Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Beaverton, OR
VS
Billings, MT
🏆 Billings leads 13 of 23 categories
Beaverton
Oregon
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
106.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$88,899 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
96 ✓ Safer
Population
97,554
Billings
Montana
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$69,692
Violent Crime Index
196⚠ High
Population
117,093 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Beaverton, OR
Pros
51% less violent crime than Billings
Households earn $19,207 more per year on average
More college-educated — 48.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 49°F vs 36°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 87°F
Smaller class sizes — 17.3:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $494,700
Higher rents — median is $1,663/mo
Cost of living runs 17% higher than Billings
Property crime (2661.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Billings, MT
Pros
Homes cost $209k less ($285,300 vs $494,700)
Rent averages $599/mo less ($1,064 vs $1,663)
17% cheaper overall cost of living than Beaverton
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.6)
Cons
Violent crime (746.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Beaverton by $19,207/yr
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
Beaverton
Median Income
$19,207
$88,899 vs $69,692/yr
Beaverton
Violent Crime
51% lower
364.8 vs 746.1 per 100k
Billings
Cost of Living
17% cheaper
COL index 89.6 vs 106.6 (100 = US avg)
Billings
Median Home Value
$209k less
$285,300 vs $494,700
Billings
Summer Heat
5.0°F warmer
July avg high 87.3°F vs 82.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Beaverton, OR | Billings, MT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 106.6⚠ High | 89.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $494,700⚠ High | $285,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,663⚠ High | $1,064 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $88,899 ✓ Higher | $69,692 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.9%⚠ High | 3.6% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.3 min | 17.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 17.7% ✓ Higher | 6.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 108⚠ High ✓ Safer | 177⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 ✓ Safer | 196⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 127⚠ High ✓ Safer | 147⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (109) ✓ Better | B- (94) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.3:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 48.3% ✓ Higher | 37.2% |
| High School or Higher | 94.5% | 95.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Beaverton SD 48J | Elder Grove Elem |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 48.7°F ✓ Warmer | 36.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.3°F | 87.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 42.0" | 14.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.6" ✓ Less | 57.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 97,554 | 117,093 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.7 | 37.7 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 50.3% | 64.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | 22.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.4% | 18.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Beaverton's cost of living index is 106.6 vs Billings's 89.6 (US average = 100).
Billings is 17% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Billings leads 13 of 23 categories. Beaverton wins 10 and Billings wins 13. 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 Beaverton to Billings or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($494,700 vs $285,300 median home), income ($88,899 vs $69,692), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Beaverton, OR and Billings, MT are about 689 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.