Brooks vs Hays
Brooks, Montana versus Hays, Montana: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Hays edges out Brooks on overall objective livability (55 vs 50 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Brooks | Hays |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | — | $49k |
| Cost of Living | $53k | $49k |
| Home Value | — | $64k |
| Monthly Rent | — | $496 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $0 | $134 |
| Property Tax Rate | — | 0.31% |
| Income Tax | 5.90% | 5.90% |
| Sales Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | — | 6.30% |
| Unemployment | — | 27.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 24°F | 20°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 65°F | 69°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 17.2 in | 19.5 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 112.1 in | 10.1 in |
| Sunny Days | 304 days | 257 days |
| Summer Humidity | 46°F | 48°F |
| Comfortable Days | 46 days | 45 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 91.5 | 74.3 |
| Air Quality | 45 AQI | 43 AQI |
| School Quality | 54.0 | 97.7 |
| Violent Crime | 993/100k | 259/100k |
| Property Crime | 34/100k | 220/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 0 | 1,095 |
| Median Age | — | 33.5 |
| Racial Diversity | — | 0.12 |
| Male/Female Ratio | — | 0.99 |
| Political Leaning | R+53 | Even |
| White (%) | — | 3.3% |
| Black (%) | — | 2.8% |
| Hispanic (%) | — | 7.5% |
| Asian (%) | — | 0.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | — | 86.4% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Walkability | 5.6/20 | 1.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 380 mi | 412 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | — | 74.8% |
| Amenities Nearby | — | 0.00 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Brooks or Hays more affordable?
- Hays has the lower cost of living: its index is $49k, compared with Brooks's $53k and Hays's $49k.
- Is Brooks or Hays safer?
- Hays has the lower violent crime rate. Brooks reports 993/100k and Hays reports 259/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).