With two-thirds of the city in the Yellowstone Valley, divided by the Rimrocks, and surrounded by no less than seven mountain ranges, Billings has everything a mountaineer can ask for. Billings is home to some of the best hiking trails in the country, a vibrant off-road biking community, ample sites for skiing and snowshoeing during the winter, and just as many spots for hunting and fishing in the off-season. This is only aided by the large amounts of agriculture in the region, and the plethora of both domestic and wild horses. The call of the wild, such as it is, comes from Billings, and if that appeals to you, then you will find it an excellent home.

Billings stirs up some controversy in Montana. It is an urbanized area in a state that prides itself on its reputation for the rugged outdoors. As such, other Montanans have been known to have friction with the people of Billings. This is somewhat exacerbated by its reputation as a high-crime city. While drug addiction is fairly widespread, the reputation it holds as a criminal hive is largely overblown, and out-of-staters from bigger metros will find the city pretty tame. 


Mountains & Rimrocks

LookyLOO Review of Billings

Microbreweries and casinos can be found by the dozens in Billings. If beer and poker are your preferred recreational activities, then you’ll have plenty to do. Billings’ historical museums, dedicated to preserving its frontier town past, are also top-notch, as are the myriad local theater houses. In addition, stand-up comedians will often come through town to perform at the local venues. And of course, there are the aforementioned outdoor activities. Be it drink and entertainment, culture and comedy, or the simple pleasures of the great outdoors, Billings has you covered. 

If you want to see what kind of fun the locals get up to in Billings, check out the [calendar of events](https://billingsgazette.com/events/).

We highly recommend visiting Billings and staying in the community in a [VRBO](https://vrbo.com/affiliate/p4JS4ZC) rather than a hotel to get a feel for what it's like to live among the locals. You can receive discounted fares on travel via our [partnership with Expedia](expedia.com/affiliate/9NZ8LBQ) as well.

Lifestyle 

Billings is fundamentally an industrial town. Coal, oil, and natural gas all provide opportunities in the energy business; the beet refinery and construction in the city provide factory and building jobs; and large amounts of agriculture and ranching provide work for those in the farming sector. This is in addition to three universities, a strongly centralized medical industry that provides for much of the state, and of course, the aforementioned casinos and breweries. Billings has a diverse and booming economy that works for most who take a shot here.


Worklife 

If you’re looking for a place with the benefits of both a city and a small town, good schools for your children, and beautiful landscape to surround yourself with, you'll find Billings to your liking. One note of caution, while Billings is a city, and leans less conservative than the rural regions of Montana, it remains conservative relative to other bigger cities. If that ain't your bag then think twice. 


A City/Town Tweener

Why You Should Move Here Now?

**bitter_twin_farmer**
2y ago
🦉🦉🦉🦉

Hey there, Billings is great! I’ve been here 10 years and couldn’t imagine loving anywhere else in MT. It’s not touristy like Missoula, and it’s got a real economy, unlike Bozeman.

It’s got city-type stuff. Good mountain biking, easy access climbing, and the beartooths are about an hour away (we ski the pass a ton in the spring).

There a ton of great restaurants and an awesome music scene.

I’m sure others on here will cast shadows and throw shade, we for sure how our downsides like any other “city,” but I don’t focus on that stuff. Instead I get out and enjoy what Billings has to offer.

For more reviews of what living in Billings is like from locals, check out [The Reviews](https://lookyloomove.com/locations/billings/reviews).

Those City Slickers

Reviews of Billings from Locals

Downtown is where Young Professionals should look first. It has the greatest concentration of apartments and condos and you get to live just a short hop from the biggest commercial district in the city. Bars, restaurants and cafes are aplenty here. You’ll also find the historic district with theater, museums, art center and all the culture the city has to offer. Much of the historic buildings were renovated for everything from lofts to newer office spaces. If you work downtown you can walk to work and a night out. 


Young Professionals

Downtown

Two of the popular neighborhoods for families include The Heights and West End. The Heights is the closest you can find to a 50’s suburb right in the city. Family-sized homes, old-school lawns, sidewalks and excellent public schools make it a big draw. 

West End is notable as the quietest, safest, and many think “nicest” neighborhood in the city. Bigger homes, more affluent residents, good schools, and direct access to the best nature the Billings area has to offer. 
The choice between the two comes down to whether you prefer proximity to the outdoors or to downtown. 
- The Heights
- West End


Families

The Heights / West End

Billings

**bitter_twin_farmer**
2y ago
🦉🦉🦉🦉

Hey there, Billings is great! I’ve been here 10 years and couldn’t imagine loving anywhere else in MT. It’s not touristy like Missoula, and it’s got a real economy, unlike Bozeman.

It’s got city-type stuff. Good mountain biking, easy access climbing, and the beartooths are about an hour away (we ski the pass a ton in the spring).

There a ton of great restaurants and an awesome music scene.

I’m sure others on here will cast shadows and throw shade, we for sure how our downsides like any other “city,” but I don’t focus on that stuff. Instead I get out and enjoy what Billings has to offer.

**Cyclopher6971**
2y ago
🦉🦉🦉

Billings has some really unique topography with the Rimrocks and Sacrifice Cliff cutting a striking figure above town. The Rims are gorgeous and make a great park to spend some time planespotting if that's your jam. On a clear day, the Beartooths (about 40-50 miles away) stand high on the horizon.

For good concerts, acts usually pick one of Missoula, Billings or Bozeman to go to, in that order, if they appear in Montana at all, so it's pretty hit or miss. There's some alright local venues if live music is your thing, it's not mine personally.

There's some good urbanism in parts of downtown, and Montana Avenue is pretty cool.

Skiing is much more of a Bozeman thing, so you're not going to be able to just decide day-of to go skiing if the powder is great, but you will definitely be able to get multiple trips in throughout the year. Red Lodge is fine, I make the drive to Bozeman because that's where my family all live.

**The-Goose-Guy**
1y ago
🦉🦉🦉

I’ve lived here alone for a little over a year now as an introvert. I’ve recently moved in with a friend I made through a mutual I met at work. The things I was not aware of before I moved here was that Billings is a very industrial city, but there are a lot of nice little places to go out to at night and meet others. I’d say the closer you are to the west end, the nicer time you’ll have living here. Another thing I’ve noticed is that some people really hate foreigners coming into this city. They believe anyone not from Montana is just going to make the place worse, but those people are far and few. It’s not a very large city, but I do believe the pros outweigh the cons here.

**UrBrotherJoe**
1y ago
🦉🦉🦉

Are you adventurous? There are so many places go within 3 hours of Billings for an outdoorsy individual.

Lots of 25-35 year old working professionals in the area.

Some parts of Billings are sketchy, but a majority of places are nice. It’s not a glamours city by any means, but there is stuff to do if you look.

My girlfriend and I are moving there this week. We aren’t worried about meeting new people

**Pros & Cons of living in Billings Montana**

It’s not all sunshine and rainbows in the Big Sky country. Watch this video to hear some of the pros and cons of living in this beautiful state. 

Billings, Montana

Magic City

Looklyloo Score: 89

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