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Big Sandy vs Boulder

164 miles apart. The biggest differences: average commute (8 min in Big Sandy) and street grid (+73% in Big Sandy).

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Big Sandy, MTHomes around $285KMontana · 784 people
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Boulder, MTHomes around $348KMontana · 1,284 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

Big SandyHomes around $285K
Housing$285K typical home40% below the MT typical home All about Big Sandy →
BoulderHomes around $348K
Housing$348K typical home26% below the MT typical home HealthHealthier than 68%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates History12 archive photos & papers3 places on the National Register All about Boulder →
The biggest differences

Where they differ most

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Average commute8 min
Big Sandy has the shorter commute
Boulder 25 minBig Sandy 17 min
Street grid+73%
Big Sandy has the more walkable street grid
Big Sandy 168Boulder 97.0
Property tax bill+25%
Tax bills are bigger in Boulder
Boulder $1,834Big Sandy $1,466
Jobs per worker+73%
Big Sandy is more of a job hub
Big Sandy 1.02Boulder 0.59
Typical home built13 yrs
Big Sandy’s homes are older
Boulder 1971Big Sandy 1958
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $400 more a month in Boulder

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.

Big Sandy$1,680/mo
Typical home $285K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.78% · or rent about $550/mo · Housing →
Boulder$2,080/mo
Typical home $348K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.86% · or rent about $928/mo · Housing →

The difference: $400 a month, about $4,700 a year, between Boulder and Big Sandy.

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.

Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Montana ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Schools
BBig SandyBetter than 58% of districts in the state B−BoulderBetter than 46% of districts in the state
Health
–Big SandyNot graded B+BoulderHealthier than 68% of U.S. towns
Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
Big SandyBoulder
Snow a year36″—
January low7°F—
July high88°F—
Growing season (days)120d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)26th77th
Outdoors & history
Big SandyBoulder
Trails0 mi—
Conserved land1.2%—
Settled1887—
National Register places—3
Archive photos712
Community
Big SandyBoulder
Library hours a week38 hrs42 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined11

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.

Where they are

164 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Big SandyMTBoulderMT
Big Sandy ↔ Boulder164 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.

Big SandyBoulder
People
Population 784Lowest 1,284Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +1.2%Lowest MT: +9.6% +1.5%Highest MT: +9.6%
Median age 43.4±4.3Highest 7% above MT 41.4±7.7Lowest about the MT average
Big Sandy and Boulder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 21.2%±5.6Highest MT: 21% 20.3%±6.8Lowest MT: 21%
Big Sandy and Boulder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 24.5%±4Highest MT: 20.1% 19.8%±5.7Lowest MT: 20.1%
Big Sandy and Boulder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 17.2%Lowest MT: 35.2% 22.1%Highest MT: 35.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.4%±2.2Lowest MT: 5.2% 5.5%±3.8Highest MT: 5.2%
Boulder and Big Sandy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $60,521±$16kLowest 17% below MT $72,500±$22kHighest about the MT average
Boulder and Big Sandy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $187,500±$66kLowest 50% below MT $212,300±$44kHighest 44% below MT
Boulder and Big Sandy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $550±$485Lowest 49% below MT $928±$282Highest 14% below MT
Boulder and Big Sandy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,466Lowest 46% below MT $1,834Highest 32% below MT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 18.3%±24.3Highest MT: 44.8% 12.2%±21.6Lowest MT: 44.8%
Big Sandy and Boulder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 8.5%Highest MT: 11.5% 3.8%Lowest MT: 11.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 74.5%Highest MT: 69.2% 73.3%Lowest MT: 69.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1958Lowest 23 yrs older than MT 1971Highest 10 yrs older than MT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 17 minLowest 14% below MT 25 minHighest 30% above MT
Work from home 14.3%±12.7Highest MT: 12.5% 7%±5.2Lowest MT: 12.5%
Big Sandy and Boulder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 9%Highest 2.8%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 40.8 miHighest 25.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.02Highest 0.59Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Fort Benton (10%)Helena (32%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in BoulderFew work in Big Sandy
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 1.2%Lowest 5.6%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.2 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.4 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Highest 0Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 168Highest 97.0Lowest
Schools
School district Big Sandy K-12Boulder Elem · Jefferson H S
High school in town Big Sandy High SchoolJefferson High School
Students per teacherat that high school 8.0Lowest 16.1Highest
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.

Big Sandy neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 1w

New Local Organic Grocery

1 neighbor in Big Sandy can answer.

Boulder neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 1w

Life in Boulder

1 neighbor in Boulder can answer.

Add a town

Set another town beside Big Sandy and Boulder

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Towns like Big Sandy

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Belt559 people · $172K homes
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Fromberg438 people · $213K homes
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Walkerville733 people · $149K 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.

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