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Billings, MT

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Billings, MT

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Demographics

Predominantly WhiteSimpson's Diversity Index: 30
Population118,321
Foreign Born1.0%
Population Density2,558people per mi²
Median Age38.1 yrs
Demographics Trajectory
GrowingSince 2010, this city's population has grown with relatively minor shifts in racial composition.
Current Race / Ethnicity Breakdown
Population Trends

Quality of Life

Overall Quality Of Life
A-
Great

A high quality of life with strong walkability, manageable living costs, healthy neighborhood signals, and solid amenity access.

Quality of Life blends cost of living, nearby amenities, socioeconomic signals, and neighborhood character. City-level scores represent the whole municipality; individual neighborhoods can differ.

Cost of Living

101/100

1% above national average

A

The Real Cost of Living in Billings, Montana

TierIndividualFamily (4)
Survival $18k$33k
Comfortable $61k$89k
Luxury $130k+$201k+
Elite (Top 5%) $159k+$246k+
Affordability Ratio

81%

The Hood Index™

A metric tracking the socioeconomic signals of the area.

A+
Hood Index scan area
Luxury Lean94%
RisksNeutralGrowth
Premium
40
Positive
29
Poor
3
Negative
8

Groceries

4 within 10 miles

0.4mi

Gas

0 within 10 miles

Hospital

3 within 20 miles

0.9mi

Airport

Billings Clinic Helipad

0.6mi

Post Office

USPS — Billings, MT

0.8mi

Critical Amenities

Golf2Nearest 3.4 mi
Camping20Nearest 4.7 mi
Marina0 
Winery0 
Ice Rink0 
Gun Range7Nearest 1.2 mi

Affluence Level

Overall Affluence Grade
C
Average

A middle-class area roughly in line with national averages across income, home values, education, and employment.

Median HHI
$72k+3.1%
4% below US avg
Est. Avg Net Worth
$645k
2% below US avg
College Educated
37.0%
6% above US avg
WFH
7.6%
47% below US avg
Homeownership
64.8%
1% below US avg
Median Home
$312k
11% above US avg

Crime

Overall Crime Grade
D+
Elevated

Higher crime rates than 63% of comparable U.S. locations.

Crime Rate
32.6
Incidents per 1,000 residents
5yr Trend
−39.5%
Overall crime change since 2020

Violent Crime

5yr−30.4%
Homicide
0.03 / 1k Residents6% above state avg
Robbery
0.73 / 1k Residents303% above state avg
Aggravated Assault
5.99 / 1k Residents84% above state avg

Property Crime

5yr−48.6%
Burglary
2.40 / 1k Residents84% above state avg
Larceny-Theft
19.56 / 1k Residents68% above state avg
Motor Vehicle Theft
2.86 / 1k Residents113% above state avg
Source: FBI Crime Data · 2025

Political Climate

Cook PVI: R+15Solidly Conservative

District shown is the primary district for this city’s centroid. Cities may span multiple districts.

Presidential Voting Trends for Billings, Montana
Dem Rep
30%40%50%60%70%2000200420082012201620202024

Personal Sovereignty

Personal Sovereignty measures your capacity for self-reliance and independence with minimal government friction. Higher scores mean fewer barriers between you and the way you want to live... but it assumes you have the space you need and good neighbors.

Overall Sovereignty Grade
B+
Self-Reliant

Viable for self-reliance. Generally workable, though some barriers may limit total independence.

State Policy

Tax Burden
C-
Weak10.5% of income
Property Rights
C-
FairIJ Grade C-
Firearm Rights
A
GreatFPC Grade A
Homeschooling
A-
GoodLow regulation

Energy independence: Net exporter (120% of energy produced in-state)

Personal Liberty

Raw Milk
A-
OpenFarm sales legal
Gambling Laws
B
Broadly OpenTribal · Poker · Sportsbetting
Marijuana Laws
A+
Fully LegalRecreational

Homesteading

Growing Season171 days215 frost-free
Annual Rainfall16.9"
Elevation3,143 ft

Strategic Assessment

Strategic Assessment grades tactical survivability using Joel Skousen's Strategic Relocation framework. Major population centers, blast zones, natural disasters, and border exposure all drive risk — lower exposure means a more defensible position in a crisis.

Learn more about Strategic Relocation ($)
Overall Strategic Grade
B-
Defensible

Workable tactical position. Some exposure to population density or targets, but generally defensible in a crisis.

Strategic Pillars

City Proximity
A+
Great1757 mi to nearest major city
Pop. Density
D-
Poor2,558/sq mi
Fallout Danger
D-
Poor3 within ~30 mi
Natural Disaster
F
PoorInland Flooding
Border / Coast
A+
Greatborder 222 mi · coast 677 mi
FEMA Expected Loss$60.1M/yrfor the county

Key Distances

Nearest Major CityDenver716k people are 454 mi away
Nearest Major AirportNo hub airport within 50 mi
Distance to State Capital178 miHelena, MT
Nearest Prison0.7 mi2 within 25 mi

* Values derived from national, state, county, city and local statistics and may differ in a specific area. Last updated: 2026-04-19T06:53:26.000Z

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