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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

Plains, MT Housing Affordability Index

Plains, Montana has an MBR Housing Affordability Index score of 74.2 (Moderately Less Affordable) as of October 30, 2026, ranking 205th most affordable of 217 scored Montana cities, compared with 92.8 statewide and 97.4 nationally. On a median-priced $248,300 home with 20% down, the Montana average 30-year fixed rate of 7.26% means a monthly principal and interest payment of about $1,356, or 64% of the city’s $25,491 median household income.

The MBR Housing Affordability Index (MBR-HAI) for Plains 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.

Plains MBR-HAI 74.2 Moderately Less Affordable
Rank in Montana 205 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 $248,300 U.S. Census Bureau

Plains is 18.6 points below the Montana score. Scores as of October 30, 2026. See the Montana index

View Plains Mortgage Rates

What It Takes to Buy in Plains

$1,356/mo
Principal & Interest
Median home, 20% down, 7.26%
$58,100
Income Needed
To keep the payment at 28% of income
$25,491
Median Household Income
Montana: $72,509
9.7x
Price-to-Income Ratio
Montana: 5.2x
$770/mo
Median Owner Costs
Mortgage, taxes, insurance, utilities
$1,327/yr
Median Property Tax
0.53% of median value
40.5%
Owner Cost Burden
Owners spending 30%+ of income on housing
74.7%
Renter Cost Burden
Renters spending 30%+ of income on rent

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

Cite the Plains Score

“MonitorBankRates (MBR) Housing Affordability Index, MonitorBankRates.com, October 30, 2026. Plains, Montana score: 74.2 (Moderately Less Affordable), ranked 205 of 217 Montana cities. monitorbankrates.com/housing-affordability-index/montana/plains”