The Town FilesBillings, Montana
City in Yellowstone County · population 117,116 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $343,400
- Household income
- $73,712
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 57 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 6
- Median age
- 38.8
Billings is a city of 117,116 people in Yellowstone County, Montana. The median home is worth $343,400, above the typical Montana town ($249,800). It ranks more vibrant than 97% of Montana towns, better transit than 97% of Montana towns, more walkable than 93% of Montana towns.
How Billings ranks
Percentile among Montana towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Montana towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Billings is worth $343,400, above the typical Montana town ($249,800). Homes cost about 4.7 times the median household income of $73,712, which is more affordable than 42% of Montana towns. Median rent is $1,138 a month. 64.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Billings | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $343,400 | $249,800 |
| Median rent | $1,138 | $893 |
| Median household income | $73,712 | $63,249 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.7× | 4.2× |
| Homeownership | 64.8% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1980 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.7% | — |
Who lives in Billings
| People | Billings | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.8 | 40.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.8% | 19.6% |
| Under 18 | 22.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.9% | 25.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.8% | 10.9% |
| Veterans | 9.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.1% | — |
| Work from home | 8.5% | 8.5% |
| Average commute | 16.5 min | 19.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.6% | 86.6% |
Weather in Billings
July highs average 87.3°F and January lows 17.9°F. About 14.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 57.4 inches of snow (typical Montana town: 44.0 in). Expect about 32 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 142 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Billings since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Montana town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on June 20, 2010 about 3.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 20, 2010.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 179 times; the largest was 3.50 inches on June 24, 1991.
Severe weather in Yellowstone County since 1996
Yellowstone County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 16, 2022 | Flood | DR-4655: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| July 17, 2021 | Fire | FM-5399: Buffalo Wildfire |
| September 2, 2020 | Fire | FM-5344: Bobcat Fire |
| August 2, 2020 | Fire | FM-5324: Falling Star Fire |
| March 31, 2020 | Biological | DR-4508: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Yellowstone County
Yellowstone County had 87,348 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,688 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in Billings itself the ACS puts it at 3.5%.
Public schools in Billings
43 public schools with 18,538 students, about 16.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Billings West High School | 9-12 | 2,210 | 16.4 |
| Billings Sr High School | 9-12 | 1,675 | 17.3 |
| Skyview High School | 9-12 | 1,596 | 19.7 |
| Castle Rock Middle School | 6-8 | 742 | 18.6 |
| Ben Steele Middle School | 6-8 | 738 | 17.6 |
| Lewis & Clark Middle School | 6-8 | 727 | 16.2 |
| Meadowlark School | PK-5 | 707 | 18.6 |
| Will James Middle School | 6-8 | 601 | 17.2 |
| Boulder School | PK-5 | 508 | 18.1 |
| Elder Grove School | PK-5 | 485 | 18.7 |
| Medicine Crow Middle School | 6-8 | 468 | 16.1 |
| Riverside Middle School | 6-8 | 460 | 12.4 |
Towns near Billings
- Lockwood, MT8.0 mi · 7,195 people · home $235,400
- Laurel, MT13.4 mi · 7,222 people · home $235,100
Billings questions
Is Billings, Montana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Billings scores better for retirees than 21% of Montana towns and quieter than 6%. 18.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.8).
How much does a house cost in Billings?
The median owner-occupied home in Billings is valued at $343,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $73,712, so homes cost about 4.7 times income. Median rent is $1,138 a month.
What is the weather like in Billings?
July highs average 87.3°F and January lows 17.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 14.3 inches of precipitation a year and 57.4 inches of snow.
Does Billings get tornadoes?
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Billings since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on June 20, 2010. The typical Montana town has had 1.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)