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Fromberg vs Circle

211 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (5.6× in Circle) and rent (+80% in Fromberg).

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Fromberg, MTA history townMontana · 438 people
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Circle, MTA regional job hubMontana · 514 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.

FrombergA history town
History18 archive photos & papers16 places on the National Register SchoolsBetter than 12%of MT districts All about Fromberg →
CircleA regional job hub
Work326 jobsbased in Circle, a regional job hub SchoolsBetter than 90%of MT districts Housing$260K typical home45% below the MT typical home All about Circle →
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.

Jobs per worker5.6×
Circle is more of a job hub
Circle 1.91Fromberg 0.34
Rent+80%
Rent runs higher in Fromberg
Fromberg $983Circle $547
Property tax bill+80%
Tax bills are bigger in Circle
Circle $2,179Fromberg $1,209
Average commute17 min
Circle has the shorter commute
Fromberg 32 minCircle 15 min
Work in town+29.7 pts
More of Circle’s workers stay in town
Circle 33.9%Fromberg 4.2%
Trails2×
Circle has more miles of trail
Circle 0.4 miFromberg 0.2 mi
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $630 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.

Fromberg$2,270/mo
Typical home $397K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.57% · or rent about $983/mo · Housing →
Circle$1,640/mo
Typical home $260K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.27% · or rent about $547/mo · Housing →

The difference: $630 a month, about $7,600 a year, between Fromberg and Circle.

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 ACircleBetter than 90% 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
FrombergCircle
Snow a year30″—
January low13°F—
July high87°F—
Growing season (days)129d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)89th14th
Outdoors & history
FrombergCircle
Trails—0 mi
Conserved land—10%
National Register places161
Archive photos186
Famous people born here22
Community
FrombergCircle
Library hours a week—30 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

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

211 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

FrombergMTCircleMT
Fromberg ↔ Circle211 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.

FrombergCircle
People
Population 438Lowest 514Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census — -3.9% MT: +9.6%
Median age 42.5±10.5Lowest 5% above MT 46.2±12.3Highest 14% above MT
Circle 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% 16.1%±5.8Lowest MT: 21%
Fromberg and Circle 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% 25.5%±7Highest MT: 20.1%
Circle 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% 25.3%Highest MT: 35.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.1%±3.4Highest MT: 5.2% 0%±3Lowest MT: 5.2%
Fromberg and Circle 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 $75,417±$23kHighest 4% above MT
Circle 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 $171,900±$82kLowest 54% below MT
Fromberg and Circle 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 $547±$71Lowest 49% below MT
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,209Lowest 55% below MT $2,179Highest 19% below MT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 36%±66.9Lowest MT: 44.8% 40.5%±46.6Highest MT: 44.8%
Circle 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% 6.3%Lowest MT: 11.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 81.5%Lowest MT: 69.2% 84.6%Highest 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 15 minLowest 21% below MT
Work from home 7.8%±17Highest MT: 12.5% 6%±4.9Lowest MT: 12.5%
Fromberg and Circle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 4.2%Lowest 33.9%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 30.3 miLowest 46.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.34Lowest 1.91Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Billings (24%)Billings (7%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in CircleFew work in Fromberg
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 8%Lowest 10%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.2 miLowest 0.4 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.5 mi 0.5 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 2Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 97.7Lowest 113Highest
Schools
School district Fromberg K-12Circle Elem · Circle H S
High school in town Fromberg High SchoolCircle High School
Students per teacherat that high school 4.9Lowest 11.2Highest
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.

Circle neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Circle’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Fromberg and Circle

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

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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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