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Fromberg vs Big Sandy

201 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (3× in Big Sandy) and average commute (15 min in Big Sandy).

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Fromberg, MTA history townMontana · 438 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.

FrombergA history town

History18 archive photos & papers16 places on the National Register SchoolsBetter than 12%of MT districts All about Fromberg →

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.

Jobs per worker3×

Big Sandy is more of a job hub

Big Sandy 1.02Fromberg 0.34

Average commute15 min

Big Sandy has the shorter commute

Fromberg 32 minBig Sandy 17 min

Street grid+72%

Big Sandy has the more walkable street grid

Big Sandy 168Fromberg 97.7

Property tax bill+21%

Tax bills are bigger in Big Sandy

Big Sandy $1,466Fromberg $1,209

Typical home built14 yrs

Big Sandy’s homes are older

Fromberg 1972Big Sandy 1958

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $590 more a month in Fromberg

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 →

Big Sandy$1,680/mo

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

The difference: $590 a month, about $7,100 a year, between Fromberg 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

DFrombergBetter than 12% 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

FrombergBig Sandy

Snow a year30″36″

January low13°F 7°F

July high87°F 88°F

Growing season (days)129d 120d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)89th 26th

Outdoors & history

FrombergBig Sandy

Conserved land—1.2%

Settled—1887

National Register places16 —

Archive photos18 7

Famous people born here2 —

Community

FrombergBig 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

201 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

FrombergMT Big SandyMT

Fromberg ↔ Big Sandy201 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

FrombergBig Sandy

People

Population 438Lowest 784Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census — +1.2% MT: +9.6%

Median age 42.5±10.5Lowest 5% above MT 43.4±4.3Highest 7% above MT

Big Sandy 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% 21.2%±5.6Lowest MT: 21%

Fromberg and Big Sandy 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% 24.5%±4Highest MT: 20.1%

Big Sandy 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%Highest MT: 35.2% 17.2%Lowest MT: 35.2%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.1%±3.4Highest MT: 5.2% 1.4%±2.2Lowest MT: 5.2%

Fromberg 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 $64,500±$11kHighest 11% below MT $60,521±$16kLowest 17% below MT

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $212,500±$74kHighest 43% below MT $187,500±$66kLowest 50% below MT

Fromberg and Big Sandy 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 $550±$485Lowest 49% below MT

Fromberg and Big Sandy 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 $1,466Highest 46% below MT

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 36%±66.9Highest MT: 44.8% 18.3%±24.3Lowest MT: 44.8%

Fromberg and Big Sandy 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% 8.5%Lowest MT: 11.5%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 81.5%Highest MT: 69.2% 74.5%Lowest MT: 69.2%

Typical home builtmedian year 1972Highest 9 yrs older than MT 1958Lowest 23 yrs older than MT

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 32 minHighest 66% above MT 17 minLowest 14% below MT

Work from home 7.8%±17Lowest MT: 12.5% 14.3%±12.7Highest MT: 12.5%

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

Work in townworking residents 4.2%Lowest 9%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 30.3 miLowest 40.8 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.34Lowest 1.02Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Billings (24%)Fort Benton (10%)

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

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 8%Highest 1.2%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 0.2 mi 0.2 mi

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.5 miHighest 0.4 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 1Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 97.7Lowest 168Highest

Schools

School district Fromberg K-12Big Sandy K-12

High school in town Fromberg High SchoolBig Sandy High School

Students per teacherat that high school 4.9Lowest 8.0Highest

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.

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 Fromberg and Big Sandy

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Towns like Fromberg

Joliet613 people · $236K homes

Circle514 people · $172K homes

Clyde Park341 people · $296K homes

Belt559 people · $172K 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.