Bismarck vs Duluth
The short version
- Duluth is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 2% lower than in the Bismarck area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $242,700 in Duluth and $300,300 in Bismarck.
- Households earn more in Bismarck ($78,387 vs $68,807 median).
- Duluth gets far more snow: 90 inches a year vs 51.
- Bismarck is growing faster: +5.9% since 2020 vs +1.7%.
Side by side
| Bismarck, ND | Duluth, MN | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 77,963 | 88,330 |
| Growth since 2020 | +5.9% | +1.7% |
| People per square mile | 2,248 | 1,233 |
| Median age | 38.9 | 35.2 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39% | 44% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $78,387 | $68,807 |
| Median home value | $300,300 | $242,700 |
| Home value to income | 3.8× | 3.5× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $999 | $1,087 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 91.0 | 88.8 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 84.0 | 71.1 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $68,300 | $66,600 |
| Homeowners | 66% | 59% |
| Top state income tax | 2.5% | 9.85% |
| Combined sales tax | 7.09% | 8.14% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 15.6 | 17.3 |
| Work from home | 8% | 13% |
| Take public transit | 0% | 3% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 2.5% | 4.7% |
| Poverty rate | 9.3% | 16.8% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 23° / 2° | 20° / 2° |
| July high / low | 85° / 58° | 78° / 56° |
| Precipitation per year | 19 in | 31 in |
| Snowfall per year | 51 in | 90 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 20 | 2 |
| Nights below freezing | 184 | 177 |
| Comfortable months | 5 | 4 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 85.1 | 91.6 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 77% | 66% |
| Home prices, past year | +6.2% | +4% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +33.8% | +48.7% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Bismarck: May to September. Duluth: June to September.
Full monthly tables: Bismarck weather by month and Duluth weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $68,300 in Bismarck and $66,600 in Duluth. Moving from Bismarck to Duluth, you would need about $73,100 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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