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Cost question

Is Saint Mary, MT expensive to live in?

A direct, data-backed answer using cost-of-living exposure, housing cost signals, rent pressure, and income context where the public dataset supports it.

Cost-of-living risk

15

/ 100

V2 relative score

Higher scores indicate higher cost pressure relative to the selected geography scope.

Direct answer

No. The current data shows relatively low cost pressure.

Saint Mary, MT has a cost-of-living risk score of 15, which is low relative to other county-level locations. This does not mean the area is inexpensive for every household, but local cost signals are lower in the current dataset. City-level cost data is incomplete, so this answer uses the county baseline that contains Saint Mary.

Top drivers in this score

  • Median home value

    $165,100

    Risk pressure percentile: 39

  • Rent as % of household income

    23.9%

    Risk pressure percentile: 20

  • Rent growth (YoY)

    -0.9%

    Risk pressure percentile: 15

How this compares

Relative risk score15.4
Median (county-level locations)50.0
Delta vs median-34.6

Approximate percentile: 15 of 100

Coverage and confidence

Scope usedCounty baseline
Metric coverage5/5
ConfidenceModerate confidence

City-level metrics were incomplete, so this score uses a nearby regional baseline.

Cost signals

  • Median gross rent$548
  • Median home value$165,100
  • Median monthly housing costs$474
  • Rent as % of household income23.9%
  • Rent growth (YoY)-0.9%
  • Median household income$46,875

Scope: County baseline | Source: ACS 2023-2024 5-year | 2024

Why this matters

Cost of living affects financial risk because fixed costs can absorb income before households address debt, savings, transportation, healthcare, or emergency expenses. A higher score means local cost signals create more financial pressure relative to comparable places.

View full cost risk detail →

Common follow-up questions

Is Saint Mary, MT expensive to live in?

Saint Mary, MT has a cost-of-living risk score of 15, which is low relative to other county-level locations. This does not mean the area is inexpensive for every household, but local cost signals are lower in the current dataset. City-level cost data is incomplete, so this answer uses the county baseline that contains Saint Mary.

What cost data is used for Saint Mary?

FinancialRiskIQ uses public indicators such as median gross rent, monthly housing costs, home value, rent-to-income ratio, and rent growth when available. The current answer uses county baseline data from ACS 2023-2024 5-year (2024).

Why can a city answer use county or state data?

Some public financial datasets are not complete at city level. When city-level metrics are missing, FinancialRiskIQ falls back to county or state baselines and labels that scope so users know exactly what geography is being used.