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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
No sugarcoating: 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 — though some people might weigh that differently — and household income of $71,855. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zil…
No sugarcoating: 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 — though some people might weigh that differently — and household income of $71,855. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data (a figure that keeps climbing, by the way).
On a $50K salary, the key number is $1,250/month — for better or worse — — that's 30% of gross, the standard affordability line. Billings ($1,383/mo, 33%) all clear that bar. After federal tax, FICA (7.65%), and state income tax, estimated take-home ranges from $37,172 to $37,172/year across these top picks.
Billings comes in at #1. Rent is $1,383 a month. Household income is $71,855. The cost of living index is 100. That's more or less in line with the region.
In plain English: this looks affordable — until you factor in healthcare. In Billings, the healthcare index sits at 103 — not a dealbreaker, but worth knowing about.
What to do with this data: use the ranking as a shortlist, then dig into the city profiles for trend lines and category breakdowns. The difference between #1 and #5 is often smaller than the difference between "good on paper" and "actually fits my life." Compare your top picks with our calculator to see real take-home numbers.
#1 Ranked: Billings — cost index 100, rent $1,383/mo, income $71,855
0 of 1 cities keep rent under 30% of $50K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
120,864 residents · Montana
Here's Billings by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 100. Rent: $1,383/month — and yes, that's adjusted for the region — . 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. For freelancers and gig workers with variable income, this cushion is everything.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Billings | 5.9% | 0% | 0.74% | $37,172 |
We calculate what percentage of a $50K 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 $50K salary in Billings, rent would consume about 33% 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 $50K in Billings is approximately $37,172/year ($3,098/month). After median rent of $1,383/month, you'd have roughly $20,576/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.