The story of this market
The typical home in Carbon County, Montana sells for about $518,743, or $360 per square foot.
Prices are up +4.38% from a year ago, so sellers still have some momentum. Homes take about 84 days to sell, which is slow. Over the long run, values in this county have grown 156% since 2000. Last year 2 of 5 neighborhoods saw prices rise, so the story isn't the same street to street. HUD's fair market rent for a two-bedroom is $1,432 a month.
HUD sets the fair market rent for a 2-bedroom at $1,432 a month. FEMA's National Risk Index rates overall hazard risk here as Relatively High.
Price climate
Every year of price change, 2000–2025
0%
2025
Each stripe is one year's median price change across the area's census tracts (FHFA repeat-sales index). Deep blue is a strong gain year, red a falling year. Best: 2022 (+23.4%). Worst: 2008 (-4.2%). Hover to read a year.
Monthly price momentum
Home values since 2015
+2.9%
MT · past 12 months
Freddie Mac House Price Index, single-family homes, monthly through 2026-08. Each line starts at 100 in January 2015, so a reading of 180 means prices are up 80% since then.
Rent benchmark
Fair market rent by size
$1,983
3-bed / month
HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal 2027, for this county. A typical rent for a modest unit, used to set housing-voucher payments.
Neighborhood price trend
Long-run price trend, 2000–2025
0%
2025 change
FHFA repeat-sales index, median of 5 census tracts in this county (2000 = 100). Bars are each year's median change.
Natural hazard exposure
The area's risk shape
89
Relatively High
FEMA National Risk Index. Each spoke is a hazard ranked nationally, where 100 is the most exposed. Expected annual loss: $16,314,736.
Mortgage activity
Home lending in this county
84.1%
2018 approval rate
| Year | Applications | Loans made | Approval | Investor share | Median home value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 487 | 279 | 84.1% | 8.7% | $275,000 |
CFPB Home Mortgage Disclosure Act records: every mortgage application reported by lenders for homes in this county. Approval rate is approved ÷ decided (withdrawn and incomplete files excluded). Investor share and home value are the median census tract.
Carbon County, Montana
The Carbon County housing market shows resilience with steady price appreciation and low inventory levels. Demand remains supported by lifestyle buyers, though elevated mortgage rates and limited supply continue to constrain transaction volume.
No ARED distress-ledger coverage for this county yet — the foreclosure ingest rotates the national county directory, and filings appear here once the county's posted notices are read. Key-figure check: no independent anchor retained yet — first-researched cycles establish the anchor baseline this pass.
Select a city to expand its ZIP intel reports beneath · 5 cities · 7 ZIP reports
Median prices moved up 22.8% year over year.
Homes spend a median of 161 days on market with 0.0 months of supply — a balanced-paced market.
0% of listings have cut prices · homes sell at 58.47% of asking — demand is holding steady.
no recorded foreclosure-ledger notices (0.0 per 10,000 residents) · unemployment 3.1% · poverty 7.8% — a stable, low-distress profile.
Deterministic aggregate of 5 researched ZIP reports of 7 — sales_count-weighted (population fallback); per point, children lacking the value or its weight are excluded. Tax rates, sentiment and context notes are tier-native and never roll.
Carbon County, Montana — researched county-level history with a deterministic 1 / 3 / 5-year projection
Solid: researched ten-year history · dotted: 1 / 3 / 5-year projection extended from the historical 8.7%/yr trend — a deterministic estimate, not a published forecast or guarantee.
No researched properties in this county yet — the property base layer populates as property research runs, and each property feeds its ZIP's roll-up.
researched Sep 27
researched Sep 27
researched Sep 27
researched Sep 27
researched Sep 27
researched Sep 27
researched Sep 27
| 59014 | Bridger | $389,238 | $201 | +3% | 64 | 98.5% | 6.4% | 2.7 | 1,366 | $846 | researched Sep 27 |
| 59026 | Fromberg | $325,000 | $185 | +1.6% | 22 | 100.1% | 12% | 1.6 | 89 | $1,450 | researched Sep 27 |
| 59031 | Garryowen | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | researched Sep 27 |
| 59041 | Joliet | $550,725 | $238 | +6.6% | 231 | — | — | — | 95 | $1,185 | researched Sep 27 |
| 59068 | Red Lodge | $650,000 | $359 | +36.3% | 147 | 98.7% | — | — | 134 | $724 | researched Sep 27 |
| 59070 | Roberts | $359,500 | $229 | -9.3% | 25 | — | — | — | 40 | $1,375 | researched Sep 27 |
| 59079 | Shepherd | $389,000 | $293 | +2.1% | 46 | — | — | — | 44 | $1,744 | researched Sep 27 |
Figures are each ZIP report's own latest research — the county roll-up aggregates them sales_count-weighted (population fallback); ZIPs cycle quarterly.
Schools in Carbon County are primarily served by local districts such as Red Lodge Public Schools, which generally maintain stable performance ratings within the Montana state education framework.
The region faces moderate wildfire risks common to the mountainous terrain of south-central Montana, necessitating proactive fire-mitigation and insurance coverage strategies for property owners.
Economic momentum is driven by tourism, agriculture, and proximity to the Billings metropolitan area, with ongoing infrastructure maintenance supporting the county's rural character.
Property taxes are assessed by the Carbon County Department of Revenue based on market value, with mill levies determined by local school districts, the county, and special service districts.
The economy is anchored by tourism, agriculture, and services, with many residents commuting to the nearby Billings metropolitan area for employment.
Transportation is primarily reliant on personal vehicles via US Highway 212 and state routes, with limited public transit options available.
The Carbon County appraisal office conducts periodic reappraisals of real property to align assessed values with current market trends.
Parcels are subject to various special districts including rural fire districts, cemetery districts, and local school district levies.
Property insurance premiums are influenced by regional wildfire exposure and the increasing cost of construction in rural Montana.
The amenity base that shapes daily life and property demand in this county — what residents actually live with, and what the pipeline is adding.
A major tourist attraction providing access to Yellowstone National Park.
A primary recreational anchor for the county, driving seasonal tourism.
Data retrieved from Census Bureau QuickFacts and Census Reporter profiles.
applies when — Property owned by the state or other exempt entities held by a private party under a contract of sale
The property is assessed and taxed to the private holder as if they held legal title, without deduction for unpaid purchase price.
MCA 15-24-1202
Property is valued by the Department of Revenue; tax is calculated by applying the state-determined tax rate to the taxable value (Market Value x Tax Rate). Homestead and long-term rental reduced tax rates are available via enrollment.
Montana Department of Revenue Property Assessment Division
applies when — Residential property on a parcel exceeding 40 acres
Requires judicial foreclosure through a sheriff's sale; includes a 1-year right of redemption during which the borrower may remain in the residence.
MCA 71-1-224
applies when — Residential property on a parcel of 40 acres or less
Allows for non-judicial foreclosure via trustee sale; no right of redemption exists for the borrower after the sale; deficiency judgments are prohibited.
MCA 71-1-315; Montana Small Tract Financing Act
Governance registry — every jurisdiction re-researches on a rolling 90-day cycle. Property reports compose these inherited burdens into a per-parcel ledger with conditional determinations. Informational only — not legal advice.