City profile · North Dakota · Census ACS 2023

Bismarck, ND

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Bismarck - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

74,146
Residents
$77,608
Median income
$291,400
Median home
$1,175
Median rent (state)

Bismarck - the verdict

Bismarck ranks in the 59th percentile for household income and the 20th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

59th
percentile, household income
64th
percentile, home value
34th
percentile, median rent
20th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Bismarck, ND

Bismarck is a small city in North Dakota, home to 74,146 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Bismarck brings in $77,608 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 6.3%. Typical homes in Bismarck are valued around $291,400, and the median resident age is 38.2 years. About 38.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 62.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 236 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 31% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 2677.9 in FBI UCR data, near the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 43.1°F with 19.1 inches of precipitation per year and 50.5 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in North Dakota run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts North Dakota at 89.0 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Below Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,175 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in North Dakota run around $200, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Commute times here average 14.4 minutes, with 81.1% driving alone and 7.0% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 85.1 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

74,146 residents

Census ACS 2023 - North Dakota

Median Household Income

$77,608 /yr

Poverty 6.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

89.0 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, North Dakota average

How does Bismarck compare to other US cities?

Here's how Bismarck stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 59% higher than other cities
Home value 64% pricier than other cities
Median rent 34% pricier than other cities
Safety 20% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at North Dakota, Bismarck ranks #18 of 21 North Dakota cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Bismarck against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to North Dakota only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

North Dakota-relative analysis

Median Home Value is Bismarck's strongest outlier among North Dakota cities

Among the 226 North Dakota cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Bismarck ranks #14 - the 94th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Bismarck only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#76 of 227
67th percentile in North Dakota
Median Gross Rent
#14 of 246
89th percentile in North Dakota
Median Home Value
#14 of 226
94th percentile in North Dakota
Poverty Rate
#110 of 246
54th percentile in North Dakota
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#18 of 246
93rd percentile in North Dakota

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within North Dakota only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

59thIncome percentile
20thSafety percentile

59th percentile nationally for median household income · 20th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Bismarck's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Bismarck's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 43 Avg. percentile National median
Bismarck's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Bismarck's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$291,400 36th percentile more affordable than 36% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). This entry sits in this band. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Bismarck $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Bismarck, ND Bismarck, ND's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Bismarck, ND-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Bismarck, ND median $77,608/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Bismarck, ND's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Bismarck, ND. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 38.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 6.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 62.5%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
74,146
Median Income
$77,608
Median Home Value
$291,400
Median Age
38.2
Poverty Rate
6.3%
Labor force participation
62.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
38.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2677.9
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
278.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2399.9
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
43.1°F
Annual Precipitation
19.1"
Annual Snowfall
50.5"

Schools

Total Schools
28
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
72,000 residents74,000 residents76,000 residents78,000 residents80,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 73,741 residents 77,963 residents ▲ +5.7%
Bismarck's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
236
housing units authorized
Single-Family
185
detached homes
Multifamily
51
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
3.2
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 344
2020 467
2021 542
2022 448
2023 179
2024 236

Permit volume decreased 31% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
14.4 minutes
Drive Alone
81.1%
Carpool
8.5%
Public Transit
0.2%
Walk
2.0%
Work from Home
7.0%
Other
1.2%

Based on 37,248 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for North Dakota - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$90
avg/month
Natural Gas
$70
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$40
avg/month
Total Utilities
$200
estimated/month

Estimates reflect North Dakota state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a North Dakota state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Bismarck sits in

Cost of Living Index
89.0
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,175/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
85.1 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in North Dakota

Grand Forks
58,882 people
Minot
47,922 people
West Fargo
39,325 people
Williston
27,964 people
Dickinson
25,216 people
Mandan
24,293 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Bismarck's 74,146 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Lauderhill, FL
73,961 people
Bolingbrook, IL
73,813 people
Ellicott, MD
73,737 people
Bowling Green, KY
73,638 people
Rock Hill, SC
74,769 people
Jacksonville, NC
73,507 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Bismarck's $77,608 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Lebanon South, PA
$77,608 median income
Hillcrest, IL
$77,609 median income
Monterey Park, CA
$77,605 median income
Lostine, OR
$77,604 median income
Bellflower, CA
$77,602 median income
Stockett, MT
$77,614 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Bismarck, ND Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Bismarck, ND - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 84.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 3.2% White 84.8% Black or African American 2.5% Asian 1.0% American Indian 5.0% Native Hawaiian 0.3% Some other race 0.9% Two or more races 5.4% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Bismarck compares to nearby North Dakota cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Bismarck (this city) 74,146 $77,608
Grand Forks 58,882 $63,838
Minot 47,922 $77,431
West Fargo 39,325 $96,877
Census ACS 5-year FIPS ND FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Bismarck, ND?

What is the population of Bismarck, ND? +

74,146 people live in Bismarck, ND according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Bismarck, ND? +

Median annual household income in Bismarck runs $77,608, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Bismarck? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Bismarck; the closest available measure is the North Dakota state average, a cost of living index of 89.0 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within North Dakota vary by metro area.

Is Bismarck, ND safe? +

Bismarck has a total crime rate of 2677.9 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Bismarck, ND? +

Homes in Bismarck carry a median value of $291,400, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Bismarck? +

The average annual temperature in Bismarck runs 43.1°F, 19.1 inches of precipitation, and 50.5 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

Verify with HUD →

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.