Bismarck, named the "7th fastest growing small city" by Forbes in 2014, is known for its recent growth, as the center of retail and health care businesses for North and South Dakota, as well as its vast array of recreational activities and large number of amenities. The second largest city in North Dakota after Fargo, Bismarck is the ideal place for you and your family to rent an apartment and live a prosperous and productive life.
Bismarck, originally founded in 1878, is currently experiencing a population growth due to the retail, food and professional businesses that have settled in the downtown area over the last decade. Currently, there are over 64,000 people living in the city. The Cathedral District is the oldest neighborhood in downtown. It is lined with beautiful American Oak trees and some buildings that date back to the late 1800's.
If you rent an apartment in the downtown neighborhood, you will find that there are no shortage of shopping opportunities. The Gateway Fashion Mall is the largest retailer in the community. Northbrook Mall, Pinehurst Square and Arrowhead Plaza have stores like Old Navy, Men's Warehouse, David's Bridal, Kobe's and Best Buy to fill your shopping needs. Kirkwood Mall also has more than 100 stores to shop til you drop from exhaustion.
Recreational activities are a big part of the community. The famous Hawktree Golf Club is one of the busiest golfing centers in the city. The Bismarck Civic Center is home to the Dakota Wizards, a professional basketball team. You can also catch the Bismarck Bobcats at the VFW Sports Center. Outdoor recreational events include the United Tribes International Pow Wow, which has more than 70 different Native tribes that participate every September and the Folkfest Celebration. In addition, the Frontier Army Days, the Spring Blossoms Craft Fair, Wild n' Wooly Wing Ding and the Missouri River Festival are always popular events to attend if you rent in the area.
Getting around the city is easy because Capital Area Transit System runs bus lines in the city. You can catch a plane at the Municipal Airport if you need to get out of town. The Burlington North and Santa Fe Railway (BNSF) also operate in the city.
If you rent in the city, you will find that there are plenty of opportunities to get a good education. Bismarck State College, the University of Mary, Rasmussen College and United Tribes Technical College are all located in the neighborhood. Sanford Health also has a nursing school in the city.
Finding a job in the city is not a problem with employment in the medical, retail and education sectors regularly hiring. The largest employers are Sanford Health, the State of North Dakota, St. Alexius Medical Center and Walmart. The U.S. Government also employs hundreds of people from the city.