The Montana Budget and Policy Center released an interactive map that provides county-level data on Montana residents’ ability to afford rental housing.
“Housing is an essential factor in whether or not Montanans have the resources they need to live healthy lives and whether neighborhoods prosper or fall behind,” said Aubrey Godbey, housing policy analyst for Montana Budget and Policy Center. “However, 43 percent of Ravalli County renters are facing rental costs they cannot afford.”
Ravalli County-specific data
· Twenty-one percent of residents rent their homes, or 3,849 households;
· Forty-three percent of Ravalli County renters are cost-burdened by rent prices; and
· Someone working a minimum-wage job in Ravalli County must work 101 hours each week to afford a two-bedroom apartment.
Rising housing costs place a heavier burden on renters, who tend to earn less than homeowners. In Ravalli County, the median income for renters is $41,079, while the median homeowner income is $78,254 annually. Median income is the midpoint of a specific area’s income distribution, in this case, Ravalli County.
“We hope this data will help community members, advocates and policymakers consider policy solutions that can support renters and increase the supply and availability of affordable and attainable housing for Montanans,” said Godbey.
The full housing profile for Ravalli County can be found at www.montanabudget.org/interactive-housing-map.
Montana Budget and Policy Center is a nonprofit organization providing in-depth research and analysis on budget, tax and economic issues. MBPC’s focus is publishing credible, timely and easy-to-understand reports on the fiscal policies that most affect Montanans living on low and moderate incomes. To learn more about MBPC, interested persons can go online to www.montanabudget.org.
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