Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Billings, MT
VS
Fayetteville, NC
🏆 Billings leads 14 of 23 categories
Billings
Montana
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$69,692 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
196⚠ High
Population
117,093
Fayetteville
North Carolina
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.4
Median Household Income
$53,424
Violent Crime Index
174⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
208,697 ✓ 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 4.8 pts lower (3.6%)
Households earn $16,268 more per year on average
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
Fayetteville, NC
Pros
Homes cost $127k less ($158,500 vs $285,300)
12% less violent crime than Billings
Milder winters — January highs near 54°F vs 36°F
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.4)
Smaller class sizes — 16.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (660.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Billings by $16,268/yr
Property crime (3094.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (8.4% vs 3.6%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Billings
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 89.6 vs 91.4 (100 = US avg)
Billings
Median Income
$16,268
$69,692 vs $53,424/yr
Billings
Unemployment
4.8 pp lower
3.6% vs 8.4% unemployment
Fayetteville
Violent Crime
12% lower
660.2 vs 746.1 per 100k
Fayetteville
Median Home Value
$127k less
$158,500 vs $285,300
Fayetteville
Summer Heat
3.6°F warmer
July avg high 90.9°F vs 87.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Billings, MT | Fayetteville, NC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 89.6 ✓ Cheaper | 91.4 |
| Median Home Value | $285,300 | $158,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,064 ✓ Lower | $1,117 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $69,692 ✓ Higher | $53,424 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.6% ✓ Lower | 8.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 17.2 min ✓ Shorter | 19.0 min |
| Work From Home % | 6.7% ✓ Higher | 5.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 177⚠ High | 163⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 196⚠ High | 174⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 147⚠ High | 147⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (94) ✓ Better | B- (93) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.3:1 | 16.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 37.2% ✓ Higher | 28.5% |
| High School or Higher | 95.7% ✓ Higher | 93.1% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Elder Grove Elem | Cumberland County Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 36.0°F | 54.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 87.3°F | 90.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.3" ✓ Drier | 47.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 57.4" | 1.2" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 117,093 | 208,697 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.7 ✓ Older | 30.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 64.8% ✓ Higher | 45.4% |
| Under 18 | 22.7% | 23.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 18.0% ✓ More | 12.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Billings's cost of living index is 89.6 vs Fayetteville's 91.4 (US average = 100).
Billings is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Billings leads 14 of 23 categories. Billings wins 14 and Fayetteville 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 Fayetteville or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($285,300 vs $158,500 median home), income ($69,692 vs $53,424), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Billings, MT and Fayetteville, NC are about 1,709 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.