Cost of Living in Fort Benton

Fort Benton's cost of living carries a real, disclosed tension: genuinely affordable housing paired with the highest property tax rate in Chouteau County, this record discloses directly.

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Housing runs genuinely below the statewide picture

Every cited housing figure ($177,300-$334,000 depending on source) runs below Montana's own $467,919 statewide average home value (base record).

A real, disclosed property tax premium

Fort Benton's 1.11% effective property tax rate -- the highest in Chouteau County -- runs above both the national median (1.02%) and Montana's own 0.74% statewide anchor rate (base record).

Montana's real 5.65% top income tax rate

Montana's real, current two-bracket income tax (4.7%/5.65%) applies in Fort Benton as statewide, with no general statewide sales tax (base record).

A notably low poverty rate

Fort Benton's poverty rate ran a notably low 3.02%, per this pass's research, even amid a real, disclosed local employment contraction (base record).

Key takeaways

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Last reviewed: 2026-08-28. Independent research; not financial, tax, or legal advice -- confirm current figures with a local professional before making a decision.