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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Straight up: the numbers are clear: 1 of 1 cities in Montana beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 112. Billings stands out at 100 on the index, with rent of $1,383/month — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — and household income of $71,855. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow…
#1 Ranked: Billings — cost index 100, rent $1,383/mo, income $71,855
0 of 1 cities keep rent under 30% of $30K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
Straight up: the numbers are clear: 1 of 1 cities in Montana beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 112. Billings stands out at 100 on the index, with rent of $1,383/month — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — and household income of $71,855. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data.
What does daily life actually cost in Billings? Start with the 23% rent-to-income ratio — that's the kind of margin that lets people build savings. On the category level, Utilities (index 92) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 103) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $71,855 and homes at $390,654 round out a profile that ranks #1 for clear reasons. Below the radar, but not for long.
On a $30K salary, the key number is $750/month — that's 30% of gross, the standard affordability line. Billings ($1,383/mo, 55%) all clear that bar. After federal tax, FICA (7.65%), and state income tax, estimated take-home ranges from $22,567 to $22,567/year across these top picks (a figure that keeps climbing, by the way).
Now, the part that complicates the narrative: Across Montana, the average cost of living index is 100 — 12 points below the national median. Known for Big Sky country with an inflating housing bubble, the state offers 1 tracked cities with median rents averaging $1,383/month. That's $512 less than the national average of $1,895. That's not something you see often in the data.
Bottom line: Billings leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. Click into any city below to see the full detail page with 12-month trend charts, profession-specific salary data, and a breakdown of all five cost categories. If you're seriously considering a move, use our salary calculator to model your specific income against these numbers.
120,864 residents · Montana
Here's Billings by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). And for the typical household, cost index: 100. Rent: $1,383/month. Income: $71,855/year. Home price: $390,654. Population: 120,864. The strongest category is Utilities at 92; the most expensive is Healthcare at 103. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $6,144 per year vs. the national median. In the context of rising national rents, this stability is worth noting.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Billings | 5.9% | 0% | 0.74% | $22,567 |
We calculate what percentage of a $30K gross salary goes to median rent. Cities where rent consumes less of your paycheck rank higher. We also factor in estimated take-home pay after federal taxes, FICA (7.65%), and state income tax. All data is sourced from federal agencies and verified research institutions. Cost of living indices are normalized to 100 (national median) using Zillow rent as the primary signal, with sub-category adjustments derived from regional BLS price data. Rankings are updated monthly as new data is released.
Billings ranks #1 in Montana for this analysis with a cost index of 100 and median income of $71,855.
Yes. On a $30K salary in Billings, rent would consume about 55% of your gross monthly income. Financial experts recommend keeping rent under 30%. It's tight — consider a roommate or nearby suburb.
Our cost of living index uses real Zillow rent data as the foundation, indexed to 100 (national median). Sub-categories (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare) are derived from the overall index with regional adjustments. Data is updated monthly.
City data is refreshed monthly from Census Bureau population estimates, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary data, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Last updated: 2026.
The median 1-bedroom rent in Billings is $1,383/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $512 below the national median of $1,895/month.
After federal taxes, FICA (7.65%), and 5.9% state income tax, estimated take-home on $30K in Billings is approximately $22,567/year ($1,881/month). After median rent of $1,383/month, you'd have roughly $5,971/year for all other expenses.
The median home price in Billings is $390,654, which is 5.4× the local median income. Most median-income households would stretch to buy at this ratio. The national median home price is $467,370.
Montana has a 5.9% state income tax rate. Combined state and local sales tax averages 0%, and the effective property tax rate is 0.74%.
This ranking was generated using data current as of early 2026. Population and income data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Rent and home price data is from Zillow's monthly releases. Tax rates are from the Tax Foundation's 2025 edition. Rankings are refreshed monthly.