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New Report Fall 2026 Housing Affordability Report: every state is less affordable than in late August as average 30-year mortgage rates passed 7%. Read the report

Medicine Lake, MT Housing Affordability Index

Medicine Lake, Montana has an MBR Housing Affordability Index score of 152.1 (Highly Affordable) as of October 30, 2026, ranking 49th most affordable of 217 scored Montana cities, compared with 92.8 statewide and 97.4 nationally. On a median-priced $106,800 home with 20% down, the Montana average 30-year fixed rate of 7.26% means a monthly principal and interest payment of about $583, or 15% of the city’s $48,125 median household income.

The MBR Housing Affordability Index (MBR-HAI) for Medicine Lake is updated every night from live Montana mortgage rates and U.S. Census Bureau income, home value and housing cost data for the city. A score of 100 equals the national average; higher scores mean homeownership is more affordable.

Medicine Lake MBR-HAI 152.1 Highly Affordable
Rank in Montana 49 of 217 1 = most affordable
Montana 92.8 Statewide score
National 97.4 100 = baseline
Avg 30-yr rate 7.26% Montana lenders
Median home value $106,800 U.S. Census Bureau

Medicine Lake is 59.3 points above the Montana score. Scores as of October 30, 2026. See the Montana index

View Medicine Lake Mortgage Rates

See What You Can Afford in Medicine Lake, Montana

Use this Medicine Lake, Montana home affordability calculator to see how much house you can afford at today’s Montana average 30-year mortgage rate of 7.26%. A household earning the Medicine Lake median income of $48,125, with no other debts and $21,000 down, can afford a home of about $149,411, compared with a median home value of $106,800. Buying the median priced home with 20% down takes a household income of about $30,900 once property tax and insurance are counted.

Medicine Lake median (Census)
Car, student loan, card minimums
Under 20% adds PMI
Montana average, 30-year fixed
Medicine Lake median bill (Census)
Estimate; use your quote
You can afford a home up to
$149,411
At or above the Medicine Lake median home value of $106,800
Loan amount$128,411
Principal & interest$876/mo
Property tax$131/mo
Home insurance$62/mo
PMI$54/mo
Total monthly payment$1,123/mo
Compare Medicine Lake Mortgage Rates

How much house can you afford in Medicine Lake?

Most lenders use two limits. Your housing payment, including principal, interest, property tax, homeowners insurance and any PMI, should stay under about 28% of your gross monthly income, and all of your monthly debt payments together should stay under about 36%. The calculator takes whichever limit is lower, then works backward from that payment to the most expensive home it covers at the current rate.

In Medicine Lake, property taxes run about 1.05% of a home’s value each year, based on the Census median tax bill, which counts against the same monthly budget as the mortgage. Each quarter point move in mortgage rates changes the price you can afford by roughly $2,514 for a median income household. A larger down payment, paying down other debts, or a lower rate from a local lender all raise your budget.

What It Takes to Buy in Medicine Lake

$583/mo
Principal & Interest
Median home, 20% down, 7.26%
$25,000
Income Needed
To keep principal and interest at 28% of income
$48,125
Median Household Income
Montana: $72,509
2.2x
Price-to-Income Ratio
Montana: 5.2x
$625/mo
Median Owner Costs
Mortgage, taxes, insurance, utilities
$1,125/yr
Median Property Tax
1.05% of median value
31.2%
Owner Cost Burden
Owners spending 30%+ of income on housing
44.4%
Renter Cost Burden
Renters spending 30%+ of income on rent

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (2024) for Medicine Lake, Montana. The rate is the Montana average 30-year fixed rate from MonitorBankRates, since lenders publish rates by state.

Cite the Medicine Lake Score

“MonitorBankRates (MBR) Housing Affordability Index, MonitorBankRates.com, October 30, 2026. Medicine Lake, Montana score: 152.1 (Highly Affordable), ranked 49 of 217 Montana cities. monitorbankrates.com/housing-affordability-index/montana/medicine-lake”