Relocation from Florida (Fargo, Bismarck, Mandan: sales, big home, wedding)

[yamahastar]

My wife and I thought we had decided on Rapid City, but the more we look at Bismarck, ND. the more we like it. I am sure you have had all my questions before, but I would like to ask some anyway. Any state income tax? What is sales tax at presently. Is the weather similar to Rapid City? Is the terrain flat? I cant really tell from just looking at pictures. I hear housing is very afforable up there. We are tired of working with inmates every day. Thanks for any help. P.S. any bluegrass music in the area?

[dutchinnd]

Yamahastar--yes there is a state income tax, but it is comparatively low (2.1-5.54% according to the Fargo-Moorhead Chamber of Commerce website). ND's state sales tax is 5%, but many local entities have city sales taxes on top of that. Being on the east end of the state, I'm not sure what Bismarck's currently is. It's colder than Rapid City, but then not as hit by drought in recent years as SW SD has been. Bismarck sits on the bluffs of the Missouri River, so it is not completely flat. The western scenery really does begin just west of Bismarck on the outskirts of Mandan. The state prison is in Bismarck, so if you have been in the corrections field, there may well be employment. However, if you want to make a change, the State of ND has been advertising for tech positions for weeks in our local paper. I'm sure that there are some bluegrass musicians in the area; it actually is a very active place for cowboy poetry.

[ebitdadada]

As far as Bismarck vs. Rapid City, I'd say Rapid City has nicer weather and possibly nicer natural scenery (though the Missouri is actually quite breathtaking)

Bismarck has nicer everything else.

Not completely sure but I'd be very supprised if Bismarck doesn't have some Bluegrass bands. For its size, Bismarck actually has a pretty impresive local music scene.

[BreaOC]

I absolutely agree with ebitdadada, the weather is warmer in Rapid City, January in Rapid has an average temperature of 34, Bismarck average of 21 (to me they're both too cold LOL). Bismarck is such a beautiful, clean city. They've both been growing at a decent rate for Midwestern cities, and Bismarck and Rapid City are very similar in size. Bismarck has such a great selection of nice BIG homes, and you can't beat the recreation on the Missouri! Here's some previous posts from people from Florida looking to relocate to Bismarck:
http://www.city-data.com/forum/north...th-dakota.html
http://www.city-data.com/forum/north...smarck-nd.html
http://www.city-data.com/forum/north...ive-north.html
http://www.city-data.com/forum/north...i-survuve.html
Click the following link for Bismarck/Mandan local music scene website: BismanROCKS - Home - Bismarck Mandan's Music, Performance and Art Destination. River Jam is the local bluegrass band that I found.

[bismanpokerclub]

There is also Buggies & Blues every summer in mandan where they play blues (not bluegrass i know but good stuff too) music and they have most of main street closed off and it's also a giant car show. I would agree with everyone else in that the weather will be a bit warmer in Rapid City, I don't know how it compares in wind on a daily basis, but I would say that the few times I have been through there, it seemed a lot of the houses/yards were not as well taken care of and there just seemed to be more clutter and trash laying around, especially compared to Bismarck. Some years back I was working security at wedding dance and I heard this couple from out of state (probably in their 40's -50's back then) ask another local couple what movie was going to be filmed. The other couple said none that they were aware of, and the other couple wondered why the town was so clean then. I had to laugh.