A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Down paymentRate%

Belt$2,380/mo

Typical home $402K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.81% · or rent about $900/mo · Housing →

Fromberg$2,270/mo

Typical home $397K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.57% · or rent about $983/mo · Housing →

The difference: $110 a month, about $1,300 a year, between Belt and Fromberg.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Where they are

168 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

BeltMT FrombergMT

Belt ↔ Fromberg168 miles apart

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Only big differences vs Montana average

BeltFromberg

People

Population 559Highest 438Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -14.6% MT: +9.6% —

Median age 45.9±9.1Highest 14% above MT 42.5±10.5Lowest 5% above MT

Belt and Fromberg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 17.2%±3.9Lowest MT: 21% 21.5%±7.8Highest MT: 21%

Fromberg and Belt are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 19.3%±11.3Highest MT: 20.1% 18.3%±9.4Lowest MT: 20.1%

Belt and Fromberg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 24%Highest MT: 35.2% 18.6%Lowest MT: 35.2%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.5%±6.3Highest MT: 5.2% 2.1%±3.4Lowest MT: 5.2%

Belt and Fromberg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $73,929±$16kHighest about the MT average $64,500±$11kLowest 11% below MT

Belt and Fromberg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $171,700±$45kLowest 54% below MT $212,500±$74kHighest 43% below MT

Fromberg and Belt are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Rentmedian gross, monthly $900±$217Lowest 17% below MT $983±$271Highest 9% below MT

Fromberg and Belt are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,389Highest 48% below MT $1,209Lowest 55% below MT

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 58.9%±33.7Highest MT: 44.8% 36%±66.9Lowest MT: 44.8%

Belt and Fromberg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 8.2%Lowest MT: 11.5% 13.5%Highest MT: 11.5%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 75%Lowest MT: 69.2% 81.5%Highest MT: 69.2%

Typical home builtmedian year 1964Lowest 17 yrs older than MT 1972Highest 9 yrs older than MT

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 21 minLowest 9% above MT 32 minHighest 66% above MT

Work from home 0.9%±1.4Lowest MT: 12.5% 7.8%±17Highest MT: 12.5%

Fromberg and Belt are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Work in townworking residents 5.8%Highest 4.2%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 19.3 miLowest 30.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.11Highest 0.34Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Great Falls (47%)Billings (24%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in FrombergFew work in Belt

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 16.3%Highest 8%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 0.1 miLowest 0.2 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.3 miLowest 0.5 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Highest 0Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 86.9Lowest 97.7Highest

Schools

School district Belt Elem · Belt H SFromberg K-12

High school in town Belt High SchoolFromberg High School

Students per teacherat that high school 11.5Highest 4.9Lowest

Montana average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024

Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Belt neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Belt’s Town Square.

Fromberg neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Fromberg’s Town Square.

Add a town

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One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Towns like Belt

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Culbertson567 people · $217K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

Belt vs Fromberg

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

Grades and rankings, side by side

Belt gets 36 more inches of snow a year

A typical home costs about the same each month

168 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

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Towns like Belt

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