Why Bismarck, North Dakota is a Great Place to Live

Just recently, the national News Organization, CNN ranked Bismarck, North Dakota number 74 in the top 100 best places to live in 2010. Besides having such a great ranking, Bismarck has also been dubbed, "The least stressful town in America."

CNN ranks American cities by looking at several factors, such as the economy, home prices, crime rates, family incomes, reading and math test scores. They look for small cities that have plenty of jobs, great schools, safe streets, low crime, lots to do, charm, and other features that make a town great for raising a family.They said Bismarck is a "safe, thriving community with so much to offer."

It wouldn't surprise me in the least that as more and more people discover Bismarck, it's ranking will increase. But what about Bismarck's frigid winters? Yes, it gets cold, darn cold. But we like to think that making it through our winters only makes us stronger.

By the way, two other North Dakota cities also made the top 100 - Fargo rated 86th and Grand Forks rated 97th.

I have lived in Bismarck twice in my lifetime. The first time, I moved here from the Northwest corner of the state after finding my dream job of working at an agricultural publication. It was perfect for me since I had a degree in communications along with a minor in animal and range sciences. I was in my mid-twenties, single and lived with two other girls in a townhouse. At the time, Bismarck was an okay place to live.

Fast forward about five years and I found myself living in Bismarck once again. This time, though the circumstances were much different as I was married and had a baby. We decided to move to this area from my small hometown of about 1500 people. Our small community did not have the medical resources to allow us to take the best care possible for our daughter who had been born prematurely and had cerebral palsy.

We knew Bismarck was a great place for our daughter because she had been in the NICU there for about two months. We were really impressed with the care she received. We were equally impressed by the community's support, especially at the Ronald McDonald House where we practically lived for those two months.

Since living here for the past six years, we have seen a wonderful and supportive community. There have been numerous community-wide benefits to help those who have acquired a large number of medical bills due to cancer treatments or extended hospital stays. This community really cares about one another.

We also see that same community support during fundraisers. It seems each year, the amount of money raised during fundraisers surpasses that of the year before - even in the current economy.

Some local fundraisers include:

• Relay for Life - raises money for the American Cancer Society
• Great American Bike Race - raises money for kids with cerebral palsy and related disabilities
• Sam McQuade Sr./Budweiser Charity Softball Tournament - raises money for local charities
• Kroll's Diner Bismarck Marathon - raises money for area charities
• Apple Dash Run/Walk 4 Education - raises money for Bismarck Public Schools

Besides being such a supportive community, Bismarck tries to be family friendly as well. There are so many parks, so many family attractions and events and so many ways for families to do things together. I think this city really does put an emphasis on families and is a safe place to live.

Another thing I like about Bismarck is its conservative values. I like a city where people cause a ruckus about getting a local Hooters. I like that people have morals and are not afraid to stand up for them. I like living in a community where not just anything goes. For the most part, we are a community who is faithful to our values and traditions. I heard that there are over 700 churches in the area and I'm glad that these churches and the people who attend them have an influence.

Another reason I think Bismarck is such a great place to live is because there is no shortage of entertainment. There is always something going happening. There are several restaurants, bars, parks, shopping opportunities, historical attractions and recreational areas including the Missouri River.

There is also the Bismarck Civic Center which hosts sporting events, concerts, car and truck shows, Broadway plays, art and craft fairs, church events and nationally-known speakers.

There truly is a never-ending list of things to do in Bismarck.

• Bismarck was founded in 1872 and has been the capitol of North Dakota since it became a state in 1886
• The record high temperature is 114 degrees while the record cold temperature is negative 45 degrees
• Bismarck gets an average of 49.3 inches of snowfall a year
• The top ancestry in Bismarck is of German descent
• The State of North Dakota is the largest employer in Bismarck with about 4,300 employees
• There is a total of 2,300 acres of public park land in the city
• There are five golf courses in Bismarck
• The Bismarck Bobcats of the North American Hockey League won its first championship in 2010
• Bismarck, North Dakota holds the world record for the most snow angels made in one place with 8,962 snow angels in February 2007

• 10. Rogers, Arkansas
• 9. Ames, Iowa
• 8. Fishers, Indiana
• 7. Overland Park, Kansas
• 6. Fort Collins, Colorado
• 5. McKinney, Texas
• 4. Bellevue, Washington
• 3. Newton, Massachusetts
• 2. Columbia/Ellicott City, Maryland
• 1. Eden Prairie, Minnesota