States › Montana › Columbia Falls

Is Columbia Falls, MT expensive to live in?

OKRent takes 24 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,6466% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$81,714about $6,810/month · 6% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$384,40016% higher than U.S. average

Rent is lower than in 50% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 4.7 years of household income. Commutes are short, about 19.8 minutes.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $65,840 a year. That is $32 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other Montana cities?

No. Rent here is more expensive than in most of Montana. It is number 20 of 27 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Columbia Falls
$1,646
Orchard Homes
$1,060
Bigfork
$1,077
Four Corners
$1,419
Polson
$863
Helena Valley Northwest
$1,700
Lewistown
$1,237

How much do households earn in Columbia Falls?

Under $25k
19.6%
$25k–50k
19.1%
$50k–100k
34.0%
$100k–150k
21.6%
$150k+
2.0%

Share of households by yearly income. 23.6% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Columbia Falls

SizeColumbia FallsU.S. average
1 bedroom$716$1,324
2 bedrooms$1,131$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,387$1,698
4 bedrooms$1,195$2,098

Median monthly rent plus utilities for all renters, by number of bedrooms.

How expensive is Columbia Falls overall?

Everyday prices in Montana overall are 5% below the U.S. average (index 94.6, U.S. = 100).

Housing
85
Goods (food, clothes…)
96
Utilities
72
Other services
99
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for Columbia Falls, so the Montana figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Columbia Falls

🏛️ Property tax$2,814a year · 0.73% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$96a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Columbia Falls

Commute to work19.8 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree32.1%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home56%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line15.2%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment5.6%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Columbia Falls?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $1,021 a month less.

Renting
$1,646
Owning
$2,667

Owning assumes a typical $384,400 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $38,440 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Columbia Falls, MT?

Renting in Columbia Falls costs a median of about $1,646 a month in 2026, including utilities. The Montana median is $1,260.

How much do I need to make to live in Columbia Falls?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $65,840 a year, or $32 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Columbia Falls cheap or expensive?

Columbia Falls is rated OK: rent takes 24.2% of the typical household income of $81,714. It ranks 20th cheapest of 27 Montana cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Columbia Falls?

The median homeowner in Columbia Falls pays $2,814 a year in property taxes, about 0.73% of the median home value.

Is Columbia Falls more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in Montana are 5% below the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in Columbia Falls?

The median home value in Columbia Falls is $384,400, about 4.7 times the typical yearly household income.

5,615 people live in Columbia Falls. Numbers are typical (middle) values.