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Wibaux County, MT

Rent vs Own in Wibaux County, Montana

Comparing the real cost of owning against renting in Wibaux County, built from actual property tax records and HUD Fair Market Rent data. Owner-occupied homes: 334.

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Buying is cheaper in Wibaux County

A 2-bedroom rental here runs $1,548/mo; owning, under the assumptions below, works out to $577/mo. That is a $971/mo difference.

Based on 20% down, 6.5% rate, 30-year mortgage. Adjust below.

What This Data Tells Us About Renting vs Owning in Wibaux County

Property here runs $98,600 at the median, with $598 in annual property tax -- 0.61% effective rate against that value. Ownership, all-in (mortgage plus tax plus insurance, 20% down at 6.5%), comes to $577 a month here; HUD's Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom unit is $1,548. On those assumptions, owning is about $971/mo cheaper than renting before accounting for maintenance, HOA fees, or closing costs.

The median household income in Wibaux County is $67,462, which puts the home-price-to-income ratio at roughly 1.5x, a common affordability yardstick flags ratios above 5x as stretched. Property taxes alone consume 0.9% of median income, versus a 2%–4% national benchmark. These are median-household snapshots, not personalized numbers, your own rent-versus-own math depends on down payment, credit, mortgage rate, how long you plan to stay, and whether you itemize the property tax deduction on your federal return.

Wibaux County's latest HUD 2-bedroom benchmark is $1,548/mo, compared with $1,500/mo a year earlier (FY2025). The estimate increased by $48/mo (+3.2%). That is in line with the modest single-digit annual FMR adjustment HUD applies in most counties.

Wibaux County is ranked 1 of 56 within Montana on the same buy-versus-rent assumptions used in the calculator above. It is the state's most buy-favorable county by this measure.

Methodology & disclaimer

This calculator is for informational purposes only and is not tax, legal, or financial advice. Property tax figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates and rent figures come from HUD Fair Market Rents; both describe area medians, not individual transactions. Insurance is estimated at 0.35% of home value annually and closing costs, maintenance, HOA, and PMI are not included. Consult a licensed mortgage, tax, or real-estate professional before making a buy-or-rent decision based on these numbers.

Monthly Cost Breakdown

Estimated Monthly Ownership
$577
Mortgage (P&I) $499
Property Tax $50
Insurance (est.) $29
Monthly Rent (2-BR FMR)
$1,548
Studio$1,160
1-Bedroom$1,208
2-Bedroom$1,548
3-Bedroom$2,139
4-Bedroom$2,503

Adjust Your Scenario

Affordability Context

Median Household Income
$67,462
$5,622/mo
Home Price / Income
1.5x
Affordable (≤3x)
Tax-to-Income Ratio
0.9%
National benchmark: 2-4%

Nearby Counties

Yellowstone County
Home: $349,500 Tax: $2,832/yr
Flathead County
Home: $535,500 Tax: $3,120/yr
Gallatin County
Home: $667,600 Tax: $3,933/yr
Missoula County
Home: $472,100 Tax: $4,150/yr
Cascade County
Home: $265,300 Tax: $2,320/yr
Lewis and Clark County
Home: $393,500 Tax: $3,113/yr

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Wibaux County, Montana? ▼
Renting comes out ahead in Wibaux County under the standard 20%-down, 6.5% assumptions used on this page, by roughly $971 a month. That gap narrows or reverses with a bigger down payment, a lower rate, or a longer time horizon (owning builds equity that renting doesn't), so treat the number as a starting point, not a verdict, and rerun it with your own terms in the calculator above.
What is the median home price in Wibaux County? ▼
$98,600, per the Census Bureau's ACS 5-Year Estimates. The property tax on that value works out to roughly 0.61% a year, in line with typical rates for the area.
What is the average rent in Wibaux County? ▼
HUD prices a 2-bedroom unit at $1,548/mo here. Sizing up matters: going from a studio to a 4-bedroom adds about $1,343/mo, so the per-bedroom jump is worth checking against your actual space needs before assuming the 2-BR figure applies to your situation.
How much house can you afford in Wibaux County? ▼
On the common 3x-income guideline, a $67,462 household here can afford up to $202,386, which comfortably covers this county's $98,600 median home price -- a healthier affordability picture than many of the counties tracked on this site.
Is rent going up or down in Wibaux County? ▼
Between the FY2025 and FY2026 HUD publications -- the two most recent years tracked here -- Wibaux County's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 3.2%. These are annual revisions from local rent-survey data, so weigh a single year's move as one data point rather than a firm trend.
How does Wibaux County compare to other Montana counties for renting vs buying? ▼
Wibaux County ranks 1 of 56 Montana counties on this site's buy-vs-rent measure, putting it in the more buy-favorable quarter of the state. See the <a href="/states/montana">Montana property tax overview</a> for how neighboring counties stack up.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey). See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainPropertyTax Editorial

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Government Finances State and local property tax revenue by jurisdiction · 2025

Verify with HUD →