Billings, MT
Census place 3006550 · pop 119,434
Montana's largest city, nicknamed the 'Magic City' for its rapid railroad-era growth.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
749 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
3124 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.46 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
18.0% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$343,400 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities
14.1% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities
$73,712 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
91.6% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities
9.4% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 67.2% · better than most cities
64.8% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
33.9% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities
9.8% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.84% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities
1 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
36.9% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
21.1% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities
$1,455/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities
39 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities
+9.0% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities
59/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities
2.8% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
17 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
Frequently asked
- Is Billings, MT a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Billings scores 54/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is commute time and its weakest is violent crime rate. Montana overall ranks #15 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Billings, MT?
- Billings reports 749 violent crimes per 100k and 3124 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Billings, MT expensive to live in?
- Billings has a median home value of $343,400 and typical rent around $1,455/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Billings, MT?
- Its weakest measured area is violent crime rate (749/100k) — 7/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Billings, MT best at?
- Its strongest measured area is commute time (17 min) — 92/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: Montana's largest city, nicknamed the 'Magic City' for its rapid railroad-era growth.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.
