Skip to main content
Data from U.S. Census Bureau · 2026 · Methodology
CitySpend

Bismarck, ND

Population: 73,694 (2022) · Small Cities (50K–100K)

C
60/100

Average fiscal health — some areas of concern

Total Spending
$1.0B
Per Capita
$14,170
Total Revenue
$1.9B
Total Debt
$110.4M

Spending Breakdown

Other
25.4%$265.2M
Housing & Community Development
25.3%$264.6M
Utilities
15.9%$166.0M
Public Welfare
11.2%$116.5M
Parks & Recreation
7.5%$78.5M
Interest on Debt
5.1%$53.4M
Fire Protection
4.7%$48.9M
Health
2.9%$29.8M
Sewerage
1.0%$10.5M
Highways & Roads
0.9%$9.0M
Hospitals
0.2%$1.9M

Spending data sourced from the Census Bureau's Annual Survey of State & Local Government Finances. Per-capita comparisons use the Lincoln Institute's Fiscally Standardized Cities methodology for fair cross-city benchmarking.

Revenue Sources

Sales Tax
3.9%$73.6M
Income Tax
5.2%$98.8M
Intergovernmental
22.1%$416.7M
Charges & Fees
10.4%$195.4M
Other
14.2%$267.2M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Fire Protection$663/person
Highways & Roads$123/person
Parks & Recreation$1,065/person
Health$404/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)66/100
Debt Burden (20%)0/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)88/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)100/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Debt Overview

Total Debt$110.4M
Long-Term Debt$495.2M
Debt Per Capita$1,499
Cash & Securities$8.4M

Compare Cities

See how Bismarck stacks up against another city.

vs Fargo, NDvs Grand Forks, ND
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in North Dakota

Fargo, ND

Pop. 127K

C
Total Spending
$1.7B
Per Capita
$13,250

Grand Forks, ND

Pop. 59K

C
Total Spending
$368.0M
Per Capita
$6,244

Compare Bismarck With

Fargo, ND

Spending: $13,250/person · Grade: C

Grand Forks, ND

Spending: $6,244/person · Grade: C

Frequently Asked Questions

Bismarck, ND spends $14,170 per resident, based on total expenditures of $1.0B for a population of 73,694. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of C (60/100).

Bismarck, ND has total expenditures of $1.0B and total revenue of $1.9B. The city carries $110.4M in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

Bismarck, ND employs 0 government workers, of which 0 are full-time. The average government salary is $0, with 0.0 employees per 10,000 residents.

Bismarck, ND has a Fiscal Health Score of C (60/100). This score evaluates budget balance, debt burden, pension funding, spending efficiency, revenue diversity, and 3-year fiscal trajectory compared to peer cities of similar population.

Last updated: