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Three Forks vs Big Timber

77 miles apart. The biggest differences: property tax bill (+57% in Three Forks) and home values (+42% in Three Forks).

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Three Forks, MTA history townMontana · 1,919 people
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Big Timber, MTA history townMontana · 1,611 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.

Three ForksA history town
History24 archive photos & papers7 places on the National Register HealthHealthier than 78%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates Housing$557K typical home18% above the MT typical home All about Three Forks →
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 part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Property tax bill+57%
Tax bills are bigger in Three Forks
Three Forks $2,243Big Timber $1,433
Home values+42%
Homes cost more in Three Forks
Three Forks $395,800Big Timber $278,200
Work in town+23.3 pts
More of Big Timber’s workers stay in town
Big Timber 34.6%Three Forks 11.3%
Jobs per worker2×
Big Timber is more of a job hub
Big Timber 1.27Three Forks 0.63
Typical home built20 yrs
Big Timber’s homes are older
Three Forks 1985Big Timber 1965
Growth since 2010+5.9 pts
Three Forks has grown faster since 2010
Three Forks +6.4%Big Timber +0.5%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $640 more a month in Three Forks

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.

Three Forks$3,180/mo
Typical home $557K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.57% · or rent about $1,330/mo · Housing →
Big Timber$2,540/mo
Typical home $449K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.52% · or rent about $1,109/mo · Housing →

The difference: $640 a month, about $7,700 a year, between Three Forks and Big Timber.

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−Three ForksBetter than 47% of districts in the state B−Big TimberBetter than 52% of districts in the state
Health
A−Three ForksHealthier than 78% of U.S. towns B+Big TimberHealthier than 71% of U.S. towns
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
Three ForksBig Timber
Snow a year—55″
January low—20°F
July high—86°F
Growing season (days)—133d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)68th81st
Outdoors & history
Three ForksBig Timber
Trails1 mi0 mi
Conserved land12.3%17.4%
National Register places74
Archive photos2415
Famous people born here15
Community
Three ForksBig Timber
Library hours a week42 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

77 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Three ForksMTBig TimberMT
Three Forks ↔ Big Timber77 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.

Three ForksBig Timber
People
Population 1,919Highest 1,611Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +6.4%Highest MT: +9.6% +0.5%Lowest MT: +9.6%
Median age 41.4±17Lowest about the MT average 43.6±5.4Highest 8% above MT
Big Timber and Three Forks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 18.1%±5.9Lowest MT: 21% 20.8%±4.6Highest MT: 21%
Big Timber and Three Forks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 21.8%±5.8Lowest MT: 20.1% 29.1%±5.8Highest MT: 20.1%
Big Timber and Three Forks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 21%Highest MT: 35.2% 16.2%Lowest MT: 35.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.3%±2.4Lowest MT: 5.2% 2.9%±2Highest MT: 5.2%
Big Timber and Three Forks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $79,784±$17kHighest 10% above MT $66,898±$13kLowest 8% below MT
Three Forks and Big Timber are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $395,800±$43kHighest 5% above MT $278,200±$25kLowest 26% below MT
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,330±$84Highest 23% above MT $1,109±$292Lowest about the MT average
Three Forks and Big Timber are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,243Highest 17% below MT $1,433Lowest 47% below MT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 47.3%±29.1Highest MT: 44.8% 34.5%±23.4Lowest MT: 44.8%
Three Forks and Big Timber are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 6.2%Lowest MT: 11.5% 10.4%Highest MT: 11.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 73.2%Lowest MT: 69.2% 80.3%Highest MT: 69.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1985Highest 4 yrs newer than MT 1965Lowest 16 yrs older than MT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 24 minHighest 26% above MT 19 minLowest about the MT average
Work from home 9%±7.3Lowest MT: 12.5% 12.5%±7.6Highest MT: 12.5%
Big Timber and Three Forks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 11.3%Lowest 34.6%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 26.8 miHighest 3.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.63Lowest 1.27Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Bozeman (21%)Billings (7%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Big TimberFew work in Three Forks
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 12.3%Lowest 17.4%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.5 miHighest 0.4 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.3 miLowest 0.4 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Highest 1Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 100Lowest 125Highest
Schools
School district Three Forks Elem · Three Forks H SBig Timber Elem · Sweet Grass County H S
High school in town Three Forks High SchoolSweet Grass Co High Schl
Students per teacherat that high school 18.6Highest 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.

Three Forks neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Three Forks’s Town Square.

Big Timber neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Big Timber’s Town Square.

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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.

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