Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Billings, MT
VS
Tallahassee, FL
🏆 Billings leads 11 of 20 categories
Billings
Montana
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$69,692 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
196⚠ High
Population
117,093
Tallahassee
Florida
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.3
Median Household Income
$52,899
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
198,259 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Billings, MT
Pros
Households earn $16,793 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.9 pts lower (3.6%)
Rent averages $101/mo less ($1,064 vs $1,165)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.6)
6% cheaper overall cost of living than Tallahassee
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
Tallahassee, FL
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 64°F vs 36°F
More college-educated — 49.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Homes cost $29k less ($256,400 vs $285,300)
Smaller class sizes — 17.1:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Billings by $16,793/yr
Higher unemployment (6.5% vs 3.6%)
Cost of living runs 6% higher than Billings
Key Differences at a Glance
Billings
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 89.6 vs 95.3 (100 = US avg)
Billings
Median Income
$16,793
$69,692 vs $52,899/yr
Billings
Unemployment
2.9 pp lower
3.6% vs 6.5% unemployment
Tallahassee
Median Home Value
$29k less
$256,400 vs $285,300
Tallahassee
Summer Heat
4.8°F warmer
July avg high 92.1°F vs 87.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Billings, MT | Tallahassee, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 89.6 ✓ Cheaper | 95.3 |
| Median Home Value | $285,300 | $256,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,064 ✓ Lower | $1,165 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $69,692 ✓ Higher | $52,899 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.6% ✓ Lower | 6.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 17.2 min ✓ Shorter | 18.6 min |
| Work From Home % | 6.7% | 11.1% ✓ 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) | A- (113) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.3:1 | 17.1:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 37.2% | 49.9% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 95.7% ✓ Higher | 93.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Elder Grove Elem | LEON |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 36.0°F | 63.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 87.3°F | 92.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.3" ✓ Drier | 57.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 57.4" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 117,093 | 198,259 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.7 ✓ Older | 27.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 64.8% ✓ Higher | 39.8% |
| Under 18 | 22.7% ✓ More | 16.7% |
| Over 65 | 18.0% ✓ More | 11.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Billings's cost of living index is 89.6 vs Tallahassee's 95.3 (US average = 100).
Billings is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Billings leads 11 of 20 categories. Billings wins 11 and Tallahassee 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 Tallahassee or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($285,300 vs $256,400 median home), income ($69,692 vs $52,899), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Billings, MT and Tallahassee, FL are about 1,681 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.