Bismarck Illinois grade school, 2007
Bismarck’s story
153 years in pictures
Census counts: 1,380 in 1880, 582 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2007 and 2 maps from 1938 on.
- 1873Bismarck is settled
BismarckIL
A town of 577, settled in 1873.
Photo: Omnedon · Public domain
Population
577
2025 Census estimate · −1.2% since 2020
Typical home
$172K
+5.2% in a year
Household income
$80K
median
Median age
41.8
years
Jobs based here
186
A commuter town
Is Bismarck a good place to live?
27% of residents are under 18 in Bismarck, above both the Illinois town median (22%) and the median of U.S. towns (22%). Bismarck has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
577 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Bismarck: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Bismarck, and how to reach them.
PowerAmeren Illinois Company16.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterBismarck Community Water DistrictNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Bismarck’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Illinois you can register online until 16 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 28 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereVermilion County ClerkVermilion County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code6181461814 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Bismarck.
Housing
A home in Bismarck is worth about $172K, on Zillow’s estimate
Bismarck’s going rate for rent stands at $856 a month. Typical home values rose 5.2% in the year to September 2026. Among households locally, 82% own their home.
$172KZillow home value
| Bismarck | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $856 a month | $1,129 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 82% | 75% | 73% |
Typical home value
Bismarck$172K
Illinois$296K
+5.2%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commute
About one in three of Bismarck’s working residents commute to Danville
The average trip to work in Bismarck is 24 minutes. Commuting out is the norm in the town: 5% of working residents work locally. Also worth knowing: jobs based in Bismarck grew to 186 in 2023, 181 more than in 2013. The top destinations are Danville (37%), Danville Township (7%) and Tilton (4%).
5%work in town
| Bismarck | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 24 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 4.9% | 8.3% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Bismarck5%
Danville37%
Danville Township7%
Tilton4%
Champaign4%
10 mi
median commute distance
186
jobs based in Bismarck
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
In Bismarck, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
In July, afternoons reach 85°; in January, nights fall to 18°, and about 15 inches of snow falls in a winter.
15″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter21–37°
Spring40–63°
Summer62–84°
Fall43–65°
Oct 20
typical first frost
Apr 21
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Bismarck is
The share of adults in Bismarck who have high blood pressure: 38%. The town beats the Illinois average on 3 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 6. 41% of adults have obesity locally, where Illinois’ towns sit at 37% and U.S. towns at 35%.
| Bismarck | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 37% | 35% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 35% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 16% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 22% | 23% |
32 measures vs. Illinois
3 better23 too close to call6 worse
| What stands out | Bismarck | IL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 6.9% | 9.9% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 12.6% | 15.9% |
| More adults with COPD | 7.9% | 6.3% |
OSF Sacred Heart Medical Center
8.8 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
Top of a moderate hazard risk in Bismarck: inland flooding
Of the losses FEMA expects in Bismarck, 49% come from inland flooding and 21% from cold waves. Storm and flood damage is expected to run higher than in 58% of U.S. communities.
58risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Bismarck
16pages on Bismarck
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Bismarck
Lakeview College of NursingUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Danville8.5 miDanville Area Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Danville9.2 mi$4,440 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Bismarck residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Illinois.
A commuter town
95% of working residents leave Bismarck for work
Where Bismarck’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
186jobs based in Bismarck
5%of working residents work in town
10 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Bismarck
Village in Illinois, United States
Bismarck is a village in Newell Township, Vermilion County, Illinois, United States. It is part of the Danville, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 582 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1873
- Area
- 0.7 sq mi
- Elevation
- 646 ft
- ZIP code
- 61814
Questions about Bismarck
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Bismarck, IL a good place to live?
Bismarck has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.