Bismarck vs Iowa City
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $285,900 in Iowa City and $300,300 in Bismarck.
- Households earn more in Bismarck ($78,387 vs $58,546 median).
- Iowa City has the warmer winter: January highs of 31°F vs 23°F.
- Bismarck gets far more snow: 51 inches a year vs 28.
- Bismarck is growing faster: +5.9% since 2020 vs +1.9%.
Side by side
| Bismarck, ND | Iowa City, IA | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 77,963 | 76,229 |
| Growth since 2020 | +5.9% | +1.9% |
| People per square mile | 2,248 | 2,959 |
| Median age | 38.9 | 26.2 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39% | 61% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $78,387 | $58,546 |
| Median home value | $300,300 | $285,900 |
| Home value to income | 3.8× | 4.9× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $999 | $1,094 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 91.0 | 91.5 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 84.0 | 84.0 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $68,300 | $68,600 |
| Homeowners | 66% | 47% |
| Top state income tax | 2.5% | 3.8% |
| Combined sales tax | 7.09% | 6.94% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 15.6 | 17.3 |
| Work from home | 8% | 12% |
| Take public transit | 0% | 6% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 2.5% | 4.6% |
| Poverty rate | 9.3% | 26.3% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 23° / 2° | 31° / 15° |
| July high / low | 85° / 58° | 86° / 66° |
| Precipitation per year | 19 in | 36 in |
| Snowfall per year | 51 in | 28 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 20 | 19 |
| Nights below freezing | 184 | 135 |
| Comfortable months | 5 | 5 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 85.1 | 87.4 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 77% | 70% |
| Home prices, past year | +6.2% | +3% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +33.8% | +33.9% |
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. Iowa City: May and July to October.
Full monthly tables: Bismarck weather by month and Iowa City 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 $68,600 in Iowa City. Moving from Bismarck to Iowa City, you would need about $75,400 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.