Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Billings, MT
VS
Lafayette, LA
🏆 Billings leads 12 of 23 categories
Billings
Montana
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.6
Median Household Income
$69,692 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
196⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
117,093
Lafayette
Louisiana
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
87.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$58,850
Violent Crime Index
281⚠ High
Population
121,706 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Billings, MT
Pros
30% less violent crime than Lafayette
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.5 pts lower (3.6%)
Households earn $10,842 more per year on average
Commutes run 3 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
Cost of living runs 3% higher than Lafayette
Lafayette, LA
Pros
Homes cost $50k less ($234,900 vs $285,300)
Milder winters — January highs near 62°F vs 36°F
Living costs sit below the national average (index 87.0)
Smaller class sizes — 17.6:1 student-teacher ratio
3% cheaper overall cost of living than Billings
Cons
Violent crime (1066.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Billings by $10,842/yr
Property crime (4347.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.1% vs 3.6%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Billings
Median Income
$10,842
$69,692 vs $58,850/yr
Billings
Violent Crime
30% lower
746.1 vs 1066.1 per 100k
Billings
Unemployment
2.5 pp lower
3.6% vs 6.1% unemployment
Lafayette
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 87.0 vs 89.6 (100 = US avg)
Lafayette
Median Home Value
$50k less
$234,900 vs $285,300
Lafayette
Summer Heat
3.7°F warmer
July avg high 91.0°F vs 87.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Billings, MT | Lafayette, LA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 89.6 | 87.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $285,300 | $234,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,064 | $1,022 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $69,692 ✓ Higher | $58,850 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.6% ✓ Lower | 6.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 17.2 min ✓ Shorter | 20.4 min |
| Work From Home % | 6.7% | 8.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 177⚠ High ✓ Safer | 251⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 196⚠ High ✓ Safer | 281⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 147⚠ High ✓ Safer | 207⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (94) | B (100) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.3:1 | 17.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 37.2% | 40.0% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 95.7% ✓ Higher | 90.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Elder Grove Elem | Lafayette Parish |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 36.0°F | 61.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 87.3°F | 91.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.3" ✓ Drier | 64.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 57.4" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 117,093 | 121,706 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.7 ✓ Older | 36.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 64.8% ✓ Higher | 56.3% |
| Under 18 | 22.7% ✓ More | 21.2% |
| Over 65 | 18.0% ✓ More | 16.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Billings's cost of living index is 89.6 vs Lafayette's 87.0 (US average = 100).
Lafayette is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Billings leads 12 of 23 categories. Billings wins 12 and Lafayette wins 11. 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 Lafayette or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($285,300 vs $234,900 median home), income ($69,692 vs $58,850), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Billings, MT and Lafayette, LA are about 1,397 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.