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Boulder vs Big Timber

108 miles apart. The biggest differences: work in town (+31.8 pts in Big Timber) and jobs per worker (2.2× in Big Timber).

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Boulder, MTHomes around $348KMontana · 1,284 people
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Big Timber, MTA history townMontana · 1,611 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.

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 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 →
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.

Work in town+31.8 pts
More of Big Timber’s workers stay in town
Big Timber 34.6%Boulder 2.8%
Jobs per worker2.2×
Big Timber is more of a job hub
Big Timber 1.27Boulder 0.59
Property tax bill+28%
Tax bills are bigger in Boulder
Boulder $1,834Big Timber $1,433
Average commute6 min
Big Timber has the shorter commute
Boulder 25 minBig Timber 19 min
Conserved land+11.8 pts
Big Timber has more conserved land
Big Timber 17.4%Boulder 5.6%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $470 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.

Boulder$2,080/mo
Typical home $348K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.86% · or rent about $928/mo · Housing →
Big Timber$2,540/mo
Typical home $449K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.52% · or rent about $1,109/mo · Housing →

The difference: $470 a month, about $5,600 a year, between Big Timber and Boulder.

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 B−Big TimberBetter than 52% of districts in the state
Health
B+BoulderHealthier than 68% of U.S. towns B+Big TimberHealthier than 71% 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
BoulderBig Timber
Snow a year—55″
January low—20°F
July high—86°F
Growing season (days)—133d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)77th81st
Outdoors & history
BoulderBig Timber
Trails—0 mi
Conserved land—17.4%
National Register places34
Archive photos1215
Famous people born here—5
Community
BoulderBig Timber
Library hours a week42 hrs40 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined10

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

108 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

BoulderMTBig TimberMT
Boulder ↔ Big Timber108 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 Timber
People
Population 1,284Lowest 1,611Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +1.5%Highest MT: +9.6% +0.5%Lowest MT: +9.6%
Median age 41.4±7.7Lowest about the MT average 43.6±5.4Highest 8% above MT
Big Timber 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% 20.8%±4.6Highest MT: 21%
Big Timber 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% 29.1%±5.8Highest MT: 20.1%
Big Timber 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% 16.2%Lowest MT: 35.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.5%±3.8Highest MT: 5.2% 2.9%±2Lowest MT: 5.2%
Boulder and Big Timber 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 $66,898±$13kLowest 8% below MT
Boulder and Big Timber are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $212,300±$44kLowest 44% below MT $278,200±$25kHighest 26% below MT
Big Timber and Boulder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $928±$282Lowest 14% below MT $1,109±$292Highest about the MT average
Big Timber and Boulder 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 $1,433Lowest 47% below MT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 12.2%±21.6Lowest MT: 44.8% 34.5%±23.4Highest MT: 44.8%
Big Timber 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% 10.4%Highest MT: 11.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 73.3%Lowest MT: 69.2% 80.3%Highest MT: 69.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1971Highest 10 yrs older than MT 1965Lowest 16 yrs older than MT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 25 minHighest 30% above MT 19 minLowest about the MT average
Work from home 7%±5.2Lowest MT: 12.5% 12.5%±7.6Highest MT: 12.5%
Big Timber 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 34.6%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 25.3 miHighest 3.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.59Lowest 1.27Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Helena (32%)Billings (7%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Big TimberFew work in Boulder
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 5.6%Lowest 17.4%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 0.4 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 125Highest
Schools
School district Boulder Elem · Jefferson H SBig Timber Elem · Sweet Grass County H S
High school in town Jefferson High SchoolSweet Grass Co High Schl
Students per teacherat that high school 16.1Highest 11.5Lowest
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 Timber neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Big Timber’s Town Square.

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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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