Is Living In Montana Affordable?

Montana Wages Are Just Not Keeping Up With Inflation

Montana wages are relatively middle of the road in the United States. When looking at the Montana minimum wage we are higher than the national minimum wage which is still stuck at 7.25 an hour-WHICH HAS NOT CHANGED SINCE 2009.  According to the US Department of Labor, we are ranked at 22nd when it comes to our minimum wage at 10.30 per hour which was just raised starting in January of 2024.

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Montana minimum wage has steadily been increasing but is it enough to keep up with inflation? The most recent inflation rate for Montana was a report form 2022 which showed the change between 2021 and 2022. Looking at the Regional Inflation rates, Great Falls area had an inflation rate of 11.8% from 2021 to 2022 which was higher than Billings (5.7%) and Missoula (1.5%).

What Does High Inflation Mean For Montana

What do all of these numbers really mean? Well if inflation continues to rise-especially in Great Falls-The minimum wage just wont be enough anymore. With current housing prices, the idea of even thinking about buying a home seems like such a far reach for most Montanan's.

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Weekly pay is around 1000 on average in Montana. If you are taking home less than this how are you expected to live and afford things like food, electricity, water, clothes and your housing payment-rent or mortgage.

I think we can do better Montana. If we don't want people to be forced to rely on public assistance we have to do better.