Independent Living in Montana

Montana is known as a retirement haven due to its senior-friendly tax policies and affordable cost of living. There’s no sales tax in Montana, and senior residents can save about 5.1% on their day-to-day expenses while enjoying life surrounded by beautiful and untouched natural scenery. The state has a population of just over one million people, and 19.3% of its residents are aged 65 and older, which is almost 3% more than the U.S. average.

Montana retirees have access to 65 hospitals and benefit from health care costs that are below the national median. The state is home to Flathead Lake, the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi, and it’s a great place to enjoy a four-season climate. Billings, the state’s largest city, receives an average of 46 inches of snowfall per year but enjoys pleasantly warm summers, with July highs of about 88 degrees.

Independent living communities offer seniors individual homes or apartments with total autonomy but very little in the way of maintenance responsibilities. They’re ideal for seniors who don’t need help with daily living tasks but would prefer to have assistance options available if needed. The average cost of independent living in Montana is $2,738 per month.

This guide provides more information about independent living costs, financing options and assistance programs available to seniors in Montana.

When trying to decide how to pay for independent living, one of the first questions that comes up is "How much does it cost?" With the impact of inflation, it's more important than ever to have up-to-date information when making a financial plan for senior living. To help shed light on real senior living prices, Caring.com has compiled proprietary cost data from its network of over 75,000 senior living providers to offer insight into the average cost of independent living in Montana and its 4 cities.

Note: Assisted Living costs are generally 30%-40% higher than Independent Living costs throughout the United States. However, no authoritative source specifically tracks those Independent Living costs. In the following material, we estimate Independent Living costs at 35% lower than the Assisted Living costs in Genworth Financial’s Cost of Care Survey.

Montana’s estimated average monthly cost for Independent Living, $2,893, is just a tad below the national average of $2,925. However, that still makes Montana one of the more expensive states in its region of the U.S. on that metric. To the south, Wyoming’s average monthly costs come in at $2,709, and Idaho is a bit cheaper than that at $2,495. Just to the east of Montana, the Dakotas have the lowest prices in the area for Independent Living at $2,204 in North Dakota and $2,178 in South Dakota. 

The $2,714 seniors pay for independent living in Montana is just a state average, and costs vary by location within the state. In Helena, for example, independent living services average $2,920 a month, while costs in Missoula and Billings average $2,256 and $2,727 a month, respectively. Great Falls has a saving of $1,020 a month under the state average, at $1,694 for independent living costs.

Independent living is a less intensive option for senior care, and at $2,714 a month it's one of the most affordable. Seniors with more need for caregiver help can find assisted living for $5,257, while memory care in Montana averages $5,822 a month.

Independent living may be offered in a stand-alone retirement community or a facility that offers a complete continuum of care including skilled nursing services. In addition to residential accommodations, independent living communities may offer services such as entertainment, transportation and prepared meals. Since independent living is designed for seniors who don’t need daily help, it’s typically not covered by insurance or government programs. Seniors may sell their home to pay for independent living. A reverse mortgage is an option that lets a senior retain ownership of their home while using their equity to finance the move. Long-term care insurance may also pay for some of the services delivered in these communities.