Bismarck vs Williston
Bismarck, North Dakota versus Williston, North Dakota: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Bismarck and Williston score about the same overall (44 vs 46 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Bismarck | Williston |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $76k | $80k |
| Cost of Living | $43k | $48k |
| Home Value | $284k | $246k |
| Monthly Rent | $969 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.98% | 0.73% |
| Income Tax | 2.50% | 2.50% |
| Sales Tax | 7.04% | 7.04% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 8.47% | 7.04% |
| Unemployment | 3.1% | 2.9% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 13°F | 12°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 71°F | 70°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 20.0 in | 15.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 50.5 in | 48.2 in |
| Sunny Days | 239 days | 242 days |
| Summer Humidity | 58°F | 55°F |
| Comfortable Days | 63 days | 53 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 85.2 | 85.6 |
| Air Quality | 56 AQI | 19 AQI |
| School Quality | 63.4 | 50.2 |
| Violent Crime | 1847/100k | 2344/100k |
| Property Crime | 3374/100k | 2152/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 73,694 | 27,783 |
| Median Age | 38.0 | 31.4 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.25 | 0.38 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.99 | 1.15 |
| Political Leaning | R+42 | R+69 |
| White (%) | 85.1% | 73.5% |
| Black (%) | 2.5% | 7.2% |
| Hispanic (%) | 2.7% | 11.3% |
| Asian (%) | 1.0% | 1.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 8.7% | 6.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 16 min | 15 min |
| Walkability | 9.4/20 | 9.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 387 mi | 546 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 87.4% | 84.0% |
| Amenities Nearby | 17.10 | 10.08 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Bismarck or Williston more affordable?
- Bismarck has the lower cost of living: its index is $43k, compared with Bismarck's $43k and Williston's $48k. Median rent is $969 in Bismarck versus $1k in Williston.
- Is Bismarck or Williston safer?
- Bismarck has the lower violent crime rate. Bismarck reports 1847/100k and Williston reports 2344/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Bismarck or Williston?
- The median home value is $284k in Bismarck and $246k in Williston, so homes are more affordable in Williston.