Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Billings, MT
VS
Pittsburgh, PA
🏆 Billings leads 12 of 23 categories
Billings
Montana
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$69,692 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
196⚠ High
Population
117,093
Pittsburgh
Pennsylvania
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.4
Median Household Income
$60,187
Violent Crime Index
112⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
303,843 ✓ 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 2.1 pts lower (3.6%)
Households earn $9,505 more per year on average
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.6)
Rent averages $89/mo less ($1,064 vs $1,153)
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Pittsburgh
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
Pittsburgh, PA
Pros
Homes cost $114k less ($171,800 vs $285,300)
43% less violent crime than Billings
More college-educated — 46.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 94.4)
Smaller class sizes — 11.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Billings by $9,505/yr
Higher unemployment (5.7% vs 3.6%)
Snowy winters — about 44" of snow per year
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Billings
Key Differences at a Glance
Billings
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 89.6 vs 94.4 (100 = US avg)
Billings
Median Income
$9,505
$69,692 vs $60,187/yr
Billings
Unemployment
2.1 pp lower
3.6% vs 5.7% unemployment
Billings
Summer Heat
4.3°F warmer
July avg high 87.3°F vs 83.0°F
Pittsburgh
Violent Crime
43% lower
427.2 vs 746.1 per 100k
Pittsburgh
Median Home Value
$114k less
$171,800 vs $285,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Billings, MT | Pittsburgh, PA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 89.6 ✓ Cheaper | 94.4 |
| Median Home Value | $285,300 | $171,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,064 ✓ Lower | $1,153 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $69,692 ✓ Higher | $60,187 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.6% ✓ Lower | 5.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 17.2 min ✓ Shorter | 23.4 min |
| Work From Home % | 6.7% | 17.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 177⚠ High | 111⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 196⚠ High | 112⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 147⚠ High | 109⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (94) | A- (115) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.3:1 | 11.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 37.2% | 46.7% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 95.7% ✓ Higher | 93.9% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Elder Grove Elem | Pittsburgh SD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 36.0°F | 36.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 87.3°F ✓ Warmer | 83.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.3" ✓ Drier | 41.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 57.4" | 44.1" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 117,093 | 303,843 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.7 ✓ Older | 33.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 64.8% ✓ Higher | 47.4% |
| Under 18 | 22.7% ✓ More | 14.6% |
| Over 65 | 18.0% ✓ More | 15.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Billings's cost of living index is 89.6 vs Pittsburgh's 94.4 (US average = 100).
Billings is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Billings leads 12 of 23 categories. Billings wins 12 and Pittsburgh 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 Pittsburgh or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($285,300 vs $171,800 median home), income ($69,692 vs $60,187), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Billings, MT and Pittsburgh, PA are about 1,479 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.