Fargo vs Bismarck
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $281,900 in Fargo and $300,300 in Bismarck.
- Households earn more in Bismarck ($78,387 vs $66,998 median).
- Bismarck has the warmer winter: January highs of 23°F vs 18°F.
- Fargo is growing faster: +8.2% since 2020 vs +5.9%.
Side by side
| Fargo, ND | Bismarck, ND | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 136,275 | 77,963 |
| Growth since 2020 | +8.2% | +5.9% |
| People per square mile | 2,647 | 2,248 |
| Median age | 31.8 | 38.9 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 43% | 39% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $66,998 | $78,387 |
| Median home value | $281,900 | $300,300 |
| Home value to income | 4.2× | 3.8× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $946 | $999 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 90.9 | 91.0 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 81.1 | 84.0 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $68,200 | $68,300 |
| Homeowners | 44% | 66% |
| Top state income tax | 2.5% | 2.5% |
| Combined sales tax | 7.09% | 7.09% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 15.5 | 15.6 |
| Work from home | 10% | 8% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 0% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 3.8% | 2.5% |
| Poverty rate | 12.9% | 9.3% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 18° / 0° | 23° / 2° |
| July high / low | 82° / 59° | 85° / 58° |
| Precipitation per year | 24 in | 19 in |
| Snowfall per year | 51 in | 51 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 11 | 20 |
| Nights below freezing | 172 | 184 |
| Comfortable months | 5 | 5 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 82.4 | 85.1 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 76% | 77% |
| Home prices, past year | +4.2% | +6.2% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +35.6% | +33.8% |
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: Fargo: May to September. Bismarck: May to September.
Full monthly tables: Fargo weather by month and Bismarck weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $68,200 in Fargo and $68,300 in Bismarck. Moving from Fargo to Bismarck, you would need about $75,100 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Fargo and Bismarck
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Fargo and Bismarck.
Which would you pick?
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