Billings, MT vs Great Falls, MT
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Billings, MT spends 44% more per resident than Great Falls, MT: $12,501 against $8,656. 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 54/100 (grade C) for Great Falls, MT — a 13-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Billings, MT carries the lighter load at $1,158 per resident versus $1,490 for Great Falls, 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 Great Falls, MT at $1,064.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Billings, MT at 17% of total revenue, whereas Great Falls, MT relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 100%.
Summary
Billings spends 44.4% more per capita than Great Falls ($3,844/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 | $48 |
| Sales Tax | $251 | $595 |
| Income Tax | $1,706 | $882 |
| Intergovernmental | $1,539 | $10,814 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,714 | $2,342 |
| Other | $2,720 | $2,571 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $145 | $251 |
| Public Welfare | $1,929 | $755 |
| Health | $330 | $229 |
| Hospitals | $105 | $525 |
| Parks & Recreation | $883 | $1,064 |
| Housing | $2,463 | $1,988 |
| Sewerage | $195 | $0 |
| Utilities | $2,914 | $1,755 |
| Interest on Debt | $535 | $0 |
| Other | $3,002 | $2,089 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.