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HouseBuildCalc

Cost to Build a House in Great Falls, Montana (2026)

A 2,000 sq ft mid-range home in Great Falls costs approximately $292,647$372,459, or $175/sq ft.

$129
Basic $/sq ft
builder-grade
$175
Mid-Range $/sq ft
most common
$238
Premium $/sq ft
custom finishes
$332,553
2,000 sq ft (Mid)
two-story estimate

Estimated Build Cost in Montana

$350,056

Range: $308,049$392,063

$175
per sq ft
$1,798/mo
est. mortgage

Configure Your Build

5004,0008,000

Upgraded finishes, quality materials

20% ($70,011)
3%20%50%

Mid-Range Finish Includes

  • Quartz countertops
  • Hardwood floors
  • Semi-custom cabinets
  • Upgraded fixtures
Loading chart…

Line-Item Estimate

2,000 sq ft · mid quality
🏗️Foundation & Concrete
Full basement or reinforced crawl space
$35,006
10%
🪵Framing & Structure
Advanced framing techniques, engineered lumber
$56,009
16%
🏠Exterior & Roofing
Fiber cement siding, architectural shingles
$45,507
13%
HVAC / Plumbing / Electrical
High-efficiency HVAC, PEX plumbing, 200A service
$63,010
18%
🧱Insulation & Drywall
Blown-in insulation, smooth-finish drywall
$24,504
7%
🎨Interior Finishes
Quartz counters, hardwood floors, semi-custom cabinets
$56,009
16%
Total Estimate
Range: $308,049$392,063
$350,056
$175/sq ft avg

* Excludes land cost, which varies widely by location. Add $20,000–$200,000+ depending on your area.

Mortgage Estimate

6.65%Aug 20, 2026
$1,798
Monthly Payment
30-yr fixed 6.65%
$70,011
Down Payment
20% of total
$280K
Loan Amount
principal
$367K
Total Interest
+131% over 30 yrs
💡

Income Rule of Thumb

To keep housing costs under 28% of gross income, you'd need to earn at least $77,057/year to afford this 2,000 sq ft home.

Rate: 6.65% — Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, Aug 20, 2026. Does not include property taxes, insurance, or HOA fees.

Local Construction Wages

$28.96/hr
Median trades wage
Construction & extraction occupations
+1%
Above national median
National median: $28.63/hr

These wages cover the entire Great Falls, MT metro area, not just Great Falls city limits — labor costs are set regionally, not city by city.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.

New Home Permits in Great Falls (2025)

38
Single-family permits issued
Full-year 2025, 1-unit structures
$280,785
Average declared valuation
Per single-family permit

This is annual, single-family-only new-construction data. Builder-declared valuations at filing typically understate final construction cost.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey, 2025. Census place name: Great Falls.

Build vs. Buy in Great Falls

$343,561
Median existing home value
Zillow ZHVI, June 2026
$332,553
New 2,000 sq ft build (construction only)
mid-range estimate

These two figures aren't directly comparable: the home-value figure includes land and an existing structure, while the build estimate covers construction only — add local land, site work, and financing costs before comparing directly. See our build vs. buy framework for how to weigh the two.

Home value data provided by Zillow (ZHVI), retrieved June 2026.

Building in Great Falls: What to Know

  • Air Force base, stable demand
  • Lower costs than west MT

Cost by Size in Great Falls

1,000 sq ft$166,277
1,500 sq ft$249,415
2,000 sq ft$332,553
2,500 sq ft$415,692
3,000 sq ft$498,830

About Construction Costs in Great Falls

Building a new home in Great Falls, Montana in 2026 costs approximately $175 per square foot for mid-range construction — putting a 2,000 sq ft home at roughly $332,553 for the structure alone (excluding land). Great Falls is 5% below the Montana state average, making it one of the more affordable markets in the state.

Montana as a whole has a cost multiplier of 0.98× the national average. Combined with Great Falls's local adjustment of 0.95×, the effective multiplier for this city is 0.93× the national baseline.

These estimates cover construction costs only and do not include land, which varies significantly in Great Falls. Always obtain bids from at least 2–3 licensed general contractors in the area for an accurate project budget.

Cost data: HouseBuildCalc Permit Cost Index (876,000+ building permits, 1,700+ ZIP codes), U.S. Census Bureau Survey of Construction, BLS Producer Price Index, NAHB Cost of Constructing a Home (published summaries). City-level multipliers are derived from regional contractor market surveys and cost-of-living indexes relative to state average. For planning purposes only.

See all of Montana
Statewide costs, all cities, and detailed notes
Montana guide →