Housing data for Big Sky, MT
Big Sky, MT has an estimated 2,445 residents and 3,178 homes (US Census Bureau, 2020–2024 American Community Survey).
It is an unincorporated community in Gallatin County.
15.9% of households rent.
The median gross rent is $877 a month.
Figures last updated on .
- Residents
- 2,445 (±594)
- Housing units
- 3,178 (±297)
- Households that rent
- 15.9%
- Median gross rent
- $877
- Residents since 2015–2019
- −20.0%
What stands out in Big Sky
Median home value: $1,137,900 (±$254,170) in Big Sky, higher than in Gallatin County ($667,600).
Renters paying 30% or more of income: 7.5% (±20.9 points) in Big Sky, lower than in Gallatin County (47.8%).
Median gross rent: $877 (±$689) in Big Sky, lower than in Gallatin County ($1,694).
Households that rent: 15.9% (±8.9 points) in Big Sky, lower than in Gallatin County (38.9%).
Housing in Big Sky at a glance
- Median rent: $877 median gross rent a month (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Rent burden: 7.5% of renters pay 30% or more of income (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Renters and owners: 15.9% of households rent (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Income and affordability: $138,805 median household income
- Home values: $1,137,900 median home value
- Homeowner costs: $2,515 median monthly cost with a mortgage
- Property taxes: $4,912 median real estate taxes a year
- Types of homes: 14.4% of homes are in buildings of 5 or more units
- Bedrooms: 57.9% of homes have 3 or more bedrooms
- Age of homes: 15.9% of homes were built before 1980
- Vacancy rate: 21.4% rental vacancy rate (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Heating fuel: 34.5% heat with electricity
- Commute and cars: 18.8 minutes average trip to work
- Growth: −20.0% residents since 2015–2019
- How long people stay: 24.4% moved in since 2020
- Crowding and facilities: 8.7% of homes have more than 1 person per room
Big Sky against Gallatin County, its state and the nation
| Big Sky | Gallatin County | Montana | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 2,445 (±594) | 124,074 (exact) | 1,116,875 (exact) | 334,922,499 |
| Housing units | 3,178 (±297) | 57,568 (±62) | 528,419 (±3,257) | 143,775,355 |
| Households that rent | 15.9% (±8.9 points) | 38.9% (±1.4 points) | 30.8% (±0.5 points) | 34.8% |
| Median gross rent | $877 (±$689) | $1,694 (±$60) | $1,081 (±$14) | $1,413 |
| Median household income | $138,805 (±$22,893) | $93,528 (±$3,326) | $72,509 (±$761) | $80,734 |
| Median home value | $1,137,900 (±$254,170) | $667,600 (±$15,234) | $375,800 (±$3,433) | $332,700 |
| Median real estate taxes (a year) | $4,912 (±$1,706) | $3,933 (±$94) | $2,693 (±$19) | $3,119 |
| Built before 1980 | 15.9% (±6.1 points) | 29.0% (±1.7 points) | 49.0% (±0.7 points) | 49.7% |
| Average commute | 18.8 minutes (±4.2) | 18.3 minutes (±0.6) | 19.1 minutes (±0.2) | 26.4 minutes |
| Households with broadband | 96.2% (±4.7 points) | 93.3% (±1.0 points) | 89.4% (±0.3 points) | 91.0% |
| Median age of residents | 38.4 years (±5.6) | 34.2 years (±0.2) | 40.4 years (±0.2) | 38.9 years |
Big Sky covers 120.0 square miles of land, about 20 residents per square mile (Census Bureau Gazetteer).
How Big Sky has changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 3,058 (±490) | 2,445 (±594) | −20.0% | Not a measurable change |
| Housing units | 3,656 (±190) | 3,178 (±297) | −13.1% | Measurable decrease |
| Median gross rent | $1,405 (±$136) | $877 (±$689) | −37.6% | Down after inflation |
| Median home value | $564,000 (±$68,870) | $1,137,900 (±$254,170) | +101.8% | Up after inflation |
| Median household income | $75,586 (±$17,591) | $138,805 (±$22,893) | +83.6% | Up after inflation |
| Median owner cost with a mortgage | $2,192 (±$505) | $2,515 (±$597) | +14.7% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median real estate taxes | $4,069 (±$380) | $4,912 (±$1,706) | +20.7% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Households that rent | 39.5% (±8.9 points) | 15.9% (±8.9 points) | −23.6 percentage points | Measurable decrease |
| Rental vacancy rate | 45.9% (±11.8 points) | 21.4% (±21.0 points) | −24.5 percentage points | Measurable decrease |
The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.
Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.
The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.
Crime reported to police in Gallatin County
Big Sky has no police department of its own in the FBI’s figures, so this is the figure for Gallatin County as a whole.
In 2025, the police departments that report for Gallatin County recorded 350 violent and 1,226 property crimes per 100,000 residents.
A county-wide figure describes the whole county, not this place; crime varies from one community to the next.
ZIP codes in Big Sky
| ZIP code | Share of the ZIP’s land in this place | Residents | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 59716 | 96% | 1,795 | $1,341 | $1,094,900 | $141,716 |
A ZIP code is a mail route rather than a boundary, so the Census Bureau publishes figures for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas built from census blocks; the share column says how much of each one’s land lies in this place.
Places near Big Sky
| Place | Distance | Median gross rent | Median home value | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ennis | 20 mi | $854 | $402,500 | 35.9% |
| Four Corners | 30 mi | $1,338 | $648,400 | 22.5% |
| Virginia City | 30 mi | — | $351,900 | 15.8% |
| King Arthur Park | 30 mi | $2,223 | — | 38.3% |
| Bozeman | 32 mi | $1,717 | $687,900 | 55.3% |
| Churchill | 34 mi | $1,382 | $690,600 | 17.9% |
| Pray | 35 mi | — | $629,600 | 21.0% |
| Belgrade | 37 mi | $1,877 | $535,200 | 43.9% |
Places in Montana most like Big Sky
| Place | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bigfork | $1,016 | $674,600 | $85,307 | 20.3% |
| Churchill | $1,382 | $690,600 | $108,281 | 17.9% |
| Clancy | $978 | $469,300 | $125,000 | 13.5% |
| Four Corners | $1,338 | $648,400 | $100,917 | 22.5% |
| Lolo | $1,139 | $431,800 | $86,065 | 29.0% |
| Whitefish | $1,354 | $684,300 | $73,811 | 38.3% |
Matched on rent, home value, income, the share who rent, the age of the homes, the share in apartment buildings and the commute, each measured against the spread across Montana.
HUD Fair Market Rent for Big Sky, fiscal year 2027
| Studio | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1,469 | $1,612 | $2,109 | $2,920 | $3,487 |
HUD income limits for Big Sky, fiscal year 2026
| Household size | Extremely low (30%) | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $27,350 | $45,600 | $72,950 |
| 2 people | $31,250 | $52,100 | $83,350 |
| 3 people | $35,150 | $58,600 | $93,750 |
| 4 people | $39,050 | $65,100 | $104,150 |
| 5 people | $42,200 | $70,350 | $112,500 |
| 6 people | $45,300 | $75,550 | $120,850 |
| 7 people | $50,040 | $80,750 | $129,150 |
| 8 people | $55,720 | $85,950 | $137,500 |
These are the limits HUD sets for its housing programs in the Bozeman, MT MSA, where HUD’s median family income for fiscal year 2026 is $130,200.
A program can use its own limits; tax-credit and local programs often do.
Big Sky is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for statistics, with no municipal government of its own.
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
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Questions about Big Sky
What is the median household income in Big Sky?
The median household income in Big Sky is $138,805 (±$22,893) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average home value in Big Sky, MT?
The Census Bureau publishes the median: $1,137,900 (±$254,170) for owner-occupied homes in Big Sky (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average mortgage payment in Big Sky?
The Census Bureau publishes total owner costs rather than the mortgage alone: the median for owners with a mortgage in Big Sky, MT is $2,515 (±$597) a month, including taxes, insurance and utilities.
How much are property taxes in Big Sky?
The median real estate tax paid by homeowners in Big Sky, MT is $4,912 (±$1,706) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
How many homes are in Big Sky?
Big Sky, MT has an estimated 3,178 (±297) housing units, occupied and vacant (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the most common home size in Big Sky?
The most common size is 3 bedrooms, 34.5% of homes in Big Sky, MT.
Is Big Sky growing?
In Big Sky, the number of residents went from 3,058 in 2015–2019 to 2,445 in 2020–2024 (−20.0%), not a measurable change.
What ZIP codes are in Big Sky?
The ZIP code that covers Big Sky is 59716.
What is the median rent in ZIP code 59716?
The median gross rent in ZIP Code Tabulation Area 59716 is $1,341 (±$924) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Sources
- Demographic and Housing Estimates (DP05), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Big Sky CDP, Montana
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Big Sky CDP, Montana
- Selected Economic Characteristics (DP03), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Big Sky CDP, Montana
- Median Real Estate Taxes Paid by Mortgage Status (B25103), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Big Sky CDP, Montana
- Selected Social Characteristics (DP02), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Big Sky CDP, Montana
- Total Population (B01003), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Big Sky CDP, Montana
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Big Sky CDP, Montana
- HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027: Bozeman, MT MSA
- HUD Income Limits, fiscal year 2026: Bozeman, MT MSA
- US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
- US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files
To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Big Sky CDP, Montana (place:06325, in state:30).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are B01003_001E, B01003_001M, B25064_001E, B25064_001M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP05_0001E, DP05_0001M, DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M, DP03_0062E, DP03_0062M, DP04_0089E, DP04_0089M
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.
Figures last updated on .