Bismarck, Missouri, 2026
Bismarck’s story
158 years in pictures
Census counts: 285 in 1880, 1,239 in 2020. The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2026 and 2 maps from 1905 on.
- 1868Bismarck is laid out
BismarckMO
A town of 1,224, laid out in 1868.
Population
1,224
2025 Census estimate · −0.6% since 2020
Typical home
$148K
−0.1% in a year
Household income
$40K
median
Median age
34.0
years
Jobs based here
253
A commuter town
Is Bismarck a good place to live?
The best of Bismarck’s subject grades is an A for cost of living; the weakest is a D− for health. 33% of residents are under 18 in Bismarck, against 23% in Missouri’s towns and 22% across U.S. towns. Only 15 of Missouri’s 419 towns score lower on health. The median household income is $40K, and 20% of residents live below the poverty line. Only 39 of Missouri’s 419 towns score lower on the outdoors. Bismarck has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Bismarck stand out
Where Bismarck beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Typical home value
Bismarck$148K
Missouri$265K
Cost of livingA
2.6 years of income buys a home
More affordable than 89% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
32 measures vs. Missouri
0 better8 too close to call24 worse
| Widest gap | Bismarck | MO |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 15% | 8% |
Worth knowing · HealthD−
Less healthy than 99% of U.S. towns
Less healthyHealthier
CDC PLACES 2025 estimates.
A shrinking town
Bismarck has shrunk 20% since 2010
1,546 counted in 2010 and 1,239 in 2020; an estimated 1,224 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Bismarck grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Missouri), ordered by how far Bismarck is from typical.
HealthNear the bottom of U.S. towns on CDC estimates; Iron County Medical Center 10.1 miles awayD−Open →Jobs & income253 jobs based hereD−Open →Cost of livingAOpen →SchoolsDOpen →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listCOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.2 of 20; 11.1% of households have no car; 3.5% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsConserved land, trails and parksDOpen →HistoryLaid out 1868; 1 notable person born hereC+Open →Civic life2.3 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC+Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 34.0; 16% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades 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.
PowerUnion Electric13.3¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterBismarck PWSNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Bismarck’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Missouri you can register online until 27 days before Election Day, in person until 27 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 27 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereSt. FrancoisSt. Francois County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2021
ZIP code6362463624 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Bismarck.
HealthD−
Compared with most of Missouri and the rest of the country, more of Bismarck’s adults smoke cigarettes
28% of Bismarck adults smoke cigarettes, above both the Missouri town median (17%) and the median of U.S. towns (14%). 42% of adults get no exercise outside work in Bismarck. Bismarck beats the Missouri average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 24.
1%healthier than U.S. townsD−Health Grade
| Bismarck | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 17% | 14% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 15% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 30% | 25% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 12% | 12% |
32 measures vs. Missouri
0 better8 too close to call24 worse
| What stands out | Bismarck | MO |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 15% | 8% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 28.9% | 15.8% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 24.8% | 13.7% |
Iron County Medical Center
10.1 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SchoolsD
Public schools in Bismarck fall behind 88% of Missouri districts
Its public schools are run by the Bismarck R-V school district. Its two schools are below.
12%of MO districts it outscoresDSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bismarck R-V Elem.Largest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 207 | C− |
| Bismarck R-V HighLargest public high schoolGrades 6–12 | Grades 6–12 | 239 | D |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MO on state tests and graduation
HousingCost of living grade A
A typical Bismarck home is worth about $148K
The typical Bismarck home is worth about $148,000, about the same as a year ago, 44% below the Missouri typical home. Bismarck’s median rent is $676 a month.
$148KZillow home value
| Bismarck | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $676 a month | $971 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 58% | 64% | 73% |
Typical home value
Bismarck$148K
Missouri$265K
−0.1%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D−
Bismarck has 0.5 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Most working residents leave Bismarck for work: only 6% work in town. The average trip to work in Bismarck is 31 minutes. The top destinations are Farmington (22%), Park Hills (4%) and Potosi (4%).
6%work in town
| Bismarck | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 31 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $40,000 | $62,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 6.3% | 13% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Bismarck6%
Farmington22%
Park Hills4%
Potosi4%
Ironton3%
16 mi
median commute distance
253
jobs based in Bismarck
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 54% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
In Bismarck, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Bismarck has chilly winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 88°, January nights drop to 22° and about 9 inches of snow falls in a winter.
9″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter24–44°
Spring43–67°
Summer63–86°
Fall44–68°
Oct 21
typical first frost
Apr 13
typical last frost
+0.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C
Bismarck faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 65% of U.S. communities.
65risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHeat wavesEarthquakes
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Safety
Crime reported in Bismarck
Bismarck's reported crime rate is below Missouri's. 7 violent crimes were reported in 2025.
| Bismarck | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 5.7 per 1,000 residents | 2.2 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 8.2 per 1,000 residents | 12.5 | 9.9 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Bismarck5.7
Missouri4.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Bismarck8.2
Missouri16.9
U.S.15.5
7
violent crimes reported in 2025
10
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Bismarck
19pages on Bismarck
The big questions
SchoolsDBehind 88% of MO districts · 2 schoolsSafety5.7 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthD−Better than MO on 0 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingA$148K typical home · down 0.1% in a yearWork & commuteD−$40K median household income · 253 jobs hereNatural hazardsCFEMA risk higher than 65% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Bismarck
About 4 of every 100 Bismarck residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Missouri.
Small town
1,224 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
About Bismarck
City in Missouri, United States
Bismarck is a city in St. Francois County, Missouri, United States. As of the 2020 census, Bismarck had a population of 1,239.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1877
- Area
- 1.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,025 ft
- ZIP code
- 63624
- Area code
- 573
Questions about Bismarck
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Bismarck, MO expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A.