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.

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%

Fromberg$2,270/mo

Typical home $397K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.57% · or rent about $983/mo · Housing →

Belt$2,380/mo

Typical home $402K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.81% · or rent about $900/mo · Housing →

The difference: $110 a month, about $1,300 a year, between Belt and Fromberg.

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.

Where they are

168 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

FrombergMT BeltMT

Fromberg ↔ Belt168 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

FrombergBelt

People

Population 438Lowest 559Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census — -14.6% MT: +9.6%

Median age 42.5±10.5Lowest 5% above MT 45.9±9.1Highest 14% above MT

Belt and Fromberg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 21.5%±7.8Highest MT: 21% 17.2%±3.9Lowest MT: 21%

Fromberg and Belt are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 18.3%±9.4Lowest MT: 20.1% 19.3%±11.3Highest MT: 20.1%

Belt and Fromberg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 18.6%Lowest MT: 35.2% 24%Highest MT: 35.2%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.1%±3.4Lowest MT: 5.2% 4.5%±6.3Highest MT: 5.2%

Belt and Fromberg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $64,500±$11kLowest 11% below MT $73,929±$16kHighest about the MT average

Belt and Fromberg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $212,500±$74kHighest 43% below MT $171,700±$45kLowest 54% below MT

Fromberg and Belt are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Rentmedian gross, monthly $983±$271Highest 9% below MT $900±$217Lowest 17% below MT

Fromberg and Belt are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,209Lowest 55% below MT $1,389Highest 48% below MT

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 36%±66.9Lowest MT: 44.8% 58.9%±33.7Highest MT: 44.8%

Belt and Fromberg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 13.5%Highest MT: 11.5% 8.2%Lowest MT: 11.5%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 81.5%Highest MT: 69.2% 75%Lowest MT: 69.2%

Typical home builtmedian year 1972Highest 9 yrs older than MT 1964Lowest 17 yrs older than MT

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 32 minHighest 66% above MT 21 minLowest 9% above MT

Work from home 7.8%±17Highest MT: 12.5% 0.9%±1.4Lowest MT: 12.5%

Fromberg and Belt are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Work in townworking residents 4.2%Lowest 5.8%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 30.3 miHighest 19.3 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.34Lowest 1.11Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Billings (24%)Great Falls (47%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in BeltFew work in Fromberg

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 8%Lowest 16.3%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 0.2 miHighest 0.1 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.5 miHighest 0.3 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 1Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 97.7Highest 86.9Lowest

Schools

School district Fromberg K-12Belt Elem · Belt H S

High school in town Fromberg High SchoolBelt High School

Students per teacherat that high school 4.9Lowest 11.5Highest

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.

Fromberg neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Fromberg’s Town Square.

Belt neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Belt’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Fromberg and Belt

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

Towns like Fromberg

+ Compare

Joliet613 people · $236K homes

+ Compare

Circle514 people · $172K homes

+ Compare

Clyde Park341 people · $296K homes

+ Compare

Big Sandy784 people · $188K homes

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.

Fromberg vs Belt

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

Grades and rankings, side by side

Belt gets 36 more inches of snow a year

A typical home costs about the same each month

168 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Fromberg and Belt

Towns like Fromberg

Post to Fromberg

Check your email