Uprootmap
Rapid City vs Bismarck
Rapid City and Bismarck
Photo: Bobak Ha'Eri / Wikimedia, CC BY 3.0
Assumed income $83,730, same in both cities. Example, until you change it.
Other cities
So you know: homicide deaths in Bismarck are under the US rate in this release, 1.8 versus 6.5 per 100,000. CDC via County Health Rankings, CDC NVSS 2017–2023 (CHR 2025 release).
Why people look at Rapid City to Bismarck
IRS migration on this site does not list a filed flow from Rapid City to Bismarck above the cutoff in 2022-2023.
A one-bedroom asking rent is about $1,138 in Rapid City and $1,084 in Bismarck. Rapid City has no state tax on wages. Bismarck has a state tax on wages. Local pay in Bismarck is 102% of the national level for the same work, against 88% in Rapid City.
Bismarck averages 196 sunny days, with July highs around 82°F and January nights around 11°F. Rapid City is 237 sunny days, 86°F in July, 18°F in January. Commutes average 18 minutes in Bismarck and 20 in Rapid City.
These figures are projections built from available public data. Conditions change, and the numbers may not reflect current prices, taxes, or immigration rules. Check official sources before you make decisions.
Who already made this move
The IRS did not publish a large enough Rapid City → Bismarck pair for 2022-2023. That usually means fewer than a few dozen tax returns, not that nobody moved.
Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration. Not a moving company; not a recommendation.
The monthly number is take-home pay minus rent and the other bills. The gap between Rapid City and Bismarck changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this.
What the move itself costs
About 250 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.
- Full-service mover
- $1,800–$3,400
- Container or pod
- $1,200–$2,300
- Rent a truck
- $500–$950
Explore more
Dig into Bismarck
Questions
Is Bismarck cheaper than Rapid City after tax and rent?
Yes. Bismarck leaves about $10 more a month, so the cost of living is lower there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $1,138 in Rapid City and $1,084 in Bismarck.
Does Bismarck have state income tax?
Bismarck is in North Dakota, which taxes wage income.
Did people actually move from Rapid City to Bismarck?
Yes, when the IRS published that flow. The count and their average income are on this page. Leftover prices the same household in both cities.