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Sidney vs Hardin

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

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

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

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

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

Left end = #1 in Montana. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Sidney’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.

Sidney$1,640/mo
Typical home $273K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.91% · or rent about $931/mo · Housing →
Hardin$1,390/mo
Typical home $226K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.10% · or rent about $771/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
SidneyHardin
Snow a year30″28″
January low7°F11°F
July high87°F91°F
Growing season (days)137d135d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)51st36th
Outdoors & history
SidneyHardin
Trails1 mi0 mi
Conserved land3.9%2.5%
Settled19111911
National Register places114
Archive photos518
Famous people born here87
Community
SidneyHardin
Library hours a week40 hrs44 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.

SidneyMTHardinMT
Sidney ↔ Hardin212 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.

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

Sidney neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Sidney’s Town Square.

Hardin neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Hardin’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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