Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Atlanta, GA
VS
Billings, MT
🏆 Billings leads 14 of 23 categories
Atlanta
Georgia
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$77,655 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
221⚠ High
Population
494,838 ✓ Larger
Billings
Montana
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$69,692
Violent Crime Index
196⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
117,093
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Atlanta, GA
Pros
More college-educated — 57.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $7,963 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 54°F vs 36°F
Smaller class sizes — 12.1:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,512/mo
Pricier housing — median home is $395,600
Violent crime (840.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3748.0/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Billings, MT
Pros
Rent averages $448/mo less ($1,064 vs $1,512)
Homes cost $110k less ($285,300 vs $395,600)
11% less violent crime than Atlanta
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.2 pts lower (3.6%)
Commutes run 10 min shorter each way
11% cheaper overall cost of living than Atlanta
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
Median income trails Atlanta by $7,963/yr
Snowy winters — about 57" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Atlanta
Median Income
$7,963
$77,655 vs $69,692/yr
Billings
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 89.6 vs 100.9 (100 = US avg)
Billings
Violent Crime
11% lower
746.1 vs 840.6 per 100k
Billings
Median Home Value
$110k less
$285,300 vs $395,600
Billings
Unemployment
2.2 pp lower
3.6% vs 5.8% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Atlanta, GA | Billings, MT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 100.9⚠ High | 89.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $395,600⚠ High | $285,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,512⚠ High | $1,064 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $77,655 ✓ Higher | $69,692 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.8%⚠ High | 3.6% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.5 min | 17.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 23.2% ✓ Higher | 6.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 204⚠ High | 177⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 221⚠ High | 196⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 178⚠ High | 147⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (120) ✓ Better | B- (94) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.1:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 57.3% ✓ Higher | 37.2% |
| High School or Higher | 92.9% | 95.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Atlanta Public Schools | Elder Grove Elem |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 53.7°F ✓ Warmer | 36.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 90.0°F ✓ Warmer | 87.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 51.8" | 14.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.5" ✓ Less | 57.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 494,838 ✓ Larger | 117,093 |
| Median Age | 33.6 | 37.7 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 45.7% | 64.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 17.2% | 22.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.0% | 18.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Atlanta's cost of living index is 100.9 vs Billings's 89.6 (US average = 100).
Billings is 11% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Billings leads 14 of 23 categories. Atlanta wins 9 and Billings wins 14. 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 Atlanta to Billings or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($395,600 vs $285,300 median home), income ($77,655 vs $69,692), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Atlanta, GA and Billings, MT are about 1,518 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.