Is Big Sandy, MT a Good Place to Live?
Big Sandy is a small town of 798 in Montana, with a median household income of $47,169 and a 11.7% unemployment rate.
Strengths: Big Sandy stands out for below-average home prices, solid school ratings (A-), short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Big Sandy is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Big Sandy city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Cost of living data is based on the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities for the Big Sandy metro area.
| Metric | Big Sandy, MT | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $121,300 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | N/A | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 71.6% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $47,169 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeBig Sandy's violent crime rate is 53.2 per 100,000 residents — 86% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Big Sandy is served primarily by Big Sandy K-12. The student-to-teacher ratio is 9.2:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Big Sandy, MT | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Big Sandy K-12 | — |
| Elementary Schools | 1 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 9.2:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 21.3% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 91.1% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Big Sandy sees average highs of 30.8°F in January and 85.9°F in July, with 13.3 inches of annual precipitation and 68.7 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Big Sandy, MT |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 30.8°F |
| Average High — July | 85.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 13.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 68.7" |
Demographics
| Metric | Big Sandy, MT | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 798 | — |
| Median Age | 43.5 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 11.7% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 20.2 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 81.1% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 1.0% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 0.6% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 2.1% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 25.2% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 18.9% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Big Sandy
Big Sandy, MT is covered by 1 ZIP code: