Bismarck receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Bend
Bismarck
Opportunity
61 · Top 38%
vs81 · Top 7%
Growth
83 · Top 5%
vs61 · Top 32%
Climate
63 · Bottom 40%
vs50 · Bottom 3%
Physical resilience
59 · Top 45%
vs52 · Bottom 46%
Housing affordability
57 · Bottom 5%
vs93 · Bottom 46%
Access
3 · Bottom 2%
vs0 · Bottom 1%
Economic stability
65 · Top 32%
vs91 · Top 3%
Measured values
| Metric | Bend | Bismarck | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 257,814 | 136,216 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $89,788 | $85,156 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $50,147 | $45,991 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 33/sq mi | 32/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $602,600 | $306,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,697 | $1,021 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 70.6% | 72.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 2.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.5% | -0.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.4% | 36.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.5% | 7.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2,882 | 399 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 11.2 | 2.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 11.9% | -2.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 25°F | 2°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 8.5" | 19.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 115 mi | 197 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.1 min | 19.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.0 | 38.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Bend
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire.
Bismarck
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: Bend, OR Metro Area · Bismarck, ND Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology