Living in Bismarck, ND
Small city in North Dakota
Bismarck is a small city in North Dakota, home to about 74,000 people, with 105,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, most trips are by car. Life moves at a slow, calm pace, and homes are mostly apartments.
Is Bismarck a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Mild summers: highs around 79°F
- Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $342k and rents for $1,630 a month
- Safe: violent crime is 0.8× the US rate (FBI 2019)
- Low taxes: about $546 state income tax per resident, 0.99% property tax
👎 Cons
- Smaller job market: about 105,000 people live within 31 mi
- Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
- Fewer outdoor escapes: no big hills or water close by
- Fewer graduates: 39% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Bismarck ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Bismarck: common questions
What is the cost of living in Bismarck?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $342k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,630 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 91, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Bismarck?
North Dakota collects about $546 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.99% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Bismarck safe?
Violent crime is close to the national rate (0.8× in FBI 2019 data).
What is the weather like in Bismarck?
Bismarck has long, snowy winters: winter days average around 25°F and summer days around 79°F, with roughly 51″ of snow a year.
Does Bismarck get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from flooding, cold waves and hail: 6 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 2.1 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Bismarck?
The nearest major airport is MSP, about 387 mi away.
How Bismarck scores
Each bar compares Bismarck with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
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Is Bismarck right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.