Montana · FIPS 30073 · HUD FY 2027
Pondera County, Montana Fair Market Rent
HUD’s FY 2027 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Pondera County is $1,257 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 $50,280 a year to afford it.
- $1,2572-bedroom FMR+$3 (+0.2%) vs FY 2026
- $1,0301-bedroom FMRMontana: $1,223 · U.S.: $1,478
- $50,280Income for a 2-bedroom$24/hour full-time
- 34 of 562BR rank in Montana1 = highest rent
| Unit | Pondera County FY 2027 | FY 2026 | Change | Montana avg | U.S. avg | Income needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $961 | $940 | +$21 (+2.2%) | $1,114 | $1,379 | $38,440 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,030 | $1,144 | −$114 (−10.0%) | $1,223 | $1,478 | $41,200 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,257 | $1,254 | +$3 (+0.2%) | $1,529 | $1,761 | $50,280 |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,705 | $1,619 | +$86 (+5.3%) | $2,086 | $2,266 | $68,200 |
| 4 bedrooms | $2,023 | $1,892 | +$131 (+6.9%) | $2,430 | $2,607 | $80,920 |
How Pondera County compares
- Pondera 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: $961, $1,030, $1,257, $1,705, $2,023. 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 5 ZIP codes mostly in Pondera County (by land area), the 2-bedroom figure ranges from $1,150 to $1,330.
Small Area FMRs by ZIP code in Pondera County
| ZIP | Studio | 1BR | 2BR | 3BR | 4BR | 2BR vs FY 2026 | 2BR vs area FMR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 59416 | $1,020 | $1,120 | $1,330 | $1,830 | $2,160 | +$20 (+1.5%) | 6% above |
| 59425 | $990 | $1,120 | $1,300 | $1,770 | $2,090 | no change | 3% above |
| 59432 | $920 | $1,120 | $1,230 | $1,710 | $1,960 | +$30 (+2.5%) | 2% below |
| 59448 | $870 | $1,030 | $1,150 | $1,460 | $1,710 | no change | 9% below |
| 59486 | $870 | $1,030 | $1,150 | $1,480 | $1,750 | +$30 (+2.7%) | 9% below |
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.