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Buying a home in Charlo, Montana

The typical owner-occupied home in Charlo is worth about $210,800, 44% below the Montana median of $375,800 and 37% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $917 a year in property taxes, about 0.44% of their home's value, lower than the Montana rate of 0.72%. The median household earns $40,469 a year, so the median home costs 5.2 times the median income (5.2 times for Montana). 68% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 33% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Charlo at a glance

Charlo Montana U.S.
Median home value $210,800 $375,800 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $917 $2,693 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.44% 0.72% 0.94%
Median household income $40,469 $72,509 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 68% 69% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 33% 55% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,302 $1,798 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 19.7% 21.9% 21.0%
Median rent $843 $1,081 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 30.8% 27.8% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1974 1981 1980
Vacant homes 4.5% 13.2% 10.1%
Population 306 1,116,875 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Charlo

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Charlo home of $210,800 with 20% down costs about $1,300 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,651, 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 $55,696 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 39% of the median Charlo household income of $40,469; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $153,000.

The median rent here is $843 a month, so owning the median home costs about $457 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$42,160
Loan amount$168,640
Principal and interest$1,134
Property taxes (0.44% a year)$77
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$88
PMI$0
Total per month$1,300

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$7,378
Loan amount$206,982
Principal and interest$1,392
Property taxes (0.44% a year)$77
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$88
FHA mortgage insurance$93
Total per month$1,651

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Questions about home buying in Charlo

What is the median home value in Charlo?

About $210,800 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Charlo?

Homeowners pay a median $917 a year, which is about 0.44% 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 Charlo?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,300 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $55,696 a year.

More about Charlo

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