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Buying a home in Chinook, Montana

The typical owner-occupied home in Chinook is worth about $214,700, 43% below the Montana median of $375,800 and 35% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $2,337 a year in property taxes, about 1.09% of their home's value, higher than the Montana rate of 0.72%. The median household earns $61,750 a year, so the median home costs 3.5 times the median income (5.2 times for Montana). 80% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 47% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Chinook at a glance

Chinook Montana U.S.
Median home value $214,700 $375,800 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $2,337 $2,693 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.09% 0.72% 0.94%
Median household income $61,750 $72,509 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 80% 69% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 47% 55% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,686 $1,798 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 17.1% 21.9% 21.0%
Median rent $763 $1,081 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 24.6% 27.8% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1957 1981 1980
Vacant homes 14.8% 13.2% 10.1%
Population 1,353 1,116,875 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Chinook

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Chinook home of $214,700 with 20% down costs about $1,440 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,798, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.

Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $61,711 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 28% of the median Chinook household income of $61,750; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $215,000.

The median rent here is $763 a month, so owning the median home costs about $677 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$42,940
Loan amount$171,760
Principal and interest$1,155
Property taxes (1.09% a year)$195
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$89
PMI$0
Total per month$1,440

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$7,514
Loan amount$210,811
Principal and interest$1,418
Property taxes (1.09% a year)$195
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$89
FHA mortgage insurance$95
Total per month$1,798

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Questions about home buying in Chinook

What is the median home value in Chinook?

About $214,700 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Chinook?

Homeowners pay a median $2,337 a year, which is about 1.09% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.

What income do you need to buy a home in Chinook?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,440 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $61,711 a year.

More about Chinook

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data