Great Falls's median home price sits at $285,000, 32% below the $420,000 national median. On a $56,000 median household income, that puts the price-to-income ratio at 5.1x, or 5.1 years of gross pay for the purchase price alone.
Property taxes in Great Falls run 0.8% of assessed value, below the 1.1% national average. On the median home, that's $2,280 a year, or $190 added to the monthly payment.
Between the $1,794/month mortgage payment and Montana's state income tax, your real housing cost calculation needs your after-tax number, not your gross salary.
Beyond housing, Great Falls's cost of living index sits at 89 (national average = 100), running below the national baseline for groceries, transportation, and everyday services.
Great Falls's median home price runs 25% lower than nearby Billings: $380,000 there versus $285,000 here.