Montana is an icon of the “Old West”, with state parks, towering mountains, and hiking from every corner. Nicknamed the “Magic City”, Billings is the capital and largest city in the state of Montana with a population of 109,705 residents. Is Billings, Montana a good place to move to, and what kind of families live here?
Here are 17 reasons you should consider moving to Billings, Montana!
1. Largest City in the State of Montana
Billings is the epicenter of Montana’s economy, shopping scene, and culture. While Montana is sparsely populated and this city barely makes it over 100,000 residents, Billings is a great combination of a small-town feel with big-town amenities. If you are looking for the true “rural and urban experience”, the City of Billings is very much worth looking into.
If you live in Montana, you need to be prepared for no cell service and some handyman skills. It can be hard to connect with others when you need some help because so much of Montana is rural. However, because Billings is the biggest city with the most amenities, you won’t have to worry too much about this compared to other small towns in Montana.
2. Everyone Dresses Casual
They say that in the northern states no one really cares what you wear, how you look, and all the personal family drama. When I lived in the Pacific Northwest, this definitely was the case. It was rare when you dressed up, and dressing up meant a nice pair of pants, a nice t-shirt, and maybe some heels (depending on the rare occasion). Montana suffers the same fate, and for someone who has a hard time with the crowd, the noise, and the judgment from nosy neighbors, this sounds like a dream to me! If you like the quiet privacy of a rural community and want to be left alone, Billings is a fantastic spot to look into.
3. Friendly Neighbors
In Montana, there really aren’t a lot of people. A lot of areas are quite dispersed, meaning that if you grew up in the same small town, it’s likely you will become great friends and stick together because you’re out in the middle of nowhere together. That being said, Montanans are some of the friendliest people you will ever meet. Whether it is helping you carry your groceries to your car or making small talk in a cafe, you will get to know your neighbors. Even though it seems like everyone has been friends forever, you can easily make your way in.
Additionally, people in Billings, Montana are fiercely independent and love the land they are from. Everyone is very polite and will lend a hand if you need one. The people are hard-working, easy-going, honest, and genuine. Like I said before, they don’t care what kind of shoes you’re wearing or your hairstyle. To them, hard work and kindness are more adorable qualities.
4. Montana State University Billings
Establish in 1923, Montana State University Billings is a public school in the heart of Billings. It is the state’s third largest university with approximately 3,700 undergraduate students in the spring of 2021. Quite smaller than Montana State University’s main campus with nearly 17,000 students! This university underwent a few name changes, from Eastern Montana Normal School to Eastern Montana College, until it merged with the Montana University System in 1994 under its current name.
This University is a great and affordable option for local students. The acceptable rate is 100% and there is a mix of on-campus and online students. Many students described their school experience as non-traditional with a very friendly student body. It is also known as a small university with large connections!
5. Billings Logan International Airport
The largest and busiest airport in Montana is located in Billings. Known as the Billings Logan International Airport (or BIL for short), five major airlines fly out of this city. They include Allegiant, Alaska Airlines, Cape Air, Delta, and United. The Billings airport is also known for having cheap flights and will typically have 25 to 34 departing flights every day. This airport was opened in 1928 and is considered a quick and safe airport, especially for a small town.
Additionally, The Yellowstone County Museum is just across from the Terminal Building and has a scenic view of downtown Billings, a perfect way to pass the time while waiting for your flight.
6. Beautiful Scenery
Billings, Montana has another name besides the “Magic City”. It is also called the “City Beneath the RimRocks” and the Rimrocks, otherwise known as the “Rims”, are a sandstone formation that lay just above the city. Billings itself is actually divided by the Rimrocks. The Yellowstone River also runs in the southeastern part of the city.
7. Plenty of Outdoor Activities
As far as outdoor activities, Billing’s is a great place to be. There is hiking and biking just outside the city and the Rimrocks have plenty of trails here. One popular tourist activity is horseback riding, and family-owned business Bitter Creek Outfitters offers scenic horseback rides within 10 minutes of downtown Billings which you can find here. You can request picnics, birthday parties, anniversaries, and group photos.
8. Little to No State Sales Tax
You heard that right! In most cases, there is no state sales tax. Some major resort destinations will have state tax for land maintenance and other needed expenses or national park upkeep, such as Big Sky, Red Lodge, and West Yellowstone. Property taxes are more expensive and income taxes are at an average with the rest of the nation.
9. A Strong Rock Climbing Community
In Montana as a whole, there is a strong rock climbing community. This is thanks to the nearby and towering mountains, such as the Rims, the Pryor Mountains, and the Beartooth Mountains. Montana is known for its sandstone formations which many love to climb on. In fact, there is the Western Montana Climbers Coalition, a nonprofit organization who helps climbers of all ages and abilities find a community.
There is also indoor rock climbing at Steep World. Steep World offers birthday parties, events, yoga, fitness, and of course, indoor rock climbing. It truly is an all-in-one gym for the locals and tourists alike!
10. Dog-Friendly Community
As most mountain towns are, Billings, Montana is a very dog-friendly community. In 2019 at the public library, there was a “Read to a Dog” day where local children read to therapy dogs. For off-leash dog parks around town, there is the High-Sierra Dog Park or the Centennial Dog Park.
There is also the “Loveable Pets West End“, a local shop that caters to any pet needs. This can be pet grooming, pet food, treats, collars, leashes, cold weather gear, and harnesses. The shop has a self-serve pet wash, natural pet food, holistic pet supplements, and is next door to a dog-friendly park.
11. Plenty To Do
As I explained before, Montana is rather small. There is not a lot to do, but Billings has a different feeling. There is a great selection of stores and restaurants scattered throughout town and there are many outdoor recreation opportunities, such as rock climbing, hiking the Rimrocks, or going downtown.
12. Moss Mansion
One great attractiont that can help you get down to your Montana roots is the Moss Mansion that was built in 1903. This museum and mansion was designed by New York architect Henry Janeway Hardenburg and the home was inhabited by Melville Moss until the 1980’s. Moss was a great historical figure for Billings. He organzied the first dial telephone company in Billings, founded the Billings Gazette and help fund heating, water, and power companies for the towl. Today, the museum is used for tours and events such as weddings.
13. Pictograph Caves State Park
5 minutes from downtown Billings, nestled in the Rimrocks are three caves with remnants of rock art, also known as pictographs. This state park has had nearly 30,000 artifacts excavated from the area over the years. The art is over 2,000 years old and the hike is only a three quarter mile loop, making it a perfect journey for the whole family.
This landmark was dedicated in 1964 due to archeological significance. The rock art contains pictures of animals and warriors caves approximately 45 feet deep and 160 feet wide. Camping is not allowed, but the Pictograph Caves State Park is great for bird watching and family picnics.
14. Beartooth Highway Is Nearby
Billings has so many great escapes for locals that get exhaused from their 9 am to 5 pm jobs. Billings is alarmingly close to the mountains, with the iconic Beartooth Highway only 60 miles away from the downtown metro area. It is ofted dubbed as “the most beautiful roadway in America.” The entire drive is nearly three hours long from Yellowstone to Red Lodge. For motorcycle enthusiasts, it is a great and iconic road to drive!
15. Next to Red Lodge
Need to get out of Billings? Not only are there hiking and park oppurtunities in town, there are beautiful resort destinations not too far away. The first one I will cover is Red Lodge, Montana which makes its home just beneath the Beartooth mountains and the destination from the Beartooth Highway.
There is a plethora of activities here. You can schedule a day hike with a tour or even a fluffy llama companion! You can go skiing and snowboarding in the winter, outdoor rock climbing in the spring, whitewater rafting in the summer, and horseback riding in the fall. There is a getaway adventure for any member of the family year-round.
16. Skiing or Snowboarding in Big Sky
Big Sky is a bit of a drive from Billings, but is one of the best snow sport destinations in the world. It is known as “The Biggest Skiing in America” and has 5,850 skiable acres across four mountains. They also have events such as sleigh rides, dog sledding, cross-country skiing, snow mobiling, and even snowshoeing if skiing and snowboarding isn’t your favorite thing. There are skiing and snowboarding lessosn for families and resorts for long trips.
17. An Epic Yellowstone National Park Trip
The last destination getaway if you’re living in Billings, Montana is its proximity to Yellowstone National Park. The drive is approximately 5 and a half hours, but the path from Billings to the world famous Yellowstone National Park is breathaking. This trip can be different depending on the path you take to get to Yellowstone, but here is one recommened by avid travelers that mention a few destinations outside Billings that we already talked about.
Go to Red Lodge, Montana
As mentioned before, Red Lodge is a quaint little town and is known as the gateway to Yellowstone. You can grad a bite to eat or spend the night in one of their many hotels.
Cross Beartooth Highway, Montana
To get to Yellowstone, the most scenic route is the Beartooth Highway which we described before. It is a 68 mile drive that leads you to the mouth of the north-east enterence. Make sure to plan your trip around the weather if you are taking the Beartooth Highway!
Enter through Lamar Valley in Yellowstone National Park
This is the closest entrance to Billings, Montana. Most of Yellowstone is located in Wyoming, and Lamar Valley is just over the Montana and Wyoming border. Here you will be greeted with bison and campgrounds.
Cross Hayden Valley, Yellowstone National Park
Hayden Valley is a great palce to look for coyotes, grizzley bears, and wolves. There are a multitude of lookout spots and rivers.
Visit Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park
One of the most popular attractions at Yellowstone, Old Faithful was discovered in 1870 and helped the world’s first national park be born in 1872. Here, more than 3,700 gallons of water erupt in a duration of a minute and a half and will erupt abotu 20 times per day. The water is also a scaffoling 204 degrees! So make sure to stay away!
Isabelle Justice 