Billings is the largest city in the US state of Montana, with an estimated population of 109,550 as of 2018. The seat of Yellowstone County and the main city of the Billings Metropolitan Area, which has a population of 171,677, is located in the south-central part of the state. Billings was called the "Magic City" due to its rapid growth from its founding in March 1882 as a railroad town. For one of the largest U.S. exchange areas. The city hosts a number of conventions, concerts, sporting events, and other gatherings, with more hotel rooms than any place within a five-state region. Thanks to its strategic position, Billings' future as a major commercial and distribution center was practically assured from its establishment as a railway hub.