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Economy of Billings


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The geographic location of Billings was essential to its economic success. It is the center of a large area, bordered by Minneapolis, Minnesota to the east and Seattle, Washington to the west, Calgary, Alberta (Canada) to the north and Denver, Colorado to the south. Billings' future as a major trade and distribution center was basically assured from its founding as a railroad hub due to its geographic location. As Billings quickly became the region's economic hub it outgrew the other cities in the region. Billings trade area is geographically one of the largest trade areas in the United States. The Billings trade area serves over a half million people. A major trade and distribution center, the city is home to many regional headquarters and corporate headquarters. With Montana having no sales tax, Billings is a retail destination for much of Wyoming, North and South Dakota as well as most of Montana. $1 out of every $7 spent on retail purchases in Montana is being spent in Billings.The percentage of wholesale business transactions done in Billings is even stronger, Billings accounts for more than a quarter of the wholesale business for the entire state, these figures do not include Billings portion of sales for Wyoming and the Dakotas. Billings is an energy center; Billings sits amidst the largest coal reserves in the United States as well as large oil and natural gas fields.

In 2009, Fortune Small Business magazine named Billings the best small city in which to start a business. Billings has a diverse economy including a large and rapidly growing medical corridor that includes inpatient and outpatient health care. Billiings has a large service sector including retail, hospitality and entertainment. The metro area is also home to 3 oil refineries, a sugar beet refining plant, a coal fire generation plant, commercial and residential construction, building materials manufacturing and distribution, professional services, financial services, banking, trucking,
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