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Living in
Billings.
About
Life in Billings
Montana's largest city is also one of its most economically stable, which explains why the population here has grown 89% since 1969—far outpacing the state's overall growth. You're moving to a genuine regional hub where healthcare and energy drive the job market (Billings Clinic and Intermountain Health are major employers), supported by wholesale and retail distribution that pulls customers from across the Northern Rockies and into Wyoming and the Dakotas. The trade-off is that you're living in a sprawling, car-dependent city that's still building out faster than its infrastructure sometimes keeps pace; the West End and Southwest Corridor are where much of the new development is happening, and those neighborhoods skew toward upper-income households, while pockets like the South Side remain the culturally diverse heart of the community with regular food fairs and festivals.
Billings at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
38.8 yrs
Poverty Rate
9.8%
Foreign-Born
2.1%
Broadband Internet
91.6%
of households
Population Growth
+3.5%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics2.1% foreign-born, most often from Vietnam
Who lives in Billings: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Billings, the largest foreign-born group is from Vietnam (14.0%), and 1.5% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
22.0%
of residents
65 and Older
18.8%
of residents
Households with Kids
26.8%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
35.4%
of households
Married Couples
43.2%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.28
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent about average for MT
Rent, home values, and income in Billings
In Billings, home values are 9% below the MT average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
47.5%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
21.8%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
93.5
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,887
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
64.8%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1980
median year built
Vacant Homes
6.2%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $401,071 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for MT
Unemployment in Billings
Unemployment in Billings is close to the MT average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Billings Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute16.5 min avg
How Billings residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Billings, most residents drive alone to work (78%), and 90% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 3 mi
Billings Logan International Airport (BIL)
Small hub503k passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 132% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Billings runs 132% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
762.8
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,515.3
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Billings Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 18 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
83.6 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Yellowstone County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Yellowstone County, which includes Billings, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 18 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 18 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2024 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2023 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.6M |
| 2022 | 19 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2021 | 18 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2020 | 19 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 17 | Hail | $2.5M |
| 2018 | 14 | Hail | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
15 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Yellowstone County, county-wide
Air Quality38 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Yellowstone County, which includes Billings, is typically good — 315 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
38
Good Days
315
per year
Moderate Days
50
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Yellowstone County, county-wide
Climate83°F summers, 19°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Billings has warm summers (avg high 83°F) and very cold winters (avg low 19°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
58°/35°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
83°/56°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
60°/37°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
37°/19°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
14.3"
Annual Snowfall
57.4"
Hot Days/Year
32
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
142
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
97
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°F | 18°F | 0.55" |
| Feb | 39°F | 20°F | 0.57" |
| Mar | 49°F | 27°F | 0.90" |
| Apr | 57°F | 35°F | 1.72" |
| May | 67°F | 44°F | 2.36" |
| Jun | 77°F | 52°F | 2.22" |
| Jul | 87°F | 59°F | 1.22" |
| Aug | 86°F | 58°F | 0.87" |
| Sep | 74°F | 49°F | 1.36" |
| Oct | 59°F | 37°F | 1.37" |
| Nov | 46°F | 27°F | 0.60" |
| Dec | 36°F | 19°F | 0.57" |
Healthcare2 hospitals, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Billings
Billings has 2 hospitals, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
2
within city limits
Uninsured
8.1%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Billings Clinic Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Intermountain Health St Vincent Regional Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education16.4:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Billings
Billings's student/teacher ratio is 16.4:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 36.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
33
within city limits
Private Schools
11
within city limits
College Degree Rate
36.9%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.4:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Billings
Montana State University Billings
Public · 4-year · 2,626 students · in-state tuition $7,689 · 36% graduate · median earnings $48,199 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 840 students · in-state tuition $37,006 · 49% graduate · median earnings $54,124 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, 50 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Billings
Billings has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area (50 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
50 mi awayLittle Bighorn Battlefield National Monument
National Monument
57 mi awayPublic Libraries in Billings
Billings Public Library
510 North Broadway, Billings
Cities Near Billings
The closest cities within 60 miles
No other cities we cover are within 60 miles of Billings.
Planning a move to Billings?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Billings FAQ
Is Billings, Montana affordable?⌄
Billings's median rent is $1,138/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $73,712/year. Median home value is $343,400.
Is Billings, Montana safe?⌄
Billings's violent crime rate was 763 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2515 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Billings, Montana?⌄
Billings has an unemployment rate of 3.2%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Billings, Montana?⌄
The cost of living in Billings is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,138/month and median household income is $73,712/year. The median home value is $343,400. About 48% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Billings, Montana?⌄
The average commute in Billings is 17 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from