Real Estate Investing in Vaughn, Montana (59487)

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

Cascade County • Population: 1,466 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 59487 (Vaughn, MT)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
CAUTION
Grade D (41/100)

Proceed carefully. Weak appreciation or affordability makes this a harder case for most buyers.

📈 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
3 flags
  • High vacancy: 15.3% of homes vacant — above national norms.
  • 1-year downturn: Values declined 4.0% in the last year.
  • High price-to-rent: Price-to-rent ratio 28.3 — hard to cash-flow at these prices.

• Modeled rent — no observed market rent for this ZIP; the figure is estimated from HUD fair-market rent.

What’s happening in Vaughn, MT (59487)?

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3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

3.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

3.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $372,990
Avg Monthly Rent $1,098
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $50,060
% Renters 24.4%

Market Analysis: 59487 Vaughn

Put differently, ZIP 59487 has challenges — vacancy pressure, softer price growth, and tenant stability concerns sit alongside the $373K median. It rewards specialists, not generalists.

Distressed does not mean uninvestable. It means the margin for error is thinner. ZIP 59487 rewards the prepared, punishes the overconfident, and leaves the math unchanged either way.

Statewide comparisons place 59487 among MT's softer markets. That context does not make the ZIP uninvestable, but it does raise the bar for due diligence.

Who lives in 59487 is part of why the ZIP is priced as it is. The demographic profile requires hands-on management, tight screening, and local knowledge.

The right play in 59487 usually involves deep tenant screening, aggressive delinquency response, and a conservative capex buffer. Anything less, and the discount can turn into a trap.

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 Vaughn:

C Below Average
Buy Confidence Score: 55/100
Affordability
5/25
Appreciation
22/25
Stability
7/20
Timing
6/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Expensive
Homes cost 7.5× the median income
Value Trend
Declining (-4.0%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,098/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
WARM
Seller-favorable conditions, steady activity
Bottom Line: This market may be challenging for buyers. Consider your timing and budget carefully.
☀️
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

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$414K$358K$301K$245K$189K$132KJun 2007Jan 2017Jul 2026

📊 How Does 59487 Compare?

Metric 59487 Vaughn Great Falls, MT Montana
Home Value $372,990 $372,990 N/A $457,278
5-Year CAGR 6.8% 6.8% N/A 9.2%
Avg Rent $1,098 $1,098 N/A -
Cap Rate 2.3% 2.3% - -
💡 Why Invest in 59487? Click to expand

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

📊 See where this ZIP ranks in our Best-of lists →
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Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 59487 (Vaughn, MT). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Investability
Good
Cap Rate
2.3%
Low
5yr Growth
+6.8%
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 $372,990
Monthly Rent $1,098
Price-to-Rent 28.3:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 3.5%
Cap Rate 2.3%
5-Year IRR 9.1%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year -4.0% ▼
3-Year CAGR +3.2% ▲
5-Year CAGR +6.8% ▲
10-Year CAGR +7.4% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year N/A
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 2.3%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (2.3%). 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
15.3%
Elevated risk
Landlord Climate
5.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+6.8%
Growing
Eviction process: Fast Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 59487

Population: 1,466

💰 Median Household Income
$50,060
This area
$50,060
State
$64,023
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
24.4%
This area
24.4%
State
24.3%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
0.2%
This area
0.2%
State
-0.5%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
12.6%
This area
12.6%
State
20.1%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
40.1 years
This area
40.1 years
State
38.3 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
15.3%
This area
15.3%
State
26.6%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 87.0%
Other/Mixed 13.0%
Hispanic/Latino 5.0%
👶 Under 18
20.0%
This area
20.0%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
14.5%
This area
14.5%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
8.9%
This area
8.9%
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 59487

B Avg School Grade
2 Schools
10.5:1 Avg Class Size
$13,743 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

B Good

Vaughn School

📚 Pre-K – 06 School
👥
112 Students
👨‍🏫
14.3:1 Class Size
💰
$13,743 Per Student
B Good

Vaughn 7-8

📚 07 – 08 Middle
👥
19 Students
👨‍🏫
6.8:1 Class Size
💰
$13,743 Per Student
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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is housing expensive in Vaughn, MT?

The median home value in Vaughn, MT is roughly $373K. That puts it reasonable relative to the MT statewide average.

Is the tenant base reliable in Vaughn, MT?

The tenant pool in Vaughn, MT is solid, supported by local employment and population fundamentals. Rents of $1,098/mo are well-absorbed by the market.

Does Vaughn, MT favor landlords or tenants?

Landlord-friendliness in Vaughn, MT is landlord-friendly. Eviction timelines and lease enforcement are considered reasonable by most property managers.

Can I live-in-and-rent in Vaughn, MT?

For house hackers, Vaughn, MT is a challenging. The $1,098/mo rent on a unit helps defray the mortgage on a $373K property.

What investment strategy works best in Vaughn, MT?

For Vaughn, MT, careful cash-flow rentals with hands-on management is the standard investor playbook. The market structure makes it a reasonable default approach.

You know 59487 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 59487 compares to every other market. Investor ($19/mo) screens every U.S. ZIP by cap rate, the 1% rule, vacancy and landlord climate, and exports your shortlist.

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How 59487 ranks in Great Falls, MT

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
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