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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.

Overall livability

Brooks

Mixed · objective livability50/100

Hays

Solid · objective livability55/100

Hays edges out Brooks on overall objective livability (55 vs 50 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.

Factor-by-factor comparison

FactorBrooksHays
Affordability
Median Household Income$49k
Cost of Living$53k$49k
Home Value$64k
Monthly Rent$496
Monthly Owner Costs$0$134
Property Tax Rate0.31%
Income Tax5.90%5.90%
Sales Tax0.00%0.00%
Estimated total tax burden6.30%
Unemployment27.5%
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)24°F20°F
Summer Temp (Jul)65°F69°F
Annual Precipitation17.2 in19.5 in
Annual Snowfall112.1 in10.1 in
Sunny Days304 days257 days
Summer Humidity46°F48°F
Comfortable Days46 days45 days
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk91.574.3
Air Quality45 AQI43 AQI
School Quality54.097.7
Violent Crime993/100k259/100k
Property Crime34/100k220/100k
Community
Population01,095
Median Age33.5
Racial Diversity0.12
Male/Female Ratio0.99
Political LeaningR+53Even
White (%)3.3%
Black (%)2.8%
Hispanic (%)7.5%
Asian (%)0.0%
Other / Multiracial (%)86.4%
Getting Around
Walkability5.6/201.9/20
Airport Distance380 mi412 mi
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access74.8%
Amenities Nearby0.00
Park & Nature AccessExcellentExcellent

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).
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