Known as “Montana’s Trailhead” for its proximity to outdoor recreation, Billings is a growing city in south-central Montana that serves as a commercial and trade hub for much of the region. “I like to call Billings the real Montana; it is a great combination of beautiful natural resources with friendly people and a diversified economy,” says Mayor Bill Cole. Billings is Montana’s largest city, with a population of over 117,000. Founded as a railroad town in 1882, it maintains its supportive role to Montana’s agriculture and trade industries today. Much of the region’s sugar beet crop is processed here, several railroads pass through the city, and there are three oil refineries nearby. The largest hospitals in the area are located here, and there are two colleges, with a veterinarian school under construction.
Two geological features define life here; the Rims are a series of sandstone cliffs with hiking trails mainly north of the city, and the Yellowstone River offers fishing and boating opportunities in the south. “Billings is special because it’s so close to different terrains,” says Nikki Zimmer, a broker at Metro Realtors, LLP who’s sold homes here for 19 years. “You go a couple hours east and you’ve got badlands. You go a couple hours west and you’ve got mountains.”
Billings is the most populous city in Montana.
Billings residents have many options for shopping like Rimrock Mall.
Billings was founded in 1882 and continue to be a major contributor in agriculture.
Lake Elmo State Park in Billings is popular for its scenic beauty.
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Tubing and fishing in the Yellowstone River
Billings has over 2,500 acres of parks, and more recreational opportunities are within a two hours’ drive. The Rims, also called the Rimrocks, has popular hiking trails with mountain and city views. The Yellowstone River borders the city’s south; on warm days, residents can be found floating there in an innertube, kayaking or fishing for trout and bass. The Custer National Forest, Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, and Custer Gallatin National Forest are all within two hours. On average, Billings sees around 54 inches of snow each year and temperatures can dip into the negatives, but that doesn’t keep residents indoors during winter. Cross country skiing and sledding are popular around the Rims, and the Yellowstone River typically doesn’t freeze, so anglers can cast a line year-round.
Zimmerman Park and the Rimrock Road Trail are great hiking spots in Billings, MT.
Skiing and snowboarding at Red Lodge Mountain is an hour away from Billings, MT.
Lake Elmo State Park is a highly visited park in Billings.
Your dog will love going for a walk at Lake Elmo State Park in Billings, MT.
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New homes in the city’s west
The median home sale price in Billings is $350,000, lower than the national median of $420,000. Most homes in the city are either midcentury ranch-style or split-level, set close together along tree-shaded streets to the west of downtown. Within downtown, early 20th-century Tudor Revival and Craftsman cottages are common, with prices ranging from around $250,000 to $600,000. Two of the most popular suburbs are The Heights and the West End, both with late 20th-century split-level and new traditional houses laid out along cul-de-sacs and priced between $300,000 and $750,000. The city's newest homes, built in the 2000s and 2010s, can be found on its western fringes for around $450,000 to $1.6 million.
Newly constructed ranch and craftsman style homes are being built in west end of Billings.
New traditional homes with scenic views are available in Billings.
Split-level homes in Billings are priced between $300,000 and $750,000.
Midcentury ranch-style or split-level homes are the most common home style in Billings.
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Dual enrollment at Billings high schools
Local kids can start school in the Billings Elementary School District, which serves pre-kindergarten through Grade 8 and earns a B-minus from Niche. Kids here can participate in the Walking School Bus, a walkable route to school led by adult volunteers. They can continue to the B-plus-rated Billings High School District. The private Billings Central Catholic High earns an A-minus and is ranked by Niche as the No. 2 best private high school in the state. High schoolers can take dual enrollment courses at Montana State University Billings, located downtown. The university enrolls over 2,000 full-time students in over 100 degree programs. Rocky Vista University is a medical school specializing in osteopathic medicine that opened here in 2023. “The medical school has been very successful and has paved the way for Montana's only veterinarian school,” Mayor Cole says. RVU’s veterinary college is under construction and plans to start enrolling students in 2026.
McKinley School is a highly rated school in downtown Billings.
Skyview High School in Billings prepare students for their future.
Montana State University Billings is located in downtown Billings.
Rocky Vista University is a private medical school in Billings, MT.
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Downtown restaurants and events under the Skypoint
“We have hundreds of restaurants nearby and an energetic downtown,” Cole says. “We are the biggest city within 500 miles, attracting visitors from all around eastern and central Montana and parts of the Dakotas to the tremendous shopping and retail.” Billings’ walkable downtown is lined with early 20th-century brick buildings, many of which have local businesses like breweries and dive bars on the ground floor and condos or offices on upper floors. The Skypoint, a sail-like structure at the intersection of Broadway and 2nd Avenue, provides shade for some of the city’s largest festivals, like the annual Strawberry Festival each summer. Dehler Park downtown hosts the Billings Mustangs baseball team, and MetraPark in the east is home to the city’s fairgrounds and First Interstate Arena, the biggest indoor concert venue in Montana. Most residents do their shopping in the West End, where they can browse over 50 stores at the Rimrock Mall and pick up sports equipment at Scheels, notable for its indoor Ferris wheel.
Spitz in downtown Billings serves delicious Mediterranean food.
Mad Pizza and many other restaurants are located in downtown Billings.
The Marble Table is a highly rated restaurant in Billings.
The Rainbow Bar is a great nightlife destination in Billings.
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Interstate 90 and new road projects to improve access
Interstate 90 is the main east-west route through the city, and big north-south roads include Routes 87, 3 and 302. Recent road projects are connecting the once isolated northeastern neighborhoods to the rest of the city; Skyway Drive, opened in 2024, connects to the West End, and the Billings Bypass, expected to be completed in 2025, will connect to Interstate 90. Residents can also get around the city on the MET Transit bus; riders must wave at the driver to let them know to stop at a bus stop. Many roads have dedicated bike lanes, and the city is working to improve bike infrastructure downtown. Billings-Logan International Airport, located about 3 miles north of downtown, offers domestic flights throughout the western United States. The city’s two hospitals, Billings Clinic Hospital and Intermountain Health St. Vincent Regional Hospital, are both downtown. In 2024, Intermountain Health announced a nearly $1 billion project to replace St. Vincent, with completion expected in 2029.
A higher crime rate than most of Montana
In December 2023, the Billings Police Department reported that the city’s rates of property and violent crime were higher than national and state figures. Most local crime is concentrated around downtown, but no matter where a home is in the city, the police department can conduct surveys of its residential security to help target areas for improvement. “Our top priority is public safety,” Cole says. “The crime rate has gone down the last couple of years, but we need to keep bringing it down.”
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