Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Billings, MT
VS
Cleveland, OH
🏆 Billings leads 17 of 23 categories
Billings
Montana
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.6
Median Household Income
$69,692 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
196⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
117,093
Cleveland
Ohio
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
88.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$37,271
Violent Crime Index
411⚠ High
Population
370,365 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Billings, MT
Pros
Households earn $32,421 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 8.3 pts lower (3.6%)
52% less violent crime than Cleveland
More college-educated — 37.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 6 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
Property crime (3083.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Snowy winters — about 57" of snow per year
Cleveland, OH
Pros
Homes cost $198k less ($87,400 vs $285,300)
Rent averages $213/mo less ($851 vs $1,064)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 88.4)
Cooler summers — July highs near 81°F vs 87°F
Smaller class sizes — 16.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Billings by $32,421/yr
Violent crime (1561.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4426.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (11.9% vs 3.6%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Billings
Median Income
$32,421
$69,692 vs $37,271/yr
Billings
Violent Crime
52% lower
746.1 vs 1561.1 per 100k
Billings
Unemployment
8.3 pp lower
3.6% vs 11.9% unemployment
Billings
Summer Heat
6.6°F warmer
July avg high 87.3°F vs 80.7°F
Cleveland
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 88.4 vs 89.6 (100 = US avg)
Cleveland
Median Home Value
$198k less
$87,400 vs $285,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Billings, MT | Cleveland, OH |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 89.6 | 88.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $285,300 | $87,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,064 | $851 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $69,692 ✓ Higher | $37,271 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.6% ✓ Lower | 11.9%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 17.2 min ✓ Shorter | 23.3 min |
| Work From Home % | 6.7% | 8.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 177⚠ High ✓ Safer | 331⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 196⚠ High ✓ Safer | 411⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 147⚠ High ✓ Safer | 211⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (94) ✓ Better | C (82) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.3:1 | 16.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 37.2% ✓ Higher | 20.3% |
| High School or Higher | 95.7% ✓ Higher | 82.9% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Elder Grove Elem | Cleveland Municipal |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 36.0°F ✓ Warmer | 35.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.3°F ✓ Warmer | 80.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.3" ✓ Drier | 33.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 57.4" ✓ Less | 63.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 117,093 | 370,365 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.7 ✓ Older | 36.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 64.8% ✓ Higher | 40.9% |
| Under 18 | 22.7% ✓ More | 21.2% |
| Over 65 | 18.0% ✓ More | 14.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Billings's cost of living index is 89.6 vs Cleveland's 88.4 (US average = 100).
Cleveland is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Billings leads 17 of 23 categories. Billings wins 17 and Cleveland wins 6. 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 Cleveland or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($285,300 vs $87,400 median home), income ($69,692 vs $37,271), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Billings, MT and Cleveland, OH are about 1,370 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.