Montana · FIPS 30049 · HUD FY 2027
Lewis and Clark County, Montana Fair Market Rent
HUD’s FY 2027 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Lewis and Clark County is $1,653 a month (rent plus utilities), 8% above the Montana average of $1,529 and 6% below the U.S. average of $1,761. That is up $6 (0.4%) from FY 2026. At 30% of income, a household needs about $66,120 a year to afford it.
- $1,6532-bedroom FMR+$6 (+0.4%) vs FY 2026
- $1,3201-bedroom FMRMontana: $1,223 · U.S.: $1,478
- $66,120Income for a 2-bedroom$32/hour full-time
- 5 of 562BR rank in Montana1 = highest rent
| Unit | Lewis and Clark County FY 2027 | FY 2026 | Change | Montana avg | U.S. avg | Income needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,151 | $1,136 | +$15 (+1.3%) | $1,114 | $1,379 | $46,040 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,320 | $1,319 | +$1 (+0.1%) | $1,223 | $1,478 | $52,800 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,653 | $1,647 | +$6 (+0.4%) | $1,529 | $1,761 | $66,120 |
| 3 bedrooms | $2,289 | $2,250 | +$39 (+1.7%) | $2,086 | $2,266 | $91,560 |
| 4 bedrooms | $2,392 | $2,496 | −$104 (−4.2%) | $2,430 | $2,607 | $95,680 |
How Lewis and Clark County compares
- HUD sets this rent for the Lewis and Clark County, MT metro FMR area, which covers 73,464 residents in 1 county.
- Across Montana, 2-bedroom FMRs run from $1,014 (Phillips County) to $2,109 (Gallatin County).
- Studio to 4-bedroom: $1,151, $1,320, $1,653, $2,289, $2,392. 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 11 ZIP codes mostly in Lewis and Clark County (by land area), the 2-bedroom figure ranges from $1,120 to $2,040.
Small Area FMRs by ZIP code in Lewis and Clark County
| ZIP | Studio | 1BR | 2BR | 3BR | 4BR | 2BR vs FY 2026 | 2BR vs area FMR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 59410 | $880 | $1,010 | $1,270 | $1,760 | $1,840 | no change | 23% below |
| 59601 | $1,150 | $1,320 | $1,650 | $2,280 | $2,390 | +$10 (+0.6%) | about the same as |
| 59602 | $1,420 | $1,630 | $2,040 | $2,820 | $2,950 | no change | 23% above |
| 59623 | $1,150 | $1,320 | $1,650 | $2,280 | $2,390 | no change | about the same as |
| 59625 | $1,150 | $1,320 | $1,650 | $2,280 | $2,390 | +$10 (+0.6%) | about the same as |
| 59633 | $1,040 | $1,190 | $1,480 | $2,050 | $2,160 | −$30 (−2.0%) | 10% below |
| 59635 | $1,060 | $1,230 | $1,520 | $2,090 | $2,190 | −$30 (−1.9%) | 8% below |
| 59636 | $1,330 | $1,530 | $1,910 | $2,650 | $2,770 | no change | 16% above |
| 59639 | $780 | $890 | $1,120 | $1,550 | $1,620 | −$60 (−5.1%) | 32% below |
| 59640 | $1,420 | $1,630 | $2,040 | $2,820 | $2,950 | no change | 23% above |
| 59648 | $1,180 | $1,350 | $1,690 | $2,340 | $2,450 | no change | 2% 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.