City profile · Montana · Census ACS 2023

Billings, MT

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Billings - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

118,321
Residents
$71,855
Median income
$311,800
Median home
$1,417
Median rent (state)

Billings - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Billings lands in the 52nd percentile for household income and the 8th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

52nd
percentile, household income
67th
percentile, home value
56th
percentile, median rent
8th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Billings, MT

Montana's Billings is a mid-sized U.S. city, with 118,321 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Median household income here is $71,855 per year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 7.5%. Typical homes in Billings are valued around $311,800, and the median resident age is 38.1 years. 37.0% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 63.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 655 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Building Boom), up 72% from five years earlier. Billings's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 3829.5 incidents per 100,000 residents, above the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 48.0°F with 14.8 inches of precipitation per year and 48.2 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in Montana run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Montana scores 94.6 (Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,417 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Montana's average monthly utility costs around $175 (state average). Workers in Billings report an average commute of 15.4 minutes, with 78.5% driving alone and 7.6% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 83.6 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (High).

Population

118,321 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Montana

Median Household Income

$71,855 /yr

Poverty 7.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.6 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Montana average

How does Billings compare to other US cities?

Where Billings sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 52% higher than other cities
Home value 67% pricier than other cities
Median rent 56% pricier than other cities
Safety 8% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Montana and the picture shifts: Billings ranks #32 of 39 Montana cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Billings's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Montana, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

52ndIncome percentile
8thSafety percentile

52nd percentile nationally for median household income · 8th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Billings's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Billings's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 33 Avg. percentile National median
Billings's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Billings's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$311,800 33rd percentile more affordable than 33% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Billings $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Billings, MT Billings, MT's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Billings, MT-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Billings, MT median $71,855/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Billings, MT's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Billings, MT. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 37.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 7.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 63.8%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
118,321
Median Income
$71,855
Median Home Value
$311,800
Median Age
38.1
Poverty Rate
7.5%
Labor force participation
63.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
37.0%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3829.5
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
746.1
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3083.4
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
48.0°F
Annual Precipitation
14.8"
Annual Snowfall
48.2"

Schools

Total Schools
43
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
116,000 residents118,000 residents120,000 residents122,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 117,218 residents 121,239 residents ▲ +3.4%
Billings's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
655
housing units authorized
Single-Family
327
detached homes
Multifamily
328
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
5.5
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 380
2020 586
2021 910
2022 945
2023 259
2024 655

Permit volume increased 72% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
15.4 minutes
Drive Alone
78.5%
Carpool
9.1%
Public Transit
1.0%
Walk
2.0%
Work from Home
7.6%
Other
1.8%

Based on 59,674 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Montana - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$80
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$40
avg/month
Total Utilities
$175
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Montana state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Montana state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Billings sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.6
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,417/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
83.6 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Montana

Missoula
75,600 people
Great Falls
60,412 people
Bozeman
55,042 people
Butte-Silver Bow (balance)
34,929 people
Helena
33,126 people
Kalispell
26,830 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Billings's 118,321 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Richardson, TX
118,269 people
Wilmington, NC
118,578 people
Spring Hill, FL
118,814 people
Cambridge, MA
117,794 people
North Charleston, SC
117,460 people
West Palm Beach, FL
119,508 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Billings's $71,855 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Moses Lake, WA
$71,854 median income
Wildwood, FL
$71,858 median income
Kent Acres, DE
$71,848 median income
Center Point, TX
$71,848 median income
Boulder Canyon, SD
$71,846 median income
Mesquite, TX
$71,843 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Billings, MT Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Billings, MT - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 86.3% 6.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 7.2% White 86.3% Black or African American 1.0% Asian 0.9% American Indian 4.4% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 1.4% Two or more races 6.1% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Billings compares to nearby Montana cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Billings (this city) 118,321 $71,855
Missoula 75,600 $65,329
Great Falls 60,412 $63,934
Bozeman 55,042 $79,903
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MT FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Billings, MT?

What is the population of Billings, MT? +

Billings, MT has a population of 118,321 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Billings, MT? +

Median annual household income in Billings runs $71,855, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Billings? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Billings; the closest available measure is the Montana state average, a cost of living index of 94.6 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Montana vary by metro area.

Is Billings, MT safe? +

Billings has a total crime rate of 3829.5 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Billings, MT? +

Billings's median home value sits at $311,800, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Billings? +

Billings has an average annual temperature of 48.0°F, 14.8 inches of precipitation, and 48.2 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

Verify with HUD →

Verify with FBI →

Verify with NOAA →

Verify with U.S. Census Bureau →

Verify with EPA →

Verify with FEMA →

Verify with BEA →

Verify with EIA →

Verify with NCES →

Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.