Real Estate Investing in Great Falls, Montana (59405)

Everything the listing leaves out — vacancy, rent trend, cap rate, landlord climate. All free.

Cascade County • Population: 34,059 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 59405 (Great Falls, MT)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
MIXED
Grade C (61/100)

Mixed — home prices are stretched relative to local incomes. Run the math on your specific situation.

📈 For Investors
MIXED
3.0 / 5 (47/100)

A middle-of-the-road market. Workable, but the best opportunities may be nearby ZIPs rather than this one.

⚠️ Risks to Know
1 flag
  • Elevated vacancy: 8.0% vacancy may signal weakening demand.

What’s happening in Great Falls, MT (59405)?

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3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

4.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

3.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $330,449
Avg Monthly Rent $1,389
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $53,901
% Renters 42.6%

Market Analysis: 59405 Great Falls

ZIP 59405 in Great Falls, MT carries a significant set of headwinds. Home values near $330K and rents of $1,389/mo sit inside a market where underwriting has to be tight.

For an experienced owner, 59405 can be a an appealing option for hunting ground — but the discount at $330K reflects genuine risk that outside investors often underestimate.

The gap between 59405 and stronger Great Falls ZIPs is not closing quickly. Investors should weight long-horizon assumptions accordingly.

Who lives in 59405 is part of why the ZIP is priced as it is. The demographic profile requires hands-on management, tight screening, and local knowledge.

New investors are better served looking at Great Falls's stable or hybrid ZIPs before stepping into 59405. The learning curve here is expensive when the lesson is wrong.

Explore the Data — Click a Tab Below
🏦 Current 30-yr Fixed Mortgage Rate: 6.76% as of Sep 10 Source: Freddie Mac PMMS

Here's what matters if you're considering buying a home in Great Falls:

C+ Average
Buy Confidence Score: 64/100
Affordability
5/25
Appreciation
25/25
Stability
13/20
Timing
6/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Expensive
Homes cost 6.1× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+5.0%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,389/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
WARM
Seller-favorable conditions, steady activity
Bottom Line: Mixed signals in this market. Research specific properties carefully and be prepared to negotiate.
☀️
WARM MARKET
Great Falls, MT Metro Area
Seller-favorable conditions, steady activity
0 days
Average time to sell
Very Fast
6.2%
Listings with price cuts
Few Cuts
0.0%
Sale price vs asking
Below Ask
0.0%
Income needed for mortgage
Affordable
📅 Market conditions as of August 29, 2026 — updated weekly from Great Falls, MT metro data
🏠

Property Strategy for 59405

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
4BR
4.3% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
3BR
+10.4% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
5BR
$79,308/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
1BR $179,739 $980 3.9% +7.8% $179,739
2BR $250,314 $1,290 3.7% +10.3% $125,157
3BR $313,604 $1,790 4.1% +10.4% $104,535
4BR $341,193 $2,040 4.3% +10.0% $85,298
5BR $396,542 +9.2% $79,308

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$347K$303K$259K$215K$171K$127KJun 2007Jan 2017Jul 2026

Rent History (with trend line)

$1,419$1,361$1,303$1,246$1,188$1,130Mar 2023Nov 2024Jul 2026

📊 How Does 59405 Compare?

Metric 59405 Great Falls Great Falls, MT Montana
Home Value $330,449 $203,150 N/A $457,278
5-Year CAGR 8.2% 8.2% N/A 9.2%
Avg Rent $1,389 $1,416 N/A -
Cap Rate 3.3% 3.3% - -
💡 Why Invest in 59405? Click to expand

With a 3/5 investability rating, this ZIP shows solid fundamentals for buy-and-hold investors.

A healthy rental market with 43% renter-occupied households ensures tenant availability.

📊 See where this ZIP ranks in our Best-of lists →
A great house in the wrong ZIP is still a bad deal — screen every market by cash flow & cap rate.
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Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 59405 (Great Falls, MT). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Investability
Good
Cap Rate
3.3%
Low
5yr Growth
+8.2%
Strong

📉 Market Crash Risk Index

Based on Great Falls, MT metro

0/10
Low Risk
Price YoY
0/3
N/A
Rent YoY
0/2
N/A
Below List
0/3
0%
Days Pending
0/2
0 days

View all metro crash risk rankings →

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $330,449
Monthly Rent $1,389
Price-to-Rent 19.8:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 5.0%
Cap Rate 3.3%
5-Year IRR 11.5%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +5.0% ▲
3-Year CAGR +6.0% ▲
5-Year CAGR +8.2% ▲
10-Year CAGR +7.2% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year +2.8% ▲
3-Year CAGR +6.0% ▲
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 3.3%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (3.3%). Financing reduces your cash-on-cash return below the cap rate. Markets like this may still make sense as IRR plays — factoring in appreciation, depreciation, and a future refinance when rates drop.

Run an IRR Analysis →

⚠️ Risk Signals

Composite view of factors that can impact a ZIP's stability and your downside risk.

Vacancy
8.0%
Moderate risk
Landlord Climate
5.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+8.2%
Growing
Eviction process: Fast Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 59405

Population: 34,059

💰 Median Household Income
$53,901
This area
$53,901
State
$64,023
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
42.6%
This area
42.6%
State
24.3%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
2.4%
This area
2.4%
State
-0.5%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
26.6%
This area
26.6%
State
20.1%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
34.3 years
This area
34.3 years
State
38.3 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
8.0%
This area
8.0%
State
26.6%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 81.7%
Other/Mixed 14.7%
Hispanic/Latino 4.6%
Black/African American 2.7%
Asian 0.8%
👶 Under 18
23.1%
This area
23.1%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
17.7%
This area
17.7%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
9.2%
This area
9.2%
USA
11.5%

Crime & Safety

🚧

Crime & Safety Data Coming Soon

We're integrating comprehensive crime statistics including violent crime rates, property crime, and safety scores to help you make informed investment decisions.

Expected: Q1 2025

🎓 Schools in 59405

B Avg School Grade
12 Schools
12.4:1 Avg Class Size
$13,430 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A Very Good

Mountain View School

📚 Pre-K – 06 School
👥
330 Students
👨‍🏫
11.0:1 Class Size
💰
$13,469 Per Student
B+ Above Average

East Middle School

📚 07 – 08 Middle
👥
773 Students
👨‍🏫
13.1:1 Class Size
💰
$13,469 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Longfellow School

📚 Pre-K – 06 School
👥
316 Students
👨‍🏫
14.2:1 Class Size
💰
$13,469 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Grass Land Colony School

📚 Pre-K – 08 School
👥
23 Students
👨‍🏫
11.3:1 Class Size
💰
$14,382 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Chief Joseph School

📚 Pre-K – 06 School
👥
262 Students
👨‍🏫
13.0:1 Class Size
💰
$13,469 Per Student
B Good

Lewis & Clark School

📚 Pre-K – 06 School
👥
326 Students
👨‍🏫
17.2:1 Class Size
💰
$13,469 Per Student
B Good

Loy School

📚 Pre-K – 06 School
👥
405 Students
👨‍🏫
15.5:1 Class Size
💰
$13,469 Per Student
B Good

Sunnyside School

📚 Pre-K – 06 School
👥
406 Students
👨‍🏫
17.7:1 Class Size
💰
$13,469 Per Student
B Good

Great Falls High School

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
1,612 Students
👨‍🏫
14.3:1 Class Size
💰
$12,166 Per Student
B Good

Lincoln School

📚 Pre-K – 06 School
👥
384 Students
👨‍🏫
18.4:1 Class Size
💰
$13,469 Per Student
C+ Average

MT Sch For Deaf & Blnd El

📚 Pre-K – 08 School
👥
19 Students
👨‍🏫
2.0:1 Class Size
C+ Average

MT Sch For Deaf & Blnd HS

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
13 Students
👨‍🏫
1.2:1 Class Size
About Repit School Scores

Traditional school ratings rely heavily on standardized test scores, which often reflect family income more than school quality. Repit takes a different approach.

We evaluate schools based on factors that research shows actually impact educational outcomes:

  • Class Size — Smaller classes mean more individual attention
  • School Funding — Resources available for programs, staff, and facilities
  • Community Factors — Neighborhood characteristics that influence student success
  • School Environment — Size, type, and structure

Scores are updated annually using federal education data.

🎓 Nearby Colleges & Universities

2 Nearby 790 Off-Campus Students
C
Great Falls College Montana State University
1,318 students · 14.1 mi
C
University of Providence
677 students · 14.5 mi

Investor Insight: With 790 students living off-campus nearby, this area has strong rental demand from the college population.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average home sale price in Great Falls, MT?

Great Falls, MT median home values land near $330K. That is reasonable territory for investors looking at $1,389/mo-per-month rentals.

Does a duplex house hack pencil in Great Falls, MT?

House hacking works a challenging in Great Falls, MT. Rents of $1,389/mo against $330K acquisition make the strategy solid for owner-occupants.

What is the tenant pool like in Great Falls, MT?

Great Falls, MT draws a steady base of working renters. Demand at the $1,389/mo rent level is reasonable for standard single-family and small multi rentals.

What kind of vacancy should I budget for in Great Falls, MT?

Expect elevated vacancy in Great Falls, MT. Rents at $1,389/mo are absorbed by the tenant base without meaningful lag.

What is it like being a landlord in Great Falls, MT?

The landlord environment in Great Falls, MT is landlord-friendly. Statewide rules shape most day-to-day operations for rental owners.

You know 59405 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

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How 59405 ranks in Great Falls, MT

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
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