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Hardin vs Sidney

212 miles apart. The biggest differences: home values (+61% in Sidney) and growth since 2010 (+13.4 pts in Sidney).

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Hardin, MTHomes around $226KMontana · 3,742 people
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Sidney, MTKnown for its schoolsMontana · 6,171 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.

HardinHomes around $226K
Housing$226K typical home52% below the MT typical home HistorySettled in 191114 places on the National Register Health70% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Hardin →
SidneyKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 54%of MT districts HealthHealthier than 64%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates Housing$273K typical home42% below the MT typical home All about Sidney →
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.

Home values+61%
Homes cost more in Sidney
Sidney $236,900Hardin $147,100
Growth since 2010+13.4 pts
Sidney has grown faster since 2010
Sidney +22.3%Hardin +8.9%
Property tax bill+32%
Tax bills are bigger in Sidney
Sidney $2,150Hardin $1,623
Trails2×
Sidney has more miles of trail
Sidney 0.8 miHardin 0.4 mi
★ What stands out · Report cards

Sidney places higher on 14 of 21 MT lists

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.

Safety
CHardinSafer than 29% of U.S. towns CSidneySafer than 31% of U.S. towns
Schools
DHardinBetter than 7% of districts in the state B−SidneyBetter than 54% of districts in the state
Health
CHardinHealthier than 30% of U.S. towns BSidneyHealthier than 64% of U.S. towns
6Hardin
14Sidney

Lists won, of 21 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Highest graduation rateSchools · 36 towns #29#8 Lowest obesityHealth · 42 towns #16#39 Fewest smokersHealth · 42 towns #38#17 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 40 towns #17#35 HealthiestHealth · 42 towns #38#22 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 42 towns #37#22 Fastest growingGrowth · 43 towns #21#7 Most affordableCost of living · 42 towns #2#15

Left end = #1 in Montana. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Hardin’s rankings →

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $250 more a month in Sidney

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.

Hardin$1,390/mo
Typical home $226K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.10% · or rent about $771/mo · Housing →
Sidney$1,640/mo
Typical home $273K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.91% · or rent about $931/mo · Housing →

The difference: $250 a month, about $3,000 a year, between Sidney and Hardin.

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
HardinSidney
Snow a year28″30″
January low11°F7°F
July high91°F87°F
Growing season (days)135d137d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)36th51st
Outdoors & history
HardinSidney
Trails0 mi1 mi
Conserved land2.5%3.9%
Settled19111911
National Register places141
Archive photos185
Famous people born here78
Community
HardinSidney
Library hours a week44 hrs40 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

212 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

HardinMTSidneyMT
Hardin ↔ Sidney212 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.

HardinSidney
People
Population 3,742Lowest 6,171Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +8.9%Lowest MT: +9.6% +22.3%Highest MT: +9.6%
Median age 37.1±7.7Lowest 8% below MT 37.3±3.1Highest 8% below MT
Sidney and Hardin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 23.1%±5.8Lowest MT: 21% 25.3%±4Highest MT: 21%
Sidney and Hardin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 13.7%±3.5Highest MT: 20.1% 13.6%±2.7Lowest MT: 20.1%
Hardin and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 20.5%Lowest MT: 35.2% 22%Highest MT: 35.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.5%±1.8Lowest MT: 5.2% 7.3%±2.7Highest MT: 5.2%
Sidney and Hardin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $60,423±$4kLowest 17% below MT $62,538±$14kHighest 14% below MT
Sidney and Hardin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $147,100±$16kLowest 61% below MT $236,900±$20kHighest 37% below MT
Rentmedian gross, monthly $771±$224Lowest 29% below MT $931±$65Highest 14% below MT
Sidney and Hardin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,623Lowest 40% below MT $2,150Highest 20% below MT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 23.3%±16.4Lowest MT: 44.8% 31.4%±11.1Highest MT: 44.8%
Sidney and Hardin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 7.2%Lowest MT: 11.5% 7.7%Highest MT: 11.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 54.1%Lowest MT: 69.2% 57.6%Highest MT: 69.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1970Lowest 11 yrs older than MT 1980Highest 1 yr older than MT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 18 minLowest 6% below MT 21 minHighest 11% above MT
Work from home 1.1%±1.5Lowest MT: 12.5% 1.9%±1.7Highest MT: 12.5%
Sidney and Hardin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 46.3%Lowest 49.9%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 11.3 miHighest 1.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.14Highest 1.01Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Billings (13%)Williston (4%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in SidneyFew work in Hardin
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 2.5%Lowest 3.9%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.4 miLowest 0.8 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miLowest 0.2 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 4Lowest 7Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 65.9Lowest 92.1Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #40 of 40 in MT#31 of 40 in MT
School district Hardin Elem · Hardin H SSidney Elem · Sidney H S
High school in town Hardin High SchoolSidney High School
Students per teacherat that high school 14.8Highest 12.2Lowest
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.

Hardin neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Hardin’s Town Square.

Sidney neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Sidney’s Town Square.

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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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