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Big Sandy vs Fairview

281 miles apart. The biggest differences: work from home (+13.7 pts in Big Sandy) and street grid (2× in Big Sandy).

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Big Sandy, MTHomes around $285KMontana · 784 people

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Fairview, MTHomes around $263KMontana · 971 people

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 →

FairviewHomes around $263K

Housing$263K typical home44% below the MT typical home SchoolsBetter than 29%of MT districts All about Fairview →

The biggest differences

Where they part ways

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

Work from home+13.7 pts

More people work from home in Big Sandy

Big Sandy 14.3%Fairview 0.6%

Big Sandy has the more walkable street grid

Big Sandy 168Fairview 85.5

Age 65++9.5 pts

Big Sandy has more people 65 and up

Big Sandy 24.5%Fairview 15%

Homeowners+11.3 pts renters

Big Sandy has more renters

Fairview 85.8%Big Sandy 74.5%

Growth since 2010+5.5 pts

Fairview has grown faster since 2010

Fairview +6.7%Big Sandy +1.2%

Typical home built16 yrs

Big Sandy’s homes are older

Fairview 1974Big Sandy 1958

★ What stands out · 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 CFairviewBetter than 29% of districts in the state

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%

Big Sandy$1,680/mo

Typical home $285K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.78% · or rent about $550/mo · Housing →

Fairview$1,570/mo

Typical home $263K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.85% · or rent about $725/mo · Housing →

The difference: $110 a month, about $1,400 a year, between Big Sandy and Fairview.

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.

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 SandyFairview

Snow a year36″30″

January low7°F 7°F

July high88°F 87°F

Growing season (days)120d 137d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)26th 31st

Outdoors & history

Big SandyFairview

Trails0 mi 0 mi

Conserved land1.2%2.1%

Settled1887 1906

Archive photos7 1

Community

Big SandyFairview

Library hours a week38 hrs —

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined1 0

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

281 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Big SandyMT FairviewMT

Big Sandy ↔ Fairview281 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

Big SandyFairview

People

Population 784Lowest 971Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +1.2%Lowest MT: +9.6% +6.7%Highest MT: +9.6%

Median age 43.4±4.3Highest 7% above MT 38.1±7Lowest 6% below MT

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

Kids under 18 21.2%±5.6Lowest MT: 21% 25%±5.2Highest MT: 21%

Fairview and Big Sandy 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% 15%±4.6Lowest MT: 20.1%

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 17.2%Highest MT: 35.2% 12.6%Lowest MT: 35.2%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.4%±2.2Lowest MT: 5.2% 2.8%±2.8Highest MT: 5.2%

Fairview 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 $86,667±$35kHighest 20% above MT

Fairview 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±$66kHighest 50% below MT $171,600±$47kLowest 54% below MT

Big Sandy and Fairview 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 $725±$259Highest 33% below MT

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,466Highest 46% below MT $1,454Lowest 46% below MT

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 18.3%±24.3Lowest MT: 44.8% 32.1%±42.4Highest MT: 44.8%

Fairview and Big Sandy 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% 8.4%Lowest MT: 11.5%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 74.5%Lowest MT: 69.2% 85.8%Highest MT: 69.2%

Typical home builtmedian year 1958Lowest 23 yrs older than MT 1974Highest 7 yrs older than MT

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 17 minLowest 14% below MT 22 minHighest 14% above MT

Work from home 14.3%±12.7Highest MT: 12.5% 0.6%±1Lowest MT: 12.5%

Work in townworking residents 9%Lowest 12.5%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 40.8 miHighest 15.3 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.02Highest 0.81Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Fort Benton (10%)Sidney (22%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in FairviewFew work in Big Sandy

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 1.2%Lowest 2.1%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 0.2 mi 0.2 mi

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.4 miHighest 0.3 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1 1

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 168Highest 85.5Lowest

Schools

School district Big Sandy K-12Fairview Elem · Fairview H S

High school in town Big Sandy High SchoolFairview High School

Students per teacherat that high school 8.0Lowest 8.1Highest

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 →

1 neighbor in Big Sandy can answer.

Fairview neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Fairview’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Big Sandy and Fairview

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

Towns like Big Sandy

Belt559 people · $172K homes

Boulder1,284 people · $212K homes

Bridger788 people · $250K homes

Fromberg438 people · $213K homes

Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Montana towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

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.