Billings receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Billings
Cheyenne
Opportunity
73 · Top 19%
vs61 · Top 39%
Growth
58 · Top 37%
vs58 · Top 37%
Climate
62 · Bottom 33%
vs58 · Bottom 20%
Physical resilience
80 · Top 14%
vs75 · Top 22%
Housing affordability
82 · Bottom 22%
vs85 · Bottom 26%
Access
89 · Top 26%
vs98 · Top 5%
Economic stability
84 · Top 10%
vs92 · Top 3%
Measured values
| Metric | Billings | Cheyenne | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 189,255 | 101,060 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $77,194 | $80,173 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $44,339 | $42,871 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 29/sq mi | 38/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $355,200 | $348,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,117 | $1,160 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 70.8% | 70.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.3% | 2.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.3% | -2.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.1% | 33.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.1% | 8.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,063 | 594 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.6 | 5.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -27.5% | 17.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 18°F | 18°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 14.3" | 15.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 18 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.9 min | 18.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.9 | 38.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Billings
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire.
Cheyenne
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire.
Full profiles: Billings, MT Metro Area · Cheyenne, WY Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology