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Compare towns

Boulder vs Big Sandy

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

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Boulder, MTHomes around $348KMontana · 1,284 people
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Big Sandy, MTHomes around $285KMontana · 784 people
Swap order
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.

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 →
Big SandyHomes around $285K
Housing$285K typical home40% below the MT typical home All about Big Sandy →
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.

Boulder$2,080/mo
Typical home $348K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.86% · or rent about $928/mo · Housing →
Big Sandy$1,680/mo
Typical home $285K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.78% · or rent about $550/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
B−BoulderBetter than 46% of districts in the state BBig SandyBetter than 58% of districts in the state
Health
B+BoulderHealthier than 68% of U.S. towns –Big SandyNot 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
BoulderBig Sandy
Snow a year—36″
January low—7°F
July high—88°F
Growing season (days)—120d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)77th26th
Outdoors & history
BoulderBig Sandy
Trails—0 mi
Conserved land—1.2%
Settled—1887
National Register places3—
Archive photos127
Community
BoulderBig Sandy
Library hours a week42 hrs38 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.

BoulderMTBig SandyMT
Boulder ↔ Big Sandy164 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.

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

Boulder neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 1w

Life in Boulder

1 neighbor in Boulder can answer.

Big Sandy neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 1w

New Local Organic Grocery

1 neighbor in Big Sandy can answer.

Add a town

Set another town beside Boulder and Big Sandy

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Towns like Boulder

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Roundup2,003 people · $166K 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.

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