Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Billings, MT
VS
Sunrise, FL
🏆 Billings leads 13 of 20 categories
Billings
Montana
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$69,692 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
196⚠ High
Population
117,093 ✓ Larger
Sunrise
Florida
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$66,001
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
96,510
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Billings, MT
Pros
Rent averages $782/mo less ($1,064 vs $1,846)
22% cheaper overall cost of living than Sunrise
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.9 pts lower (3.6%)
Commutes run 10 min shorter each way
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
Sunrise, FL
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 76°F vs 36°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,846/mo
Cost of living runs 22% higher than Billings
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.8)
Higher unemployment (6.5% vs 3.6%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Billings
Cost of Living
22% cheaper
COL index 89.6 vs 111.8 (100 = US avg)
Billings
Median Income
$3,691
$69,692 vs $66,001/yr
Billings
Median Home Value
$11k less
$285,300 vs $296,100
Billings
Unemployment
2.9 pp lower
3.6% vs 6.5% unemployment
Sunrise
Summer Heat
3.8°F warmer
July avg high 91.1°F vs 87.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Billings, MT | Sunrise, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 89.6 ✓ Cheaper | 111.8⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $285,300 ✓ Lower | $296,100 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,064 ✓ Lower | $1,846⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $69,692 ✓ Higher | $66,001 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.6% ✓ Lower | 6.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 17.2 min ✓ Shorter | 27.2 min |
| Work From Home % | 6.7% | 10.0% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 177⚠ High | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 196⚠ High | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 147⚠ High | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (94) ✓ Better | B- (91) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.3:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 37.2% ✓ Higher | 31.1% |
| High School or Higher | 95.7% ✓ Higher | 91.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Elder Grove Elem | BROWARD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 36.0°F | 76.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 87.3°F | 91.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.3" ✓ Drier | 67.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 57.4" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 117,093 ✓ Larger | 96,510 |
| Median Age | 37.7 | 42.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 64.8% | 69.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.7% ✓ More | 19.6% |
| Over 65 | 18.0% | 19.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Billings's cost of living index is 89.6 vs Sunrise's 111.8 (US average = 100).
Billings is 22% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Billings leads 13 of 20 categories. Billings wins 13 and Sunrise wins 7. 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 Sunrise or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($285,300 vs $296,100 median home), income ($69,692 vs $66,001), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Billings, MT and Sunrise, FL are about 2,063 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.