Assisted Living Communities in Billings, Montana

For those seeking assisted living in Billings, the 2024 Genworth Cost of Care Survey indicates a median monthly rate of about $6,204. By comparison, this runs about $1,300 over the Montana median and around $850 above the national norm. Other Mountain West cities have more economical care. For example, seniors in Bismarck, ND, pay roughly $4,386, and in Idaho Falls, ID, facilities charge approximately $3,125.

While many families use their own funds or personal assets to pay for assisted living, there are plenty of additional options to cover these costs. Some additional ways to finance assisted living costs include:

• Veterans Benefits
• Life Insurance Policy
• Long-Term Care Insurance
• Reverse Mortgage

For more information about different ways to finance assisted living, visit our Assisted Living in Montana page.

Assisted living facilities in Billings typically charge around $6,204 per month. By comparison, seniors who hire private in-home care attendants pay lower rates of about $4,576, although they have added housing, recreation and grocery expenses. However, Nursing home costs run about $1,980 higher than assisted living rates.

In Billings, assisted living facilities are licensed and regulated by the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services. The Department ensures that facilities comply with the state’s long-term care regulations on medication administration, staffing, training and other aspects of their operation to ensure a high standard of care is provided.

• Billings residents have easy access to several hospitals, including St. Vincent Healthcare, Advanced Care Hospital of Montana and Billings Clinic. U.S. News & World Report rated Billings Clinic as the best hospital in Montana for seven years in a row, and it’s ranked as high performing in the treatment of heart failure and COPD.
• Adult Resource Alliance of Yellowstone County offers several low-cost transportation programs for seniors in Billings. One is the RIDES program, which provides nonmedical transportation to stores, work and various destinations throughout the city.
• Compared to the national cost of living index of 100, Billings is slightly cheaper with a rating of 94.9. Transportation (75.2), utilities (95.6), health care (96.7) and housing (99.7) are more affordable than the U.S. averages, while groceries (101.3) are slightly more expensive.
• Montana residents don’t pay sales tax, and property taxes are somewhat low. Seniors are partially taxed on Social Security earnings, however, and most other types of retirement income are fully taxed.
• Winters in Billings can be very cold, with an average low of 15.8 degrees in January, the coldest month of the year. The city receives an average of 46 inches of snow annually, which is much higher than the U.S. average of 28. Summers are pleasantly warm with an average high of 88.3 degrees, and Billings gets less annual rainfall than the U.S. average.
• The air quality in Billings is quite good, scoring 71 points out of 100, compared to the national average of 58. Water quality is below average, however. The city scored a 38 compared to the nationwide average of 55.
• Both property and violent crime rates are higher in Billings compared to other Montana cities. Billings’ violent crime rate is 6.16 per 1,000 residents, while the Montana average is 4.05. The property crime rate of 41.06 is nearly double that of Montana as a whole (21.93). Seniors can have peace of mind thanks to the 24-hour staffing and security features provided by assisted living facilities.