Welcome to Billings, Montana a vibrant community known for its quiet neighborhoods and bustling business districts. With many community groups and recreational and cultural activities, we offer something for the entire family.

Billings is a city located in the south-central portion of the U.S. state of Montana. Billings is the chief city in the Billings Metropolitan Area and is the countyseat of Yellowstone County.

In terms of population, it is the largest metropolitan area in Montana. It is nicknamed the Magic City because of its rapid growth from its founding as a railroad town in 1882. It was said that Billings "grew like magic." Billings is named for Frederick H. Billings, president of the Northern Pacific Railroad. Due to the Billings' status as the largest city in a vast region (500 mile radius) of south-central and eastern Montana and northern Wyoming, it serves as a shopping and accommodation center for area residents and highway travelers. The city's proximity to Yellowstone National Park and the area where the Battle of the Little Bighorn was fought also draws a large number of tourists, especially during the summer months.

The Billings area is also home to the only true zoo in Montana – Zoo Montana. Zoo Montana is a rather unique zoo. Located just 10 miles to the west of downtown, it contains a variety of animals.

Billings, for the sportsman, also has some pretty good opportunities around town. The hunting is excellent out on the prairie and around the foothills of the mountains for a wide variety of game, including elk. The area rivers and lakes offer a pretty nice variety of warm water (catfish, bass) and cold water (trout) fishing opportunities. The Yellowstone River itself as it passes through Billings has a mix of both fishing – as it is at this point that the Yellowstone is converting from a cold water fishery to a warm water one. Both brown trout an catfish can be caught on the Yellowstone in and around Billings. Other nearby rivers include Rock Creek and the Bighorn River, both of which are less than an hour away.

Housing Cost

Estimated median house/condo value in 2005: $133,800

Demographics

Estimated population in July 2006: 100,148. Billings covers 33.7 square miles. It sits at an elevation of 3,124 feet above sea level.

Zip codes: 59101, 59102, 59105, 59106 - Area code: 406

Weather

Billings, MT climate is warm during summer when temperatures tend to be in the 70's and very cold during winter when temperatures tend to be in the 20's.

The warmest month of the year is July with an average maximum temperature of 88.40 degrees Fahrenheit, while the coldest month of the year is January with an average minimum temperature of 13.30 degrees Fahrenheit.

Temperature variations between night and day tend to be relatively big during summer with a difference that can reach 33 degrees Fahrenheit, and moderate during winter with an average difference of 25 degrees Fahrenheit.

The annual average precipitation at Billings is 13.96 Inches. Rainfall in is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year. The wettest month of the year is May with an average rainfall of 2.39 Inches.

Information provided by idcide.com and city data.com