Sample data. These scores are illustrative placeholders, not real measurements — live scores arrive when the data pipeline runs.
Where Bismarck lands on the scale
Every city is graded on the same 0–100 Fun Score, split into five bands from quiet to exceptional — here is where Bismarck sits.
How the Fun Score adds up
The Fun Score is one number with two halves — 16 things that make Bismarck fun, minus 7 that wear it down. Here is the arithmetic.
16 things that lift the score, blended onto 0–100
7 things that wear it down, blended onto 0–100
- Fun factors lift it
- –
- Drawbacks pull it down
- –
- Raw composite
- –
- Fun Score placed on the published 0–100 scale
- –
Only 40% of the drawback total is subtracted — even a great city can carry a few flaws. Every factor below spells its contribution out as an equation — score times weight. Those 23 contributions are the building blocks behind the two totals above (each is rounded for display).
The Fun breakdown
Every factor is scored 0–100 against the other cities in the index.
Bismarck's strongest factors are Outdoors, Drinks and Culture. Its heaviest drawbacks are Weather Extremes, Air Quality and Crime.
On every bar, the marker shows the typical city — the median score across the whole index.
What lifts the score
- Eats –
Restaurants, food halls and the depth of the dining scene.
Measured from OpenStreetMap restaurant counts, with Google Places ratings adjusting for venue quality.
- Drinks –
Bars, breweries, cocktail rooms and the nightlife spread.
Measured from OpenStreetMap bars, pubs, nightclubs and craft breweries/distilleries, with Google Places ratings adjusting for venue quality.
- Coffee –
Cafés and the strength of the third-place coffee culture.
Measured from OpenStreetMap café counts, with Google Places ratings adjusting for venue quality.
-
Music venues and how often live shows actually happen.
Measured from Ticketmaster and SeatGeek show listings, plus OpenStreetMap music venues.
-
Notable people the city is known for, plus headliner acts that tour through.
Measured from SeatGeek headliner popularity and Wikidata notable residents (rank-blended).
- Outdoors –
Parks, beaches and easy access to nature.
Measured from OpenStreetMap parks, nature reserves, playgrounds and beaches, plus National Park Service units and Recreation.gov federal facilities.
- Culture –
Museums, theatres, galleries and arts institutions.
Measured from OpenStreetMap museums, galleries and theatres plus geo-tagged Wikipedia landmarks, with Google Places ratings adjusting for venue quality.
- Events –
Festivals, fairs and a packed year-round events calendar.
Measured from Ticketmaster and SeatGeek festivals, fairs and ticketed events.
- Sports –
Pro and college teams and the game-day energy around them.
Measured from Ticketmaster and SeatGeek pro and college games, plus OpenStreetMap stadiums, sports centres and fitness centres.
-
Escape rooms, arcades, trampoline parks and karaoke spots.
Measured from OpenStreetMap escape rooms, arcades, trampoline parks and karaoke venues, with Google Places ratings adjusting for venue quality.
-
How much the city is talked about and searched for — news and search attention.
Measured from GDELT news tone and Google Trends search interest (each percentile-ranked, then averaged).
- Climate –
How often the weather is good enough to get outside.
Measured from NOAA climate normals — counts of comfortable days.
-
How well a person without a car can move around the city.
Measured from GTFS schedules via Transit.land, the Federal Transit Administration National Transit Database and US Census ACS B08301 commuter mode share.
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Density of fun within walking distance — sidewalks, intersections, mixed-use blocks.
Measured from EPA National Walkability Index (block-group resolution, population-weighted to the city).
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Density of college and university students — the engine behind a college town.
Measured from NCES Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) full-time-equivalent enrollment and US Census ACS age cohort data.
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Protected bike lanes and a working public bikeshare system.
Measured from OpenStreetMap protected cycleway segments and the MobilityData GBFS bikeshare-feed catalog.
What weighs it down
- Crime –
Reported violent and property crime rates.
Measured from FBI Crime Data Explorer and city open-data crime portals.
- Traffic –
Congestion and the time lost to commuting.
Measured from US Census commute-time data (ACS).
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Recent particulate matter and ozone levels — a trailing-week air-quality average.
Measured from EPA AirNow and OpenAQ pollution readings (seven-day trailing average).
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Exposure to natural hazards and severe events.
Measured from FEMA National Risk Index.
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Punishing heat, cold and storm extremes.
Measured from NOAA Storm Events and climate-extremes data.
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Cost of living and housing pressure on residents.
Measured from Bureau of Labor Statistics unemployment, HUD Fair Market Rent and US Census median income plus poverty rate.
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What a typical night out actually costs in this metro.
Measured from Bureau of Labor Statistics regional Consumer Price Index — food away from home, recreation services and transportation services.
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Cities like Bismarck
The Bismarck read Free
A written read on Bismarck, grounded in the data
A plain-English analysis of why Bismarck scores the way it does — its standout strengths, where it falls short, who it suits best, and the cities most like it. Every figure is drawn from the same 23 factors on this page: it narrates the measured data, it never invents a number.
Bismarck, ND: A Quiet City with Excellent Outdoors Opportunities
Bismarck, ND earns a Fun Score of 26, placing it in the "Quiet" category, and stands out nationally for its remarkably low cost of going out.
Why it scores high
Bismarck shines when it comes to enjoying the natural world, with its Outdoors scene scoring 73, ranking it 37th nationally out of 134 cities. This high score suggests abundant access to parks, nature reserves, and other outdoor recreational facilities. For those who appreciate a good drink, Bismarck offers a solid Drinks scene, scoring 47 and tying for 71st nationally. This indicates a decent selection of bars, pubs, nightclubs, and craft breweries or distilleries. The city also offers a respectable level of Culture, with a score of 45 and a national rank of 74. This suggests a moderate presence of museums, galleries, and theaters, alongside notable landmarks.
Beyond its positive lifestyle factors, Bismarck stands out for its affordability and safety. The city boasts an exceptional Going-Out Cost score of 92, tying for 1st nationally. This means that dining out, recreation, and transportation are significantly more affordable here compared to most other cities. Furthermore, Bismarck offers a high degree of safety, with a Crime score of 74, tying for 35th nationally. This indicates a relatively low crime rate, contributing to a sense of security for residents and visitors. The city also experiences minimal Traffic, with a score of 95, tying for 7th nationally, suggesting easy commutes and less time spent in congestion.
Where it falls short
While Bismarck offers strong points, it has areas where it doesn't perform as well. The city's Live Music scene scores a low 2, tying for 131st nationally, indicating very limited options for live performances. Similarly, Transit Quality is also low, scoring 2 and ranking 131st nationally, suggesting that public transportation options are not extensive. The city's Climate score is 4, ranking 129th nationally, which points to a limited number of comfortable days throughout the year. Additionally, the city experiences significant Weather Extremes, scoring 10 and tying for 125th nationally, indicating a higher likelihood of severe weather events. The Air Quality also scores low at 15, ranking 115th nationally, which suggests that the air quality could be a concern.
Who it's for
Bismarck is ideal for individuals who prioritize outdoor activities, a low cost of living, and a safe environment, and who don't mind a quieter pace of life with fewer options for live entertainment or extensive public transit.
Cities like it
- Sioux Falls, SD is similar in offering a balance of outdoor access and a more relaxed urban experience.
- Oklahoma City, OK shares a comparable overall fun score and a focus on affordability.
- Wichita, KS also presents a similar profile for those seeking a quiet city with a focus on practical living.
Sources
- OpenStreetMap restaurant counts, with Google Places ratings adjusting for venue quality
- OpenStreetMap bars, pubs, nightclubs and craft breweries/distilleries, with Google Places ratings adjusting for venue quality
- OpenStreetMap café counts, with Google Places ratings adjusting for venue quality
- Ticketmaster and SeatGeek show listings, plus OpenStreetMap music venues
- SeatGeek headliner popularity and Wikidata notable residents (rank-blended)
- OpenStreetMap parks, nature reserves, playgrounds and beaches, plus National Park Service units and Recreation.gov federal facilities
- OpenStreetMap museums, galleries and theatres plus geo-tagged Wikipedia landmarks, with Google Places ratings adjusting for venue quality
- Ticketmaster and SeatGeek festivals, fairs and ticketed events
- Ticketmaster and SeatGeek pro and college games, plus OpenStreetMap stadiums, sports centres and fitness centres
- OpenStreetMap escape rooms, arcades, trampoline parks and karaoke venues, with Google Places ratings adjusting for venue quality
- GDELT news tone and Google Trends search interest (each percentile-ranked, then averaged)
- NOAA climate normals — counts of comfortable days
- GTFS schedules via Transit.land, the Federal Transit Administration National Transit Database and US Census ACS B08301 commuter mode share
- EPA National Walkability Index (block-group resolution, population-weighted to the city)
- NCES Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) full-time-equivalent enrollment and US Census ACS age cohort data
- OpenStreetMap protected cycleway segments and the MobilityData GBFS bikeshare-feed catalog
- FBI Crime Data Explorer and city open-data crime portals
- US Census commute-time data (ACS)
- EPA AirNow and OpenAQ pollution readings (seven-day trailing average)
- FEMA National Risk Index
- NOAA Storm Events and climate-extremes data
- Bureau of Labor Statistics unemployment, HUD Fair Market Rent and US Census median income plus poverty rate
- Bureau of Labor Statistics regional Consumer Price Index — food away from home, recreation services and transportation services
This narrative is generated by AI from CityFunIndex's measured data. The Fun Scores, ranks and raw values are computed deterministically; the wording around them is the model's. Verify any figure against the linked city page.
Go deeper
Use the data
Bismarck’s Fun Score and every factor score are available through the licensed CityFunIndex API — clean JSON, metered one call per city record, behind a paid key.
Cite this page
Paste-ready credit line for journalists, researchers and bloggers. Carries the score, the algorithm version and the canonical URL so readers can verify it themselves.
CityFunIndex Fun Score for Bismarck, ND: 26/100 (v2.1.0-dev). https://cityfunindex.com/city/bismarck-nd
Press, research and partnership enquiries: media kit · api@cityfunindex.com.