lifestyle
Billings Retirement Living Offers Unique Riverfront Trails, Senior Programs
The city's riverfront trails and direct senior programs create options retirees cannot find in places like New York or Tokyo.
How we reported this
Billings retirees gain immediate entry to 12 miles of maintained river paths starting from apartments along the Yellowstone River without needing a car or shuttle service.
Global events this year have pushed more people to reconsider where they spend their later decades, as rising costs in dense international centers leave fewer choices for steady routines and outdoor access. Billings keeps property taxes at an average of $2,800 a year for a two-bedroom unit, a figure that has held steady since the 2024 reassessment.
Riverfront and downtown links
The Heights neighborhood along Grand Avenue places residents within two blocks of the Billings Public Library senior reading circle, which meets every Tuesday at 10 a.m. on Montana Avenue. Two blocks farther sits the ZooMontana senior volunteer program, where participants help with animal observation logs on weekday mornings. These sites sit inside the same zip code, unlike many global cities that require separate trips across traffic grids.
Local records show 1,450 residents joined one or both programs in the first half of 2026, up from 1,260 the prior year. Monthly rents for one-bedroom units near these spots average $1,050, compared with $3,200 in comparable central districts of Chicago or London.
Next steps for interested residents
Call Billings Retirement Services at its office on 4th Street West to book a July 15 tour that covers both the library circle and the zoo program. Staff schedule visits between 9 a.m. and noon on weekdays through the end of the month.