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Compare towns

Bismarck vs Bourbon

43 miles apart. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+15.9 pts in Bourbon) and rent (+34% in Bourbon).

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Bismarck, MOOne of the healthiest townsMissouri · 1,508 people
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Bourbon, MOOne of the healthiest townsMissouri · 1,636 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

BismarckOne of the healthiest towns
Health99% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates SchoolsBetter than 12%of MO districts Housing$148K typical home45% below the MO typical home All about Bismarck →
BourbonOne of the healthiest towns
Health83% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Housing$165K typical home39% below the MO typical home SchoolsBetter than 69%of MO districts All about Bourbon →
The biggest differences

Where they differ most

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Growth since 2010+15.9 pts
Bourbon has grown faster since 2010
Bourbon -4%Bismarck -19.9%
Rent+34%
Rent runs higher in Bourbon
Bourbon $907Bismarck $676
Home values+27%
Homes cost more in Bourbon
Bourbon $136,800Bismarck $107,800
Jobs per worker+95%
Bourbon is more of a job hub
Bourbon 1.07Bismarck 0.55
Property tax bill+15%
Tax bills are bigger in Bourbon
Bourbon $1,024Bismarck $888
★ What stands out · Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Missouri ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety
–BismarckNot graded BBourbonSafer than 64% of U.S. towns
Schools
DBismarckBetter than 12% of districts in the state B+BourbonBetter than 69% of districts in the state
Health
D−BismarckHealthier than 1% of U.S. towns C−BourbonHealthier than 17% of U.S. towns
Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Bismarck$880/mo
Typical home $148K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.82% · or rent about $676/mo · Housing →
Bourbon$970/mo
Typical home $165K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.75% · or rent about $907/mo · Housing →

The difference: $90 a month, about $1,100 a year, between Bourbon and Bismarck.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
BismarckBourbon
Snow a year9″8″
January low23°F—
July high89°F—
Growing season (days)191d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)65th33rd
Outdoors & history
BismarckBourbon
Trails—0 mi
Conserved land—1.1%
Settled1877—
Archive photos14
Famous people born here11
Community
BismarckBourbon
Library hours a week—48 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

43 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

BismarckMOBourbonMO
Bismarck ↔ Bourbon43 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

BismarckBourbon
People
Population 1,508Lowest 1,636Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -19.9%Lowest MO: +2.8% -4%Highest MO: +2.8%
Median age 34±6.7Highest 13% below MO 33.7±4.7Lowest 14% below MO
Bismarck and Bourbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 33%±5.6Highest MO: 22.3% 23.5%±4.5Lowest MO: 22.3%
Bismarck and Bourbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 13.6%±3.1Lowest MO: 17.9% 16.1%±3.2Highest MO: 17.9%
Bourbon and Bismarck are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 16%Highest MO: 32.4% 15.3%Lowest MO: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.2%±1.8Lowest MO: 5.7% 5.3%±2.5Highest MO: 5.7%
Bourbon and Bismarck are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $40,250±$10kLowest 43% below MO $53,533±$16kHighest 24% below MO
Bourbon and Bismarck are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $107,800±$8kLowest 53% below MO $136,800±$21kHighest 41% below MO
Rentmedian gross, monthly $676±$68Lowest 35% below MO $907±$68Highest 12% below MO
Property taxmedian, yearly $888Lowest 54% below MO $1,024Highest 47% below MO
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 48.4%±18.3Highest MO: 45.6% 35.3%±13.8Lowest MO: 45.6%
Bismarck and Bourbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 20.3%Lowest MO: 12.6% 20.6%Highest MO: 12.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 57.7%Lowest MO: 68.1% 58.2%Highest MO: 68.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1972Lowest 6 yrs older than MO 1978Highest same as MO
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 31 minHighest 33% above MO 29 minLowest 25% above MO
Work from home 7.8%±4.7Highest MO: 13% 1.8%±1.7Lowest MO: 13%
Bismarck and Bourbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 6.3%Lowest 6.7%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 15.8 miLowest 22.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.55Lowest 1.07Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Farmington (22%)Sullivan (22%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in BourbonFew work in Bismarck
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0%Lowest 1.1%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.2 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 1Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 81.0Highest 70.2Lowest
Schools
School district BISMARCK R-VCRAWFORD CO. R-I
High school in town Bismarck R-V HighBourbon High School
Students per teacherat that high school 12.6Lowest 14.5Highest
Missouri average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Bismarck neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Bismarck’s Town Square.

Bourbon neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Bourbon’s Town Square.

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Towns like Bismarck

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Kahoka2,072 people · $100K homes
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Dixon1,334 people · $134K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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