Shutter BoysPlantation shutters in Bismarck
Homes in Bismarck
Bismarck's 35,361 homes are a mix: 47% detached houses, 35% apartments or units in buildings of two or more homes and 11% townhouses and other attached houses.
The biggest building period was 1950 to 1979, which accounts for 36% of homes standing today; 33% are from 2000 or later. The median home dates from 1985. 65% of homes are lived in by their owners.
Of the 3 North Dakota cities we have census figures for, Bismarck has the second-highest share of older homes and the third-highest share of apartments. Nationally, Bismarck's homes are newer than those in 56% of the 881 US cities we have census figures for.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. Estimates carry margins of error.
Manufactured homes
7% of homes are mobile or manufactured homes, whose windows usually sit in thin walls with little depth inside the opening. An outside mount on a frame is the reliable choice there, fixed into the framing around the window rather than the thin wall panel.
Shallow openings
33% of homes were built in 2000 or later. Newer windows are often set close to the room side of the wall, and handles, cranks and alarm sensors stick out into the space a louver swings through. Measure the depth to the glass and to anything that sticks out; the designer checks it against the louver size you pick.
Replacement windows
36% of homes went up between 1950 and 1979, and most of them have had their original windows replaced since. A replacement window often sits further into or out of the wall than the old one, so the depth you have for an inside mount may differ from window to window in the same house. Measure every opening rather than copying one.
Bismarck weather and your shutters
At Bismarck 2.4 Nnw, ND (2 mi away), July averages a high of 81.5°F and January a low of 3.8°F. Average lows sit at or below freezing from November to April.
About 9 days a year reach 90°F, 182 nights fall to freezing and 20.3 inches of precipitation falls, most of it around June and least in January.
Among the North Dakota cities we have climate normals for, Bismarck has the most hot days and the second-most freezing days.
That's more freezing nights than in 100% of the 881 US cities we have climate normals for.
Daylight runs from 15 h 52 min on the longest day to 8 h 32 min on the shortest, and the midday sun stands 67° above the horizon in June and 20° in December.
Source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, Bismarck 2.4 Nnw, ND (temperature) and Bismarck 1.3 Wnw, ND (precipitation, 1 mi away). Daylight and sun height: calculated from the city’s latitude.
Monthly figures
| Month | Average high | Average low | Precipitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 22.1°F | 3.8°F | 0.6 in |
| Feb | 27.1°F | 6.7°F | 0.6 in |
| Mar | 39.7°F | 17.8°F | 0.9 in |
| Apr | 53.8°F | 29.4°F | 1.4 in |
| May | 66.4°F | 42.5°F | 2.7 in |
| Jun | 75.6°F | 52.5°F | 3.5 in |
| Jul | 81.5°F | 58.3°F | 3.2 in |
| Aug | 80.1°F | 55.6°F | 2.5 in |
| Sep | 71.3°F | 46.1°F | 1.8 in |
| Oct | 55.6°F | 33.5°F | 1.6 in |
| Nov | 39.6°F | 19.8°F | 0.8 in |
| Dec | 26.9°F | 9.5°F | 0.7 in |
Deep cold
January nights average 3.8°F. Closed shutters trap a layer of still air against the glass, which keeps the room warmer, but the glass behind them gets colder too, and frost can form on the inside of older windows. Tilt the louvers open in the morning to let room air reach the glass, and wipe the sill if water collects.
Fitting them in Bismarck
Shutter Boys shutters are made for you to fit yourself: an inside or outside mount takes a drill, a level and our step-by-step guide. If you'd rather hire someone, a finish carpenter or blinds installer can fit them; ask on your quote and we'll tell you if we know one near you. You arrange and pay the installer directly.
More about shutters in Bismarck
Each page takes one question further (fitting your windows, room by room, sizes and colours, louvers, or how shutters compare with other choices), using Bismarck’s own figures.
Price your windows
Pick your look once, add every window, and see each one drawn and priced. Send it to us and we reply with your quote.