Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Billings, MT
VS
Cape Coral, FL
🏆 Billings leads 11 of 20 categories
Billings
Montana
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$69,692
Violent Crime Index
196⚠ High
Population
117,093
Cape Coral
Florida
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$72,474 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
198,912 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Billings, MT
Pros
Rent averages $566/mo less ($1,064 vs $1,630)
Commutes run 11 min shorter each way
15% cheaper overall cost of living than Cape Coral
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.8 pts lower (3.6%)
More college-educated — 37.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
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
Median income trails Cape Coral by $2,782/yr
Cape Coral, FL
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 36°F
Households earn $2,782 more per year on average
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,630/mo
Cost of living runs 15% higher than Billings
Higher unemployment (4.4% vs 3.6%)
Longer commutes — 28.6 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Billings
Cost of Living
15% cheaper
COL index 89.6 vs 104.9 (100 = US avg)
Billings
Median Home Value
$17k less
$285,300 vs $302,400
Billings
Unemployment
0.8 pp lower
3.6% vs 4.4% unemployment
Cape Coral
Median Income
$2,782
$72,474 vs $69,692/yr
Cape Coral
Summer Heat
4.3°F warmer
July avg high 91.6°F vs 87.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Billings, MT | Cape Coral, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 89.6 ✓ Cheaper | 104.9⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $285,300 ✓ Lower | $302,400 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,064 ✓ Lower | $1,630⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $69,692 | $72,474 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.6% ✓ Lower | 4.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 17.2 min ✓ Shorter | 28.6 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 6.7% | 11.1% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 177⚠ High | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 196⚠ High | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 147⚠ High | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (94) ✓ Better | C+ (87) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.3:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 37.2% ✓ Higher | 24.6% |
| High School or Higher | 95.7% ✓ Higher | 92.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Elder Grove Elem | LEE |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 36.0°F | 75.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 87.3°F | 91.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.3" ✓ Drier | 57.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 57.4" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 117,093 | 198,912 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.7 | 48.2 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 64.8% | 77.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.7% ✓ More | 17.5% |
| Over 65 | 18.0% | 24.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Billings's cost of living index is 89.6 vs Cape Coral's 104.9 (US average = 100).
Billings is 15% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Billings leads 11 of 20 categories. Billings wins 11 and Cape Coral wins 9. 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 Cape Coral or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($285,300 vs $302,400 median home), income ($69,692 vs $72,474), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Billings, MT and Cape Coral, FL are about 1,968 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.