Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Albany, NY
VS
Billings, MT
🏆 Billings leads 16 of 23 categories
Albany
New York
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.6
Median Household Income
$54,736
Violent Crime Index
215⚠ High
Population
99,692
Billings
Montana
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$69,692 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
196⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
117,093 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Albany, NY
Pros
Homes cost $72k less ($213,400 vs $285,300)
More college-educated — 43.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 12.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (816.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Billings by $14,956/yr
Property crime (2848.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (8.0% vs 3.6%)
Billings, MT
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.4 pts lower (3.6%)
9% less violent crime than Albany
Households earn $14,956 more per year on average
8% cheaper overall cost of living than Albany
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.6)
Cons
Violent crime (746.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3083.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Snowy winters — about 57" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Albany
Median Home Value
$72k less
$213,400 vs $285,300
Billings
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 89.6 vs 97.6 (100 = US avg)
Billings
Median Income
$14,956
$69,692 vs $54,736/yr
Billings
Violent Crime
9% lower
746.1 vs 816.9 per 100k
Billings
Unemployment
4.4 pp lower
3.6% vs 8.0% unemployment
Billings
Summer Heat
3.4°F warmer
July avg high 87.3°F vs 83.9°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Albany, NY | Billings, MT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.6 | 89.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $213,400 ✓ Lower | $285,300 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,130 | $1,064 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $54,736 | $69,692 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.0%⚠ High | 3.6% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.3 min | 17.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.1% ✓ Higher | 6.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 183⚠ High | 177⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 215⚠ High | 196⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 136⚠ High ✓ Safer | 147⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (104) ✓ Better | B- (94) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 43.0% ✓ Higher | 37.2% |
| High School or Higher | 88.8% | 95.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | ALBANY CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | Elder Grove Elem |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 32.8°F | 36.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 83.9°F | 87.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.1" | 14.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 56.2" ✓ Less | 57.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 99,692 | 117,093 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 32.0 | 37.7 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 36.7% | 64.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 15.1% | 22.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.7% | 18.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Albany's cost of living index is 97.6 vs Billings's 89.6 (US average = 100).
Billings is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Billings leads 16 of 23 categories. Albany wins 7 and Billings wins 16. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Albany to Billings or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($213,400 vs $285,300 median home), income ($54,736 vs $69,692), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Albany, NY and Billings, MT are about 1,720 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.