Billings, MT vs Bozeman, MT
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Bozeman, MT spends 21% more per resident than Billings, MT: $15,168 against $12,501. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Billings, MT holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 67/100 (grade B) against 52/100 (grade C) for Bozeman, MT — a 15-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Bozeman, MT carries the lighter load at $649 per resident versus $1,158 for Billings, MT. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Billings, MT at $883 per resident and in Bozeman, MT at $1,158.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Billings, MT at 17% of total revenue, whereas Bozeman, MT relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 100%.
Summary
Bozeman spends 17.6% more per capita than Billings ($2,667/person difference). Billings, MT has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 67/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $787 | $1,537 |
| Sales Tax | $251 | $257 |
| Income Tax | $1,706 | $1,098 |
| Intergovernmental | $1,539 | $20,285 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,714 | $2,302 |
| Other | $2,720 | $3,290 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $145 | $225 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $342 |
| Public Welfare | $1,929 | $1,379 |
| Health | $330 | $652 |
| Hospitals | $105 | $52 |
| Parks & Recreation | $883 | $1,158 |
| Housing | $2,463 | $2,467 |
| Sewerage | $195 | $588 |
| Utilities | $2,914 | $3,995 |
| Interest on Debt | $535 | $0 |
| Other | $3,002 | $4,311 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.