Missoula, MT vs Billings, MT
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Missoula, MT and Billings, MT spend within 10.8% of each other per resident — $13,853 versus $12,501 — so on the headline spending-per-capita measure the two cities are effectively neck and neck.
Missoula, MT holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 89/100 (grade A) against 67/100 (grade B) for Billings, MT — a 22-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Missoula, MT reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Billings, MT carries $1,158 per resident. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Missoula, MT leads with police at $2,547 per resident, while Billings, MT leads with parks and recreation at $883.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on other revenue — 14% of total revenue in Missoula, MT and 17% in Billings, MT.
Summary
Missoula spends 10.8% more per capita than Billings ($1,352/person difference). Missoula, MT has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 89/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $8 | $787 |
| Sales Tax | $218 | $251 |
| Income Tax | $55 | $1,706 |
| Intergovernmental | $885 | $1,539 |
| Charges & Fees | $74 | $2,714 |
| Other | $2,405 | $2,720 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $2,547 | $0 |
| Fire Protection | $353 | $145 |
| Highways & Roads | $289 | $0 |
| Education | $31 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $809 | $1,929 |
| Health | $493 | $330 |
| Hospitals | $520 | $105 |
| Parks & Recreation | $464 | $883 |
| Housing | $3,124 | $2,463 |
| Sewerage | $129 | $195 |
| Utilities | $856 | $2,914 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $535 |
| Other | $4,238 | $3,002 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.