The typical owner-occupied home in Custer County is worth about $219,100, 42% below the Montana median of $375,800 and 34% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $2,264 a year in property taxes, about 1.03% of their home's value, higher than the Montana rate of 0.72%. The median household earns $70,605 a year, so the median home costs 3.1 times the median income (5.2 times for Montana). 70% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 44% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Custer County at a glance
| Custer County | Montana | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $219,100 | $375,800 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $2,264 | $2,693 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 1.03% | 0.72% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $70,605 | $72,509 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 70% | 69% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 44% | 55% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,557 | $1,798 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 19.2% | 21.9% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $893 | $1,081 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 26.4% | 27.8% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1965 | 1981 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 12.9% | 13.2% | 10.1% |
| Population | 11,961 | 1,116,875 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Custer County
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Custer County home of $219,100 with 20% down costs about $1,458 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,823, 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 $62,506 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 25% of the median Custer County household income of $70,605; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $247,000.
The median rent here is $893 a month, so owning the median home costs about $565 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $43,820 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $175,280 |
| Principal and interest | $1,179 |
| Property taxes (1.03% a year) | $188 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $91 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $1,458 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $7,668 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $215,132 |
| Principal and interest | $1,447 |
| Property taxes (1.03% a year) | $188 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $91 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $97 |
| Total per month | $1,823 |
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Questions about home buying in Custer County
What is the median home value in Custer County?
About $219,100 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Custer County?
Homeowners pay a median $2,264 a year, which is about 1.03% 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 Custer County?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,458 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $62,506 a year.
More about Custer County
- Mortgage Refinance in Custer County
- Debt Relief in Custer County
- Home Equity Loans in Custer County
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
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