7 Montana Towns With The Most Expensive Monthly Bills Revealed
This article originally appeared on 96.7 Bozeman
By Nick Northern
How Expensive Is It To Live In Montana In 2024
Remember when you were a kid and you’re parents or grandparents would reminisce about how things used to be cheaper?
I think I’ve finally reached that age in my life where I too want to complain that Montana used to be a lot cheaper to reside in than it is today.
The Cost Of Living In Montana Keeps Going Up
I know I am preaching to the choir about this, but it really has become more expensive to live in Montana in the year 2024.
It used to be “okay” to have lower wages because they were offset by a lower cost of living, but today those lower wages compared to the rest of America are making it harder and harder for middle-class families to do more than just survive in Montana.
Turns Out Montana Is Still Pretty Cheap
While we all might be longing for the “good ol’ days,” Montana still is a relatively cheap state to call home.
According to the website Doxo, which is a website that tracks and details how much Americans from each state are spending on their monthly bills, Montana ranks as the 30th most expensive state.
The average household in Montana is paying about $1,994 each month, while the national average is $2,126. That saves us about $1,582 a year compared to the national average.
As for the Montana towns with the highest monthly bills?
7 Montana Towns With The Most Expensive Monthly Bills Revealed
These 7 towns rank within the top 10 for highest monthly bills in 2024 according to Doxo, a website that tracks how much Americans spend each month.
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#9 Billings
Coming in with the 9th highest monthly bills is Billings. The average household in Billings pays about $2,027 per month, or $24,319 per year. Click the photo for the full monthly breakdown.
#8 Livingston
Coming in with the 8th highest monthly bills is Livingston. The average household in Livingston pays about $2,072 per month, or $24,866 per year. Click the photo for the full monthly breakdown.
#6 Missoula
Coming in with the 6th highest monthly bills is Missoula. The average household in Missoula pays about $2,117 per month, or $25,402 per year. Click the photo for the full monthly breakdown.
#5 Helena
Coming in with the 5th highest monthly bills is Helena. The average household in Helena pays about $2,173 per month, or $26,080 per year. Click the photo for the full monthly breakdown.
#3 Whitefish
Coming in with the 3rd highest monthly bills is Whitefish. The average household in Livingston pays about $2,199 per month, or $26,388 per year. Click the photo for the full monthly breakdown.
#2 Belgrade
Coming in with the 2nd highest monthly bills is Belgrade. The average household in Belgrade pays about $2,340 per month, or $28,076 per year. Click the photo for the full monthly breakdown.
#1 Bozeman
Coming in with the highest monthly bills is Bozeman. The average household in Bozeman pays about $2,463 per month, or $29,559 per year. Click the photo for the full monthly breakdown.
Healthcare Costs
Healthcare costs have skyrocketed in the last several years and it doesn’t seem like that is going to change anytime soon. As deductibles increase and benefits and services decrease, many Montanans are struggling to keep up.
Retirement
Many people in Big Sky Country are working beyond retirement age just to make ends meet. Gone for several Montanans are the pensions of old and even several companies to match 401K plans like they once did.
A New Vehicle
New vehicle prices have increased dramatically over the last several years and for old timers, a new vehicle can easily cost more than they paid for their house. With many new vehicles quickly approaching the six figure mark, buying a new vehicle will become more difficult for many Montanans
A New Home
Home prices in Montana are at a record high and it doesn’t seem like there is any light at the end of the tunnel. Right now the median home price in Montana is well over half a million dollars, which makes it extremely difficult to buy a home here on a middle class salary.