The average Montana property tax rate is about 0.61% of a home’s value, which comes to roughly $2,693 a year on the typical Montana home. That makes Montana property tax a middle-of-the-pack burdens in the country. This guide breaks down the Montana property tax rate, what the typical bill looks like, how your bill is figured, where the money goes, and — most useful of all — how to check
whether you are overpaying and how to pay less.
Montana Property Tax at a Glance
| Effective tax rate | 0.61% |
| Median annual bill | $2,693 |
| Median home value | $375,800 |
| Rank among states | #35 of 50 highest |
| vs. U.S. average | $1,578 below the U.S. average ($4,271) |
| Reassessed | Montana reappraises most residential and commercial property on a two-year (biennial) cycle, with the value tied to a fixed appraisal date within that cycle; when a value rises, the increase is generally phased in over the cycle. Some classes (such as forest land) use a longer cycle. |
Rate & bill: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2024 5-year (effective rate B25090/B25082 – the Tax Foundation method; median bill B25103; value B25077).
| Montana Property Tax | Figure |
|---|---|
| Effective property tax rate | 0.61% |
| Median annual property tax bill | $2,693 |
| Median home value | $375,800 |
| Rank (highest to lowest) | #35 of 50 states |
| U.S. average bill | $4,271 |
In This Montana Guide:
What Is the Montana Property Tax Rate?
The Montana property tax rate is not one flat number — it is the combined result of your county, city, township, and school-district rates, applied to your home’s assessed value. Across Montana, homeowners pay about 0.61% of their home’s value on average, or around $2,693 a year on a typical $375,800 home. That puts Montana in the middle nationally — ranked #35 of 50 states from highest to lowest. Two
homes worth the same amount can still owe very different bills depending on the town and school district, so treat the statewide figure as a starting point, not your exact bill.
If your bill went up, start by reading your classification and appraisal notice and confirming the market value and property details are correct — an error there flows into everything else. Next, see whether you qualify for the homestead rate, the elderly or low-income relief credit, or the disabled-veteran reduction, since many homeowners are eligible and never apply. If the value still looks wrong after that, you have the right
to ask the Department of Revenue for an informal review and, if needed, to formally appeal — check your notice for the current deadline before you act.
Think your Montana bill is too high? Check in two minutes.
How Montana Property Tax Is Calculated
Your Montana property tax starts with an assessed value set by In Montana, property is appraised by the state — the Montana Department of Revenue’s Property Assessment Division, which staffs a local field office in each county. Unlike many states, Montana does not use independent elected county assessors; the county treasurer bills and collects, but the state does the valuation.. The Department of Revenue appraises property at 100% of its
market value, and then a taxable-value percentage set in state law (which differs by property class, such as residential, agricultural, or commercial) is applied to reach the “taxable value” your taxes are figured on.
Check the market value and taxable value printed on your appraisal/classification notice to make sure they look right — do not rely on a ratio here; see your notice. That assessed value is then multiplied by the combined local tax rate to produce your bill. In Montana, property is generally reassessed Montana reappraises most residential and commercial property on a two-year (biennial) cycle, with the value tied to a fixed
appraisal date within that cycle; when a value rises, the increase is generally phased in over the cycle.
Some classes (such as forest land) use a longer cycle.. The single most important number to check is your assessed value: if it is higher than what your home would sell for, your bill is too high — and that is exactly what an appeal fixes.
The actual rates in Montana are set by The rates (mill levies) are set by local taxing bodies — counties, cities/towns, school districts, and special districts — based on their budgets, plus statewide equalization mills set by the legislature for schools and the university system. The state appraises the value; local governments set most of the levy.. That is why your neighbor one town over can pay a different bill
on an identical house.
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Where Your Montana Property Tax Money Goes
The large majority of Montana property tax revenue stays local, funding K-12 schools, county and city services, roads, and fire and police protection. A smaller share goes to the state through statewide mills that help equalize school funding and support the university and technical-college system. For most Montana homeowners, the school-district share is the biggest single piece of the bill, which is why property taxes tend to be highest where
schools rely most on local funding.
One Montana note: Montana’s most distinctive feature is that the STATE Department of Revenue does the appraising (through its county field offices), rather than independent county assessors — so questions about your value go to the DOR office, while questions about the bill and levies go to your county. Montana also runs on a two-year reappraisal cycle with value phase-ins, and property tax reform and possible rate caps have been
an active topic in the legislature in recent years.
How Montana Property Tax Compares
The U.S. average property tax bill is about $4,271 a year. The typical Montana bill of $2,693 is $1,578 below that. Remember that a low rate does not always mean a low bill — a state with cheap rates but expensive homes can still cost you more than Montana. The dollar bill and your own assessment matter more than the headline rate.
How to Lower Your Montana Property Tax
You cannot change the Montana property tax rate, but you have two real levers on your own bill. First, claim every exemption you qualify for. Montana offers several ways to lower a residential bill, including a reduced “homestead” rate for your principal residence, a property-tax relief credit for older homeowners (generally 62 and up) and for lower-income residents, and a reduced rate for qualifying disabled veterans and their surviving spouses.
Amounts and income limits apply and change — check whether you qualify with the Department of Revenue; do not assume an amount here. Second, appeal your assessment if your home is valued higher than it would sell for — studies suggest a large share of homes are over-assessed, and appeals often succeed.
Don’t want to appeal your Montana taxes yourself? A property tax appeal service can file everything for you and usually only charges if it wins — typically a share of what it saves you. It is one option; you can also appeal on your own for free.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Montana property tax rate?
The average effective Montana property tax rate is about 0.61% of a home’s value, based on U.S. Census data. On the typical Montana home that works out to roughly $2,693 a year. Your own bill depends on your county, city, and school district, plus any exemptions you claim — see the data box above.
Why is my Montana property tax so high?
Property tax in Montana is driven mostly by your local rates (especially school levies) and by your home’s assessed value. If your assessment is higher than what your home would actually sell for, you may be overpaying — that is the most common reason a bill is too high, and it is something you can appeal.
How can I lower my Montana property tax?
Two things help most in Montana: make sure you are claiming every exemption you qualify for (homestead, senior, veteran, or disability), and appeal your assessment if your home is over-valued. Both can lower your bill, and both are free to do yourself.
Montana Property Tax Sources & Data
- Montana Department of Revenue (property tax): https://revenue.mt.gov/property/
- Tax Foundation — Property Taxes by State & County: taxfoundation.org
- U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey): census.gov/acs
- Lincoln Institute of Land Policy (property tax data): lincolninst.edu
Montana property tax rates and typical bills on this page come from U.S. Census (American Community Survey) data as
published by the Tax Foundation, and were last checked in July 2026. Rates and bills change each year and vary by county
— confirm your own figures with your county assessor before you rely on them.
More Property Tax Guides
- Property Tax Rates by State
- Property Tax by County
- Are You Overpaying? Over-Assessment Checker
- Property Tax Exemption Finder
Disclaimer: This guide is informational only and is not legal, tax, or financial advice. Know Property Tax is an independent educational resource. It is not a government agency, not a county assessor, and not a tax-appeal service. Property tax rates, bills, exemptions, and deadlines change over time and vary by county and property. Confirm anything that affects your taxes with your county assessor or a licensed professional before you act.