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Big Timber vs Fairview

312 miles apart. The biggest differences: home values (+62% in Big Timber) and work from home (+11.9 pts in Big Timber).

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Big Timber, MTA history townMontana · 1,611 people
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Fairview, MTHomes around $263KMontana · 971 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 TimberA history town
History15 archive photos & papers4 places on the National Register HealthHealthier than 71%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates Outdoors17.4% conserved land0.4 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves All about Big Timber →
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.

Home values+62%
Homes cost more in Big Timber
Big Timber $278,200Fairview $171,600
Work from home+11.9 pts
More people work from home in Big Timber
Big Timber 12.5%Fairview 0.6%
Age 65++14.1 pts
Big Timber has more people 65 and up
Big Timber 29.1%Fairview 15%
Work in town+22.1 pts
More of Big Timber’s workers stay in town
Big Timber 34.6%Fairview 12.5%
Trails2×
Big Timber has more miles of trail
Big Timber 0.4 miFairview 0.2 mi
Conserved land+15.3 pts
Big Timber has more conserved land
Big Timber 17.4%Fairview 2.1%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $980 more a month in Big Timber

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 Timber$2,540/mo
Typical home $449K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.52% · or rent about $1,109/mo · Housing →
Fairview$1,570/mo
Typical home $263K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.85% · or rent about $725/mo · Housing →

The difference: $980 a month, about $11,700 a year, between Big Timber 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.

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
B−Big TimberBetter than 52% of districts in the state CFairviewBetter than 29% of districts in the state
Health
B+Big TimberHealthier than 71% of U.S. towns –FairviewNot graded
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 TimberFairview
Snow a year55″30″
January low20°F7°F
July high86°F87°F
Growing season (days)133d137d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)81st31st
Outdoors & history
Big TimberFairview
Trails0 mi0 mi
Conserved land17.4%2.1%
Settled—1906
National Register places4—
Archive photos151
Famous people born here5—
Community
Big TimberFairview
Library hours a week40 hrs—
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

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

312 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Big TimberMTFairviewMT
Big Timber ↔ Fairview312 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 TimberFairview
People
Population 1,611Highest 971Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +0.5%Lowest MT: +9.6% +6.7%Highest MT: +9.6%
Median age 43.6±5.4Highest 8% above MT 38.1±7Lowest 6% below MT
Big Timber and Fairview are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 20.8%±4.6Lowest MT: 21% 25%±5.2Highest MT: 21%
Fairview and Big Timber are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 29.1%±5.8Highest MT: 20.1% 15%±4.6Lowest MT: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 16.2%Highest MT: 35.2% 12.6%Lowest MT: 35.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.9%±2Highest MT: 5.2% 2.8%±2.8Lowest MT: 5.2%
Big Timber and Fairview are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $66,898±$13kLowest 8% below MT $86,667±$35kHighest 20% above MT
Fairview and Big Timber are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $278,200±$25kHighest 26% below MT $171,600±$47kLowest 54% below MT
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,109±$292Highest about the MT average $725±$259Lowest 33% below MT
Big Timber and Fairview are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,433Lowest 47% below MT $1,454Highest 46% below MT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 34.5%±23.4Highest MT: 44.8% 32.1%±42.4Lowest MT: 44.8%
Big Timber and Fairview are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 10.4%Highest MT: 11.5% 8.4%Lowest MT: 11.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 80.3%Lowest MT: 69.2% 85.8%Highest MT: 69.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1965Lowest 16 yrs older than MT 1974Highest 7 yrs older than MT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 19 minLowest about the MT average 22 minHighest 14% above MT
Work from home 12.5%±7.6Highest MT: 12.5% 0.6%±1Lowest MT: 12.5%
Work in townworking residents 34.6%Highest 12.5%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 3.3 miLowest 15.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.27Highest 0.81Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Billings (7%)Sidney (22%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in FairviewFew work in Big Timber
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 17.4%Highest 2.1%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 0.4 miHighest 0.2 miLowest
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 125Highest 85.5Lowest
Schools
School district Big Timber Elem · Sweet Grass County H SFairview Elem · Fairview H S
High school in town Sweet Grass Co High SchlFairview High School
Students per teacherat that high school 11.5Highest 8.1Lowest
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 Timber neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Big Timber’s Town Square.

Fairview neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Fairview’s Town Square.

Add a town

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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.

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