Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Billings, MT
VS
Bridgeport, CT
🏆 Billings leads 15 of 23 categories
Billings
Montana
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$69,692 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
196⚠ High
Population
117,093
Bridgeport
Connecticut
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
106.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$54,440
Violent Crime Index
103⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
148,470 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Billings, MT
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 5.9 pts lower (3.6%)
Rent averages $305/mo less ($1,064 vs $1,369)
Households earn $15,252 more per year on average
Commutes run 12 min shorter each way
17% cheaper overall cost of living than Bridgeport
More college-educated — 37.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
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
Bridgeport, CT
Pros
47% less violent crime than Billings
Homes cost $58k less ($227,200 vs $285,300)
Smaller class sizes — 14.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,369/mo
Median income trails Billings by $15,252/yr
Cost of living runs 17% higher than Billings
Higher unemployment (9.5% vs 3.6%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Billings
Cost of Living
17% cheaper
COL index 89.6 vs 106.5 (100 = US avg)
Billings
Median Income
$15,252
$69,692 vs $54,440/yr
Billings
Unemployment
5.9 pp lower
3.6% vs 9.5% unemployment
Billings
Summer Heat
3.9°F warmer
July avg high 87.3°F vs 83.4°F
Bridgeport
Violent Crime
47% lower
392.9 vs 746.1 per 100k
Bridgeport
Median Home Value
$58k less
$227,200 vs $285,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Billings, MT | Bridgeport, CT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 89.6 ✓ Cheaper | 106.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $285,300 | $227,200 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,064 ✓ Lower | $1,369⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $69,692 ✓ Higher | $54,440 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.6% ✓ Lower | 9.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 17.2 min ✓ Shorter | 28.9 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 6.7% ✓ Higher | 6.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 177⚠ High | 90 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 196⚠ High | 103⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 147⚠ High | 70 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (94) ✓ Better | C+ (87) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.3:1 | 14.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 37.2% ✓ Higher | 24.7% |
| High School or Higher | 95.7% ✓ Higher | 80.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Elder Grove Elem | Bridgeport School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 36.0°F | 38.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 87.3°F ✓ Warmer | 83.4°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.3" ✓ Drier | 44.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 57.4" | 33.6" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 117,093 | 148,470 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.7 ✓ Older | 37.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 64.8% ✓ Higher | 45.2% |
| Under 18 | 22.7% ✓ More | 20.7% |
| Over 65 | 18.0% ✓ More | 13.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Billings's cost of living index is 89.6 vs Bridgeport's 106.5 (US average = 100).
Billings is 17% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Billings leads 15 of 23 categories. Billings wins 15 and Bridgeport wins 8. 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 Billings to Bridgeport or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($285,300 vs $227,200 median home), income ($69,692 vs $54,440), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Billings, MT and Bridgeport, CT are about 1,786 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.