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Fairview vs Big Sandy

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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Fairview, MTHomes around $263KMontana · 971 people

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Big Sandy, MTHomes around $285KMontana · 784 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.

FairviewHomes around $263K

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

Big SandyHomes around $285K

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

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

CFairviewBetter than 29% of districts in the state BBig SandyBetter than 58% 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%

Fairview$1,570/mo

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

Big Sandy$1,680/mo

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

FairviewBig Sandy

Snow a year30″36″

January low7°F 7°F

July high87°F 88°F

Growing season (days)137d 120d

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

Outdoors & history

FairviewBig Sandy

Trails0 mi 0 mi

Conserved land2.1%1.2%

Settled1906 1887

Archive photos1 7

Community

FairviewBig Sandy

Library hours a week—38 hrs

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 1

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.

FairviewMT Big SandyMT

Fairview ↔ Big Sandy281 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

FairviewBig Sandy

People

Population 971Highest 784Lowest

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

Median age 38.1±7Lowest 6% below MT 43.4±4.3Highest 7% above 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 25%±5.2Highest MT: 21% 21.2%±5.6Lowest 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+ 15%±4.6Lowest MT: 20.1% 24.5%±4Highest MT: 20.1%

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

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.8%±2.8Highest MT: 5.2% 1.4%±2.2Lowest 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 $86,667±$35kHighest 20% above MT $60,521±$16kLowest 17% below 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 $171,600±$47kLowest 54% below MT $187,500±$66kHighest 50% 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 $725±$259Highest 33% below MT $550±$485Lowest 49% 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 $1,454Lowest 46% below MT $1,466Highest 46% below MT

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 32.1%±42.4Highest MT: 44.8% 18.3%±24.3Lowest 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 8.4%Lowest MT: 11.5% 8.5%Highest MT: 11.5%

Housing

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

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

Getting to work

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

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

Work in townworking residents 12.5%Highest 9%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 15.3 miLowest 40.8 miHighest

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

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

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Big SandyFew work in Fairview

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 2.1%Highest 1.2%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 0.2 mi 0.2 mi

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.3 miLowest 0.4 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1 1

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

Schools

School district Fairview Elem · Fairview H SBig Sandy K-12

High school in town Fairview High SchoolBig Sandy High School

Students per teacherat that high school 8.1Highest 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.

Fairview neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Fairview’s Town Square.

Big Sandy neighborsTown Square →

1 neighbor in Big Sandy can answer.

Add a town

Set another town beside Fairview and Big Sandy

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

Towns like Fairview

Joliet613 people · $236K homes

Big Timber1,611 people · $278K homes

Walkerville733 people · $149K 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.