Minot receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Minot
Bismarck
Opportunity
80 · Top 10%
vs81 · Top 7%
Growth
48 · Bottom 48%
vs61 · Top 32%
Climate
52 · Bottom 5%
vs50 · Bottom 3%
Physical resilience
88 · Top 7%
vs52 · Bottom 46%
Housing affordability
97 · Top 41%
vs93 · Bottom 46%
Access
0 · Bottom 1%
vs0 · Bottom 1%
Economic stability
80 · Top 14%
vs91 · Top 3%
Measured values
| Metric | Minot | Bismarck | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 76,484 | 136,216 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $78,200 | $85,156 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $42,764 | $45,991 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 16/sq mi | 32/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $254,000 | $306,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,039 | $1,021 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.8% | 72.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.4% | 2.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.4% | -0.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.6% | 36.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.7% | 7.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 168 | 399 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.2 | 2.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 34.4% | -2.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 4°F | 2°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 16.7" | 19.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 226 mi | 197 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.1 min | 19.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.2 | 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
Minot
Elevated or high exposure: winter weather, ice storm, wildfire.
Bismarck
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: Minot, ND Metro Area · Bismarck, ND Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology