Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Billings, MT
VS
Inglewood, CA
🏆 Billings leads 17 of 23 categories
Billings
Montana
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$69,692 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
196⚠ High
Population
117,093 ✓ Larger
Inglewood
California
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$67,563
Violent Crime Index
178⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
106,806
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Billings, MT
Pros
Homes cost $404k less ($285,300 vs $689,700)
Rent averages $602/mo less ($1,064 vs $1,666)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.6 pts lower (3.6%)
26% cheaper overall cost of living than Inglewood
Commutes run 14 min shorter each way
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
Inglewood, CA
Pros
10% less violent crime than Billings
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 36°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 77°F vs 87°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $689,700
Higher rents — median is $1,666/mo
Cost of living runs 26% higher than Billings
Violent crime (674.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Key Differences at a Glance
Billings
Cost of Living
26% cheaper
COL index 89.6 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Billings
Median Income
$2,129
$69,692 vs $67,563/yr
Billings
Median Home Value
$404k less
$285,300 vs $689,700
Billings
Unemployment
4.6 pp lower
3.6% vs 8.2% unemployment
Billings
Summer Heat
10.1°F warmer
July avg high 87.3°F vs 77.2°F
Inglewood
Violent Crime
10% lower
674.6 vs 746.1 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Billings, MT | Inglewood, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 89.6 ✓ Cheaper | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $285,300 ✓ Lower | $689,700⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,064 ✓ Lower | $1,666⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $69,692 ✓ Higher | $67,563 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.6% ✓ Lower | 8.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 17.2 min ✓ Shorter | 30.8 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 6.7% | 8.9% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 177⚠ High | 175⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 196⚠ High | 178⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 147⚠ High ✓ Safer | 172⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (94) ✓ Better | C (79) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.3:1 ✓ Smaller | 23.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 37.2% ✓ Higher | 22.8% |
| High School or Higher | 95.7% ✓ Higher | 77.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Elder Grove Elem | Inglewood Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 36.0°F | 67.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 87.3°F ✓ Warmer | 77.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.3" | 11.8" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 57.4" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 117,093 ✓ Larger | 106,806 |
| Median Age | 37.7 ✓ Older | 37.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 64.8% ✓ Higher | 35.5% |
| Under 18 | 22.7% ✓ More | 21.3% |
| Over 65 | 18.0% ✓ More | 13.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Billings's cost of living index is 89.6 vs Inglewood's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Billings is 26% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Billings leads 17 of 23 categories. Billings wins 17 and Inglewood 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 Inglewood or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($285,300 vs $689,700 median home), income ($69,692 vs $67,563), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Billings, MT and Inglewood, CA are about 967 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.