Places › Montana › Billings

Living in Billings, MT

Small city in Montana

Billings is a small city in Montana, home to about 118,000 people, with 138,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, there is some transit, though many people drive. Life moves at a relaxed pace, and homes are mostly houses.

Is Billings a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Dog-friendly: 6 dog parks within 9 mi
  • Mild summers: highs around 83°F
  • Low natural disaster risk: 3 federally declared disasters since 2000
  • Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $387k and rents for $1,950 a month

👎 Cons

  • Smaller job market: about 138,000 people live within 31 mi
  • Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
  • Fewer graduates: 37% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
  • Far from a big airport: SLC is 386 mi away

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Billings ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
118,000
138,000 within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
37°F / 83°F
Average daily highs · 57″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$387k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$1,950/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
94
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$2,087
State income tax per resident · 0.87% property tax
Safety
No data
Not in FBI 2019 city table
Natural disasters
3 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding, cold waves
Top-rated hospitals
1
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Adults with a degree
37%
No research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
SLC
386 mi away

Living in Billings: common questions

What is the cost of living in Billings?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $387k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,950 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 94, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Billings?

Montana collects about $2,087 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.87% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Billings safe?

Billings isn't in the FBI's 2019 city crime table, so Best Life Fit Me counts its safety as average.

What is the weather like in Billings?

Billings has cold winters: winter days average around 37°F and summer days around 83°F, with roughly 57″ of snow a year.

Does Billings get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding and cold waves: 3 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 1.07 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Billings?

The nearest major airport is SLC, about 386 mi away.

How Billings scores

Each bar compares Billings with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City size Small city Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quiet Suburban Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting around Some transit Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or nature Nature on the doorstep Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️Climate Cold winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of living Affordable Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️Pace Relaxed Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝Community Private AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡Housing Mostly houses ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housing Good
💸Low taxes Good
💼Job market Poor
🏥Healthcare Good
🎓Education Below average
🧸Kids & family Below average
🐕Dog-friendly Excellent
⛰️Outdoors Good
🎭Culture Below average
🛡️Safety No crime data (counted as average)
🌪️Few natural disasters Excellent
☀️Sunny Below average
🌤️Mild summers Excellent
✈️Airport Below average

Places like Billings

These places have the most similar overall profile across all 23 aspects.

Is Billings right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

Take the free quiz →

Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.