Billings vs Bozeman
The short version
- Billings is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 9% lower than in the Bozeman area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $343,400 in Billings and $687,900 in Bozeman.
- Households earn more in Bozeman ($85,747 vs $73,712 median).
- Bozeman gets far more snow: 91 inches a year vs 57.
- Billings has more scorching days: 32 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 12.
- Bozeman is growing faster: +9.7% since 2020 vs +3.5%.
Side by side
| Billings, MT | Bozeman, MT | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 121,239 | 58,814 |
| Growth since 2020 | +3.5% | +9.7% |
| People per square mile | 2,632 | 2,747 |
| Median age | 38.8 | 28.9 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37% | 65% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $73,712 | $85,747 |
| Median home value | $343,400 | $687,900 |
| Home value to income | 4.7× | 8.0× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,138 | $1,717 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 93.5 | 102.5 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 77.4 | 139.2 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $70,100 | $76,900 |
| Homeowners | 65% | 45% |
| Top state income tax | 5.65% | 5.65% |
| Combined sales tax | 0% | 0% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 16.5 | 15.5 |
| Work from home | 9% | 16% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 1% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 3.5% | 3% |
| Poverty rate | 9.8% | 13.7% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 36° / 18° | 34° / 15° |
| July high / low | 87° / 59° | 82° / 52° |
| Precipitation per year | 14 in | 20 in |
| Snowfall per year | 57 in | 91 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 32 | 12 |
| Nights below freezing | 142 | 178 |
| Comfortable months | 4 | 4 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 83.6 | 81.0 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 86% | 98% |
| Home prices, past year | +4.4% | +4.1% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +40.9% | +42.3% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Billings: May to June and August to September. Bozeman: June to September.
Full monthly tables: Billings weather by month and Bozeman weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $70,100 in Billings and $76,900 in Bozeman. Moving from Billings to Bozeman, you would need about $82,200 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Billings and Bozeman
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Billings and Bozeman.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.