Montana · FIPS 30015 · HUD FY 2027
Chouteau County, Montana Fair Market Rent
HUD’s FY 2027 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Chouteau County is $1,310 a month (rent plus utilities), 14% below the Montana average of $1,529 and 26% 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 $52,400 a year to afford it.
- $1,3102-bedroom FMR+$3 (+0.2%) vs FY 2026
- $1,0011-bedroom FMRMontana: $1,223 · U.S.: $1,478
- $52,400Income for a 2-bedroom$25/hour full-time
- 28 of 562BR rank in Montana1 = highest rent
| Unit | Chouteau County FY 2027 | FY 2026 | Change | Montana avg | U.S. avg | Income needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,001 | $980 | +$21 (+2.1%) | $1,114 | $1,379 | $40,040 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,001 | $996 | +$5 (+0.5%) | $1,223 | $1,478 | $40,040 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,310 | $1,307 | +$3 (+0.2%) | $1,529 | $1,761 | $52,400 |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,814 | $1,662 | +$152 (+9.1%) | $2,086 | $2,266 | $72,560 |
| 4 bedrooms | $1,964 | $1,950 | +$14 (+0.7%) | $2,430 | $2,607 | $78,560 |
How Chouteau County compares
- Chouteau 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: $1,001, $1,001, $1,310, $1,814, $1,964. 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 7 ZIP codes mostly in Chouteau County (by land area), the 2-bedroom figure ranges from $1,190 to $1,970.
Small Area FMRs by ZIP code in Chouteau County
| ZIP | Studio | 1BR | 2BR | 3BR | 4BR | 2BR vs FY 2026 | 2BR vs area FMR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 59420 | $980 | $980 | $1,280 | $1,770 | $1,920 | +$50 (+4.1%) | 2% below |
| 59440 | $1,230 | $1,240 | $1,620 | $2,240 | $2,450 | +$90 (+5.9%) | 24% above |
| 59442 | $910 | $910 | $1,190 | $1,650 | $1,780 | +$20 (+1.7%) | 9% below |
| 59446 | $1,120 | $1,120 | $1,460 | $2,030 | $2,300 | +$60 (+4.3%) | 11% above |
| 59450 | $1,510 | $1,510 | $1,970 | $2,730 | $2,950 | +$10 (+0.5%) | 50% above |
| 59460 | $990 | $1,000 | $1,300 | $1,800 | $1,940 | +$10 (+0.8%) | 1% below |
| 59520 | $1,130 | $1,130 | $1,480 | $2,050 | $2,220 | −$20 (−1.3%) | 13% above |
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.