Browning vs Shelby
Browning, Montana versus Shelby, Montana: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Shelby edges out Browning on overall objective livability (51 vs 45 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Browning | Shelby |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $41k | $52k |
| Cost of Living | $51k | $49k |
| Home Value | $119k | $181k |
| Monthly Rent | $566 | $720 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $172 | $732 |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.64% | 1.02% |
| Income Tax | 5.90% | 5.90% |
| Sales Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 7.74% | 9.50% |
| Unemployment | 16.4% | 1.3% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 23°F | 23°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 63°F | 65°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 30.4 in | 12.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 115.2 in | 38.9 in |
| Sunny Days | 239 days | 257 days |
| Summer Humidity | 48°F | 48°F |
| Comfortable Days | 40 days | 47 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 93.9 | 47.8 |
| Air Quality | 31 AQI | 24 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 33.2 |
| Violent Crime | 3451/100k | 0/100k |
| Property Crime | 1078/100k | 0/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 871 | 3,058 |
| Median Age | 29.3 | 42.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.08 | 0.31 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.93 | 1.56 |
| Political Leaning | D+31 | R+55 |
| White (%) | 3.4% | 79.6% |
| Black (%) | 0.0% | 2.6% |
| Hispanic (%) | 0.2% | 5.4% |
| Asian (%) | 0.6% | 1.1% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 95.8% | 11.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Walkability | 4.5/20 | 4.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 218 mi | 268 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 84.0% | 88.5% |
| Amenities Nearby | 91.85 | 58.86 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Limited |
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 Browning or Shelby more affordable?
- Shelby has the lower cost of living: its index is $49k, compared with Browning's $51k and Shelby's $49k. Median rent is $566 in Browning versus $720 in Shelby.
- Is Browning or Shelby safer?
- Shelby has the lower violent crime rate. Browning reports 3451/100k and Shelby reports 0/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Browning or Shelby?
- The median home value is $119k in Browning and $181k in Shelby, so homes are more affordable in Browning.