Poll: 3 in 4 Montanans concerned about being able to afford housing in near future

Almost 3 in 4 Montanans were concerned about being able to afford housing in the state over the next five years, according to a Montana Free Press-Eagleton Poll.

According to the poll, 2 in 5 Montana households spent more than 30% of their income on rent or mortgage. That means roughly 40% of poll respondents self-identify as cost-burdened, a term defined by the U.S. Census Bureau to describe those whose housing costs exceed that threshold.

Adults under 35 were more likely than those over 50 to feel concerned about being able to afford housing in Montana during the next five years. Roughly 1 in 3 respondents over 65 were “not at all concerned” about the cost of housing in Montana during the next five years. In contrast, 9% of those between 35 and 49 years old were equally unconcerned. That figure dropped to 2% for Montanans under 35.