County
| ZIP | Studio | 1BR | 2BR | 3BR | 4BR | 2BR vs FY 2026 | 2BR vs area FMR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 59311 | $840 | $910 | $1,170 | $1,430 | $1,880 | +$80 (+7.3%) | 6% below |
| 59319 | $890 | $970 | $1,260 | $1,500 | $2,000 | +$170 (+15.6%) | 1% above |
| 59324 | $880 | $910 | $1,150 | $1,370 | $1,890 | +$60 (+5.5%) | 8% below |
| 59332 | $960 | $960 | $1,250 | $1,490 | $2,050 | +$10 (+0.8%) | about the same as |
Sources
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, HUD User Fair Market Rents: FY 2027 FMRs (file dated August 26, 2026) and FY 2026 FMRs (file dated April 21, 2026).
- HUD User Small Area Fair Market Rents: FY 2027 SAFMRs (file dated August 31, 2026) and FY 2026 SAFMRs (file dated April 21, 2026).
- ZIP-to-county assignment: Census Bureau 2020 ZCTA-to-county relationship file (file dated December 9, 2021), largest land-area overlap.
Fair Market Rents are HUD’s estimate of gross rent (rent plus utilities) for a modest unit, set at the 40th percentile of recent-mover rents. FY 2027 is HUD’s fiscal year beginning October 1, 2026. Housing authorities set voucher payment standards from these figures; check yours.