New Rankings Show Montana Struggling To Keep Renters Happy

Experts Ranks The Best And Worst Cities For Renters

Affordable housing has been one of the biggest conversations in both Montana and across America for years now.

When most people hear the phrase "affordable housing," they usually think about buying a home. But finding an affordable place to rent has become just as difficult.

Renting In Montana Has Become So Expensive

Over the past decade, rent has skyrocketed almost everywhere, including here in Montana.

What used to cost a few hundred dollars a month can now cost well over a thousand, making it harder for many people to save enough money to eventually buy a home.

WalletHub recently set out to find the best and worst cities in America for renters, and unfortunately, Montana didn't land anywhere near the top.

The study looked at factors like the share of renters, rental vacancy rates, affordability, and overall cost of living. Scottsdale, Arizona, claimed the top spot with the highest overall score.

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Montana's Rental Market Still Faces Big Challenges

As for Montana, Billings was the highest-ranked city in the state, but it still only came in at #112 out of 182 cities. WalletHub gave Billings the 51st-best ranking for rental market and affordability, but its quality of life ranking came in at #158, giving it an overall score of 46.43.

Missoula finished even lower at #168 overall. It ranked #144 for rental market and affordability and #152 for quality of life, ending with an overall score of 39.96.

With housing costs still putting pressure on so many Montana families, it's probably no surprise that our rental market isn't exactly getting rave reviews.

Source: WalletHub