Billings, Montana

Demographics

White:89.6%
African American: 0.8%
Native American: 4.4%
Asian 0.7%
Pacific Islander: 0.1%
Other: 1.4%
Two or more races: 2.9%
Hispanic or Latino 5.2%

Government

Like every other city in the United States, the people in Billings must follow the laws and pay taxation set by the President and members of the Senate and Congress. Furthermore, they also have to abide by the laws and bills passed by the Governor of Montana and at a local government level they have to follow the rulings and decisions of a mayor-council system.

Defences

Billings is protected by a police force of 36 sworn officers and 80 civilian employees with nine beats. There are also seven firefighters, employing 114 people. Aside from that, the people of Billings have the comfort of knowing the military might of the United States will protect them from any external threat.

Industry & Trade

Billings started as a railroad hub, allowing it to become a major trade hub in Montana. Because it has no sales tax, many people continue to flock to Billings to shop and buy things. Billings is also the headquarters for a number of national companies including First Interstate Bank and Tractor & Equipment Co. In addition to a large service sector, the city had a rapidly growing medical industry and is home to a number of mining and oil refining occupations.

Infrastructure

Billings has a small airport called Laurel Municipal Airport used by civilians and a separate airport, the Billings Logan International Airport, used for packages and cargo. There is a public transit system that runs throughout the city, as well as a couple of highways, biking trails and a rail system. There are two Level II trauma hospitals in the city as well as a number of other medical facilities. There are 22 public elementary schools, 6 public middle schools, and 3 public high schools as well as six private schools and three universities.

Assets

Billings is home to 3 oil refineries, a sugar beet refining plant, commercial and residential construction and building materials manufacturing and distribution. And is home to some services such as professional services, financial services, banking, trucking, higher education, auto parts wholesaling and repair services, passenger and cargo air. On the agriculture front, Billings has cattle farms, wheat farms, barley farms, milk processing facilities, heavy equipment service facilities and sales, food distribution, agricultural chemical manufacturing and distribution facilities.

History

Billings was nicknamed the "Magic City" because of its rapid growth from its founding as a railroad town in March 1882 and got its name from Frederick H. Billings, a former president of the Northern Pacific Railroad.

Geography

Two-thirds of the city is in the Yellowstone Valley and the South Hills area and the remaining one-third is in the Heights-Lockwood area. The city is divided by long cliffs call the Rims or Rimrocks that run to the north and east of the downtown core, separating it from the Heights to the north and Lockwood to the east. In the north the Rims are 500 feet tall while to the east of downtown, the cliff rises 800 feet. The Yellowstone River runs through the southeast portion of the city and the city is surrounded on all sides by mountain ranges.

Alternative Name(s)

Magic City

Type

City

Population

169,676

Inhabitant Demonym

Montanans