Guest, Sign inJoin
Compare towns

Roundup vs Big Timber

80 miles apart. The biggest differences: home values (+67% in Big Timber) and trails (2× in Roundup).

×
Roundup, MTHomes around $250KMontana · 2,003 people
×
Big Timber, MTA history townMontana · 1,611 people
Swap order
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.

RoundupHomes around $250K
Housing$250K typical home47% below the MT typical home Health73% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates HistorySettled in 19092 places on the National Register All about Roundup →
Big TimberA history town
History15 archive photos & papers4 places on the National Register HealthHealthier than 71%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates Outdoors17.4% conserved land0.4 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves All about Big Timber →
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+67%
Homes cost more in Big Timber
Big Timber $278,200Roundup $166,200
Trails2×
Roundup has more miles of trail
Roundup 0.8 miBig Timber 0.4 mi
Conserved land+9.7 pts
Big Timber has more conserved land
Big Timber 17.4%Roundup 7.7%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $1,060 more a month in Big Timber

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.

Roundup$1,490/mo
Typical home $250K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.83% · or rent about $950/mo · Housing →
Big Timber$2,540/mo
Typical home $449K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.52% · or rent about $1,109/mo · Housing →

The difference: $1,060 a month, about $12,700 a year, between Big Timber and Roundup.

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
B−RoundupBetter than 45% of districts in the state B−Big TimberBetter than 52% of districts in the state
Health
CRoundupHealthier than 27% of U.S. towns B+Big TimberHealthier than 71% of U.S. towns
Life in each

Big Timber gets 30 more inches of snow a year

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
RoundupBig Timber
Snow a year24″55″
January low13°F20°F
July high89°F86°F
Growing season (days)124d133d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)27th81st
Outdoors & history
RoundupBig Timber
Trails1 mi0 mi
Conserved land7.7%17.4%
Settled1909—
National Register places24
Archive photos1215
Famous people born here65
Community
RoundupBig Timber
Library hours a week30 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

80 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

RoundupMTBig TimberMT
Roundup ↔ Big Timber80 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.

RoundupBig Timber
People
Population 2,003Highest 1,611Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -2.6%Lowest MT: +9.6% +0.5%Highest MT: +9.6%
Median age 42.4±6.7Lowest 5% above MT 43.6±5.4Highest 8% above MT
Big Timber and Roundup are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 24%±4.4Highest MT: 21% 20.8%±4.6Lowest MT: 21%
Roundup and Big Timber are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 24.4%±3.8Lowest MT: 20.1% 29.1%±5.8Highest MT: 20.1%
Big Timber and Roundup are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 13.5%Lowest MT: 35.2% 16.2%Highest MT: 35.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3%±2.4Highest MT: 5.2% 2.9%±2Lowest MT: 5.2%
Roundup and Big Timber are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $57,847±$15kLowest 20% below MT $66,898±$13kHighest 8% below MT
Big Timber and Roundup are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $166,200±$24kLowest 56% below MT $278,200±$25kHighest 26% below MT
Rentmedian gross, monthly $950±$571Lowest 12% below MT $1,109±$292Highest about the MT average
Big Timber and Roundup are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,373Lowest 49% below MT $1,433Highest 47% below MT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 61.4%±21.7Highest MT: 44.8% 34.5%±23.4Lowest MT: 44.8%
Roundup and Big Timber are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 16.6%Highest MT: 11.5% 10.4%Lowest MT: 11.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 73.5%Lowest MT: 69.2% 80.3%Highest MT: 69.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1954Lowest 27 yrs older than MT 1965Highest 16 yrs older than MT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 16 minLowest 17% below MT 19 minHighest about the MT average
Work from home 15.9%±7.8Highest MT: 12.5% 12.5%±7.6Lowest MT: 12.5%
Roundup and Big Timber are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 42.1%Highest 34.6%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 11.3 miHighest 3.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.90Lowest 1.27Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Billings (19%)Billings (7%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Big TimberFew work in Roundup
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 7.7%Lowest 17.4%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.8 miHighest 0.4 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.6 miHighest 0.4 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1 1
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 124Lowest 125Highest
Schools
School district Roundup Elem · Roundup High SchoolBig Timber Elem · Sweet Grass County H S
High school in town Roundup H SSweet Grass Co High Schl
Students per teacherat that high school 13.7Highest 11.5Lowest
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.

Roundup neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Roundup’s Town Square.

Big Timber neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Big Timber’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Roundup and Big Timber

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

Bordering Roundup

C
+ Compare
Camp Three139 people

Towns like Roundup

+ Compare
Eureka1,840 people · $172K homes
+ Compare
Boulder1,284 people · $212K homes
C
+ Compare
Cut Bank3,028 people · $164K homes
+ Compare
Thompson Falls1,500 people · $266K 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.

Post to Roundup

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in