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Bridger vs Big Sandy

207 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (2.6× in Big Sandy) and conserved land (+16.7 pts in Bridger).

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Bridger, MTA history townMontana · 788 people
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Big Sandy, MTHomes around $285KMontana · 784 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.

BridgerA history town
History24 archive photos & papers13 places on the National Register Outdoors17.9% conserved land0.0 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves All about Bridger →
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.

Street grid2.6×
Big Sandy has the more walkable street grid
Big Sandy 168Bridger 63.8
Conserved land+16.7 pts
Bridger has more conserved land
Bridger 17.9%Big Sandy 1.2%
Growth since 2010+7.7 pts
Big Sandy has grown faster since 2010
Big Sandy +1.2%Bridger -6.5%
Average commute5 min
Big Sandy has the shorter commute
Bridger 21 minBig Sandy 17 min
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $620 more a month in Bridger

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.

Bridger$2,300/mo
Typical home $398K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.63% · or rent about $753/mo · Housing →
Big Sandy$1,680/mo
Typical home $285K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.78% · or rent about $550/mo · Housing →

The difference: $620 a month, about $7,400 a year, between Bridger 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−BridgerBetter than 47% of districts in the state BBig SandyBetter than 58% of districts in the state
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
BridgerBig Sandy
Snow a year30″36″
January low13°F7°F
July high87°F88°F
Growing season (days)129d120d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)89th26th
Outdoors & history
BridgerBig Sandy
Trails0 mi0 mi
Conserved land17.9%1.2%
Settled—1887
National Register places13—
Archive photos247
Community
BridgerBig Sandy
Library hours a week28 hrs38 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined01

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

207 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

BridgerMTBig SandyMT
Bridger ↔ Big Sandy207 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.

BridgerBig Sandy
People
Population 788Highest 784Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -6.5%Lowest MT: +9.6% +1.2%Highest MT: +9.6%
Median age 48±13.2Highest 19% above MT 43.4±4.3Lowest 7% above MT
Bridger and Big Sandy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 18.3%±3.8Lowest MT: 21% 21.2%±5.6Highest MT: 21%
Big Sandy and Bridger are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 16.5%±4.2Lowest MT: 20.1% 24.5%±4Highest MT: 20.1%
Big Sandy and Bridger are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 13.4%Lowest MT: 35.2% 17.2%Highest MT: 35.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6.7%±15.8Highest MT: 5.2% 1.4%±2.2Lowest MT: 5.2%
Bridger 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 $42,891±$10kLowest 41% below MT $60,521±$16kHighest 17% below MT
Big Sandy and Bridger are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $250,000±$81kHighest 33% below MT $187,500±$66kLowest 50% below MT
Bridger and Big Sandy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $753±$143Highest 30% below MT $550±$485Lowest 49% below MT
Bridger and Big Sandy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,580Highest 41% below MT $1,466Lowest 46% below MT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 57%±64.8Highest MT: 44.8% 18.3%±24.3Lowest MT: 44.8%
Bridger and Big Sandy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 15%Highest MT: 11.5% 8.5%Lowest MT: 11.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 74.4%Lowest MT: 69.2% 74.5%Highest MT: 69.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1964Highest 17 yrs older than MT 1958Lowest 23 yrs older than MT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 21 minHighest 12% above MT 17 minLowest 14% below MT
Work from home 4.9%±5.7Lowest MT: 12.5% 14.3%±12.7Highest MT: 12.5%
Big Sandy and Bridger are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 13.7%Highest 9%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 36.3 miLowest 40.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.71Lowest 1.02Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Billings (31%)Fort Benton (10%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Big SandyFew work in Bridger
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 17.9%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 1 1
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 63.8Lowest 168Highest
Schools
School district Bridger K-12 SchoolsBig Sandy K-12
High school in town Bridger High SchoolBig Sandy High School
Students per teacherat that high school 10.0Highest 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.

Bridger neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Bridger’s Town Square.

Big Sandy neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 1w

New Local Organic Grocery

1 neighbor in Big Sandy can answer.

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Towns like Bridger

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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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