The story of this market
The typical home in Lewis and Clark County, Montana sells for about $493,620, or $258 per square foot.
Prices are up +3.9% from a year ago, so sellers still have some momentum. Homes take about 57 days to sell. Over the long run, values in this county have grown 247% since 2000. Last year 12 of 17 neighborhoods saw prices rise, so the story isn't the same street to street. The biggest natural hazard here is winter weather, which FEMA rates very high. HUD's fair market rent for a two-bedroom is $1,653 a month.
HUD sets the fair market rent for a 2-bedroom at $1,653 a month. FEMA's National Risk Index rates overall hazard risk here as Relatively Low.
Price climate
Every year of price change, 2000–2025
+3.8%
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 (+21.4%). Worst: 2010 (-3.7%). 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
$2,289
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
+3.8%
2025 change
FHFA repeat-sales index, median of 17 census tracts in this county (2000 = 100). Bars are each year's median change.
Natural hazard exposure
The area's risk shape
70
Relatively Low
FEMA National Risk Index. Each spoke is a hazard ranked nationally, where 100 is the most exposed. Expected annual loss: $38,034,779.
Mortgage activity
Home lending in this county
83.9%
2018 approval rate
| Year | Applications | Loans made | Approval | Investor share | Median home value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 3361 | 1785 | 83.9% | 6.5% | $260,000 |
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 Approval rate is approved ÷ decided (withdrawn and incomplete files excluded).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.
Lewis and Clark County, Montana
The Lewis and Clark County housing market is showing signs of stabilization with a moderate increase in median prices and a slight reduction in days on market. Buyer interest remains steady, supported by the stable employment base in the state capital, though inventory levels remain constrained.
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 · 3 cities · 6 ZIP reports
Median prices moved up 8.7% year over year.
Homes spend a median of 39 days on market with 0.0 months of supply — a fast-moving market.
0% of listings have cut prices · homes sell at 0.05% of asking — demand is holding steady.
no recorded foreclosure-ledger notices (0.0 per 10,000 residents) · unemployment 3.1% · poverty 9.8% — a stable, low-distress profile.
Owned and leased federal assets with active or excess status, per the General Services Administration's Real Estate Across the United States inventory (read 2026-09-25). A federal footprint read on this county — not a market valuation, and never an attribute of any individual property or tenant.
Deterministic aggregate of 5 researched ZIP reports of 6 — 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.
Lewis and Clark 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 8.5%/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
| 59601 | Helena | $599,000 | $258 | +8.7% | 39 | — | — | — | 216 | $1,046 | researched Sep 27 |
| 59602 | Helena | $695,000 | $270 | — | 47 | — | — | — | 332 | $1,464 | researched Sep 27 |
| 59634 | Clancy | $629,000 | $235 | -3.3% | 87 | — | — | — | 82 | $994 | researched Sep 27 |
| 59635 | East Helena | $504,000 | $265 | +7.3% | 42 | 98.5% | 18% | 3.7 | 52 | $1,053 | researched Sep 27 |
| 59639 | Lincoln | $549,000 | $312 | +5.6% | 118 | 96.5% | 12.5% | 12 | 24 | $784 | researched Sep 27 |
| 59644 | Townsend | $440,000 | $226 | +3.5% | 48 | — | — | — | 140 | $1,005 | 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.
The region faces seasonal wildfire risks and is subject to standard regional insurance climate adjustments.
Economic momentum is driven by state government operations in Helena and a steady increase in infrastructure reporting and maintenance initiatives.
Property taxes are assessed by the county based on state-mandated appraisal cycles, with mill levies determined by local school districts, city, and county budgets.
The economy is anchored by state government employment in Helena, supplemented by healthcare and education sectors.
The county is served by major highway corridors including I-15, which facilitates regional transit and logistics.
The county appraisal office conducts periodic property valuations to determine taxable value based on market trends.
Parcels are subject to various special districts including school, fire, and water/sewer districts depending on location.
Insurance markets are tightening due to regional wildfire exposure and broader state-wide climate risk assessments.
The amenity base that shapes daily life and property demand in this county — what residents actually live with, and what the pipeline is adding.
Scenic limestone canyon on the Missouri River.
Extensive outdoor recreation area for hiking and camping.
Data retrieved from US Census Bureau QuickFacts and ACS tables.
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.