Bismarck receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Bismarck
Bend
Opportunity
81 · Top 7%
vs61 · Top 38%
Growth
61 · Top 32%
vs83 · Top 5%
Climate
50 · Bottom 3%
vs63 · Bottom 40%
Physical resilience
52 · Bottom 46%
vs59 · Top 45%
Housing affordability
93 · Bottom 46%
vs57 · Bottom 5%
Access
0 · Bottom 1%
vs3 · Bottom 2%
Economic stability
91 · Top 3%
vs65 · Top 32%
Measured values
| Metric | Bismarck | Bend | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 136,216 | 257,814 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $85,156 | $89,788 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $45,991 | $50,147 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 32/sq mi | 33/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $306,400 | $602,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,021 | $1,697 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 72.2% | 70.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.3% | 4.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.6% | -0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.3% | 40.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.9% | 9.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 399 | 2,882 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.9 | 11.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -2.7% | 11.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 2°F | 25°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 19.1" | 8.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 197 mi | 115 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.5 min | 22.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.4 | 43.0 | 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
Bismarck
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Bend
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire.
Full profiles: Bismarck, ND Metro Area · Bend, OR Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology