2026 editionMidwestPop. 799,358Capital Bismarck39th state, admitted 1889Cook PVI R+20
Is North Dakota a Good Place to Live? North Dakota Rankings, Cost of Living, Crime & Taxes
North Dakota ranks #5 of 50 with a composite score of 75.5 and an A+ grade, strongest in economy (#8) and weakest in safety (#27). The median household earns $77,871 (4% below the national median), homes typically cost $292,293 (21% below the national average), and violent crime is 257 per 100,000 (22% below the national average).
Fargo is closer to Minneapolis than to Williston, and that gap is the state: the Red River Valley runs on Minnesota's clock, the west on Bakken oil, and a single earner on $75,000 ends the year at a $36,471 surplus. The cost is winter, wind, distance, and an economy that moved -1% because oil sets the tempo.
North Dakota by the numbers
Six measures every state is judged on, each with North Dakota's rank of 50 and the national figure beside it.
Sources, latest releases: Census Bureau ACS (income), Zillow Research (home value), BEA Regional Price Parities (cost index), FBI state crime estimates (crime), BLS LAUS (unemployment), WalletHub tax burden study (taxes). Rank 1 is the best value in each measure: highest income, lowest cost, lowest crime.
Read the North Dakota overview
North Dakota scores above the national average in 10 of 11 categories and ranks #2 of 12 states in the Midwest, behind 1 regional neighbor. Its biggest edge over the country is unemployment rate (2.6%, 1.4 points below the national average); its biggest shortfall is median household income ($77,871, 4% below the national median). With 3 top-10 finishes and no bottom-10 category, its weaknesses are relative, not absolute.
Where does North Dakota rank in each category?
All 11 categories that make up the composite, heaviest weight first. North Dakota is top 10 in 3 and bottom 10 in 0.
| Category | Score | Rank | Grade | Weight | US avg | The numbers behind it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | 63.7 | #8 of 50 | A | 15% | 47.1 | Its unemployment rate is 2.6% and median household income is $77,871. |
| Safety | 70.2 | #27 of 50 | C+ | 12% | 68.9 | The FBI estimates 256.7 violent crimes and 1,698 property crimes per 100,000 residents (the prior year's estimate, because the latest year is based on limited data). |
| Health | 58.8 | #23 of 50 | B | 12% | 54.4 | Life expectancy is 77.9 years, 36.8% of adults have obesity, and 6.1% of residents are uninsured. |
| Education | 65.3 | #17 of 50 | B+ | 12% | 57.5 | Eighth graders average 280 in NAEP math and 257 in reading, and the high school graduation rate is 85.1%. |
| Affordability | 83.5 | #9 of 50 | A | 10% | 65.2 | Typical home value $292,293 (3.8x median income); cost of living index 89 (100 = US); center-based infant care $12,281 a year. |
| Fiscal Health | 69.8 | #11 of 50 | B+ | 8% | 58.1 | It carries $2,190 of debt per resident, has 70% of pensions funded, and holds a AA+ credit rating. |
| Growth | 51.7 | #8 of 50 | A | 7% | 38.8 | Population grew 0.75% last year; Census net domestic migration is +0.6 per 1,000 residents (the Moving section below uses IRS household counts, a different series). |
| Transportation | 54.6 | #14 of 50 | B+ | 7% | 49.8 | The average commute is 17.5 minutes, 0.5% of workers use public transit, and 7.1% work from home. |
| Livability | 42.1 | #13 of 50 | B+ | 7% | 34.3 | It has 1.68 restaurants and 0.021 arts venues per 1,000 residents, plus 0.47 bars and 0.186 social associations per 1,000. |
| Outdoor Access | 39.1 | #14 of 50 | B+ | 6% | 29.4 | 3.9% of its land is public, with 5.49 recreation facilities per 10,000 residents. |
| Environment | 38.5 | #27 of 50 | C+ | 4% | 42.5 | Its median air quality index is 38, 41% of its electricity is renewable, and its FEMA disaster risk score is 52.7. |
Weight, US average and the evidence sentence for each category are shown on wider screens.
Grades follow rank, not score: A+ for ranks 1–5, A for 6–10, B+ for 11–18, B for 19–26, C+ for 27–34, C for 35–42, D for 43–48, F for 49–50. US avg is the mean score of the 50 states. Click a category for its 50-state ranking.
Category shape
North Dakota's 11 category scores. A balanced state fills the wheel evenly; North Dakota bulges toward economy and dips at safety.
How expensive is North Dakota?
North Dakota's cost of living index is 89 against a national baseline of 100, 11% below the national average and #8 of 50 (1 = cheapest). The typical home is worth $292,293 (21% below the national average); buying it takes an income of about $79,542, $1,671 more than the median household earns. Inside the state the spread is wide: among tracked cities, Grand Forks is cheapest (index 86.7) and Lincoln priciest (91).
Housing market snapshot · August
Hot marketRanked #35 of 50 most expensive by typical value and #11 on price relative to income (1 = most affordable). The median household is $1,671 short of the income needed to buy the typical home.
Full North Dakota housing market: 26-year chart, rent vs. buy, cities →What a household keeps at $75,000
| Household | North Dakota | Median state | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family of fourTwo adults, two kids, one in daycare | −$1,122 | −$11,758 | #11 of 50 |
| Single adultOne-bedroom rent, no childcare | +$36,471 | +$31,418 | #9 of 50 |
| Retiree coupleOwn the home, no payroll tax | +$40,903 | +$35,970 | #10 of 50 |
Take-home pay minus housing, childcare, utilities, groceries and transport for a $75,000 household, from the affordability engine. Positive = money left over; negative = costs exceed take-home. Rank 1 = most left over.
What are taxes like in North Dakota?
North Dakota's tax mix is low income tax, with property and sales taxes in the middle of the pack. The total state and local tax burden comes to 6.61% of income, 2.1 points below the national average (#8 of 50, 1 = lightest). Property tax is 0.99% of home value (#29), and combined sales tax averages 7.09% (#29).
Tax Foundation (rates) and WalletHub tax burden study (burden as a share of income), latest releases. Rank 1 = lowest. Income tax is the top marginal rate including typical local taxes where they apply.
Can the state pay its bills?
Fiscal health scores 69.8 out of 100, #11 of 50. Pew Fiscal 50, Census state finances and the rating agencies, latest releases.
Is North Dakota safe?
North Dakota reports 257 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 22% below the national average and #22 of 50 (1 = safest). Property crime runs 1,698 per 100,000, 11% above the national average (#37 of 50). The safety score is 70.2 out of 100, #27 of 50; among tracked cities, Lincoln has the lowest violent crime rate.
North Dakota vs. the United States, per 100,000 residents
FBI state crime estimates, latest release. US is the mean of the 50 states; blue = below it, terracotta = above it. North Dakota's figures are the FBI's prior-year estimate because its latest year is based on limited data.
Safest tracked cities in North Dakota
| City | Population | Violent / 100K | Property / 100K |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln | 4,381 | 44 | 504 |
| Valley City | 6,541 | 61 | 1,033 |
| Beulah | 3,040 | 131 | 591 |
| Jamestown | 15,787 | 133 | 1,375 |
| Wahpeton | 8,010 | 135 | 823 |
Lowest violent crime among the 20 North Dakota cities we track. City rates come from each city's police agency and are not strictly comparable across agencies.
What is the job market like in North Dakota?
North Dakota's unemployment rate is 2.6%, 1.4 points below the national average and #3 of 50 (1 = lowest), and the median household earns $77,871, 4% below the national median. Real GDP grew -1% in the latest year (#49 of 50) and GDP per capita is $73,814, 15% above the national average. The population is growing 0.75% a year, 0.2 points above the national average. The economy score is 63.7 out of 100, #8 of 50.
Census Bureau ACS (income), BLS LAUS (unemployment), BEA (GDP), Census population estimates (growth), latest releases.
Highest-paying tracked occupations in North Dakota, adjusted for cost of living
| Occupation | Cost-adjusted | Median wage | Metro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family Medicine Physicians | $209,320 | $186,295 | Fargo |
| Lawyers | $141,894 | $126,286 | Fargo |
| Software Developers | $121,375 | $108,024 | Fargo |
| General & Operations Managers | $98,070 | $87,282 | Fargo |
| Computer Systems Analysts | $97,121 | $86,438 | Fargo |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, latest release, for the 20 occupations we track. Cost-adjusted wage divides the metro median by its cost of living index.
How are North Dakota's schools and healthcare?
North Dakota's education score is 65.3 out of 100, #17 of 50. Eighth graders average 280 in NAEP math (#8 of 50) and 257 in reading (#24 of 50), and the high school graduation rate is 85.1%, 0.5 points below the national average (#32 of 50).
Best public school cities we track, by graduation rate
| City | Grad rate | Students / teacher | Per pupil |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beulah | 95% | 13.6 | $12,708 |
| Casselton | 95% | 16.1 | $12,242 |
| Valley City | 92% | 14.3 | $13,719 |
NCES Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey, latest release. Cities with at least three schools.
North Dakota is #23 of 50 for health, with a life expectancy of 77.9 years, 1.0 years above the national average. 36.8% of adults have obesity (#36 of 50) and 6.1% of residents have no health insurance (#17 of 50). The health score is 58.8 out of 100, weighted 12% of the composite.
CDC National Center for Health Statistics (state life tables), CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (obesity), and Census Bureau American Community Survey (health insurance), latest releases.
Who is moving to North Dakota, and who is leaving?
North Dakota's flows are close to even: 13,781 households moved in and 13,827 moved out in the latest IRS release, a net of -46, or -0.1 per 1,000 residents (#28 of 50), too small to call a direction. Arriving households report an average income of $54,596 against $64,804 for those leaving. The Census Bureau's American Community Survey, which counts people rather than households, shows a net +7.5K people (27.1K in, 19.5K out, ±5.2K), pointing the other way, so treat the direction as uncertain.
Where they come from
- 1Minnesota4,094 · $54,460
- 2Texas874 · $51,860
- 3California749 · $52,896
- 4South Dakota656 · $54,006
- 5Montana613 · $56,822
Households and their average income. Click a state to compare it head to head; households arrived from these states in the latest IRS release.
Where they go
- 1Minnesota4,007 · $60,268
- 2Texas920 · $70,007
- 3Arizona680 · $82,013
- 4South Dakota676 · $64,114
- 5Florida596 · $88,112
Households and their average income. Click a state to compare it head to head; households left for these states in the latest IRS release.
Where should you live in North Dakota?
By composite score, the best of the 20 North Dakota cities we track are West Fargo (69.3), Horace (69), and Grand Forks (63.9). Grand Forks is the cheapest (cost index 86.7), Horace the richest ($138,578), and Horace the fastest growing (+12.7% a year). City ranks are among the 20 North Dakota cities we cover, not every city in the state.
Standout cities in North Dakota
| Best for | City | Measure |
|---|---|---|
| Safest | Lincoln | 44 violent crimes per 100K |
| Cheapest | Grand Forks | cost of living index 86.7 |
| Most walkable | West Fargo | walkability 14.9 of 20 |
| Cleanest air | Minot | median AQI 36 (county) |
| Best schools | Beulah | 95% graduation rate |
| Richest | Horace | $138,578 |
Among the 20 North Dakota cities we track. Safest uses a full year of FBI reports from the city's own police agency; air quality is measured by county, so cities in the same county share a reading.
Regions of North Dakota
Flat, black-soil farm country on the Minnesota line with the state's jobs, colleges and growth; flood-prone, windy, and the closest thing to a metro here.
The capital and its twin across the river: state government, energy offices and hospitals, a milder market than Fargo, and the last full-service stop before the west.
Williston, Watford City and Dickinson boom and bust with the Bakken; high wages, high rent when rigs run, thin services, and a long way from anywhere.
Minot and its air base, Devils Lake with its rising water, Jamestown and Valley City along the interstate; small, older towns with cheap houses and few employers.
All 20 tracked cities, best to worst
| # | City | Grade | Score | Population | Income | Violent / 100K | Cost index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Fargo | A+ | 69.3 | 40,094 | $90,665 | 185 | 90.9 |
| 2 | Horace | A+ | 69.0 | 4,588 | $138,578 | — | 90.9 |
| 3 | Grand Forks | A | 63.9 | 59,042 | $63,627 | 270 | 86.7 |
| 4 | Dickinson | B+ | 62.7 | 25,357 | $82,696 | 183 | 87.3 |
| 5 | Minot | B+ | 62.1 | 47,791 | $73,219 | 295 | 87 |
| 6 | Fargo | B+ | 62.0 | 131,627 | $66,998 | 378 | 90.9 |
| 7 | Bismarck | B+ | 61.8 | 75,556 | $78,387 | 241 | 91 |
| 8 | Watford City | B+ | 61.3 | 6,039 | $102,260 | 387 | 87.3 |
| 9 | Williston | B+ | 60.4 | 28,056 | $79,381 | 432 | 87.3 |
| 10 | Beulah | B+ | 60.1 | 3,040 | $76,848 | 131 | 87.3 |
| 11 | Lincoln | B | 58.0 | 4,381 | $87,652 | 44 | 91 |
| 12 | Grafton | C+ | 54.9 | 4,102 | $62,679 | 200 | 87.3 |
| 13 | Wahpeton | C+ | 54.4 | 8,010 | $62,750 | 135 | 87.3 |
| 14 | Minot AFB | C+ | 53.7 | 4,878 | $62,500 | — | 87 |
| 15 | Mandan | C+ | 53.2 | 24,522 | $71,780 | 257 | 91 |
| 16 | Jamestown | C+ | 53.2 | 15,787 | $56,554 | 133 | 87.3 |
| 17 | Valley City | C | 52.2 | 6,541 | $60,339 | 61 | 87.3 |
| 18 | Casselton | C | 52.1 | 2,953 | $73,259 | — | 90.9 |
| 19 | Devils Lake | C | 50.0 | 7,308 | $43,220 | 191 | 87.3 |
| 20 | New Town | F | 42.0 | 2,721 | $52,500 | — | 87.3 |
Swipe the table sideways for more columns. Rank is among the 20 North Dakota cities we track: every city of 50,000 or more, plus the state's other largest places. City scores use city-level Census, FBI, BLS, CDC, EPA and NCES data, and a category with no city data is left out of the score rather than filled with the state's figure.
Best cities in North Dakota for…
| # | City | Score | Education | Safety | Affordability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Fargo | 72.0 | 67.2 | 88.1 | 76.0 |
| 2 | Grand Forks | 68.8 | 67.3 | 75.1 | 83.1 |
| 3 | Beulah | 68.2 | 67.0 | 94.2 | 83.6 |
| 4 | Dickinson | 67.9 | 51.3 | 84.0 | 82.4 |
| 5 | Minot | 67.4 | 58.3 | 79.5 | 82.7 |
Who is North Dakota best for?
The same 11 category scores, re-weighted for six kinds of household. Rank is among the 50 states; click through for the best North Dakota cities for each.
Weights differ by household: families lean on education, safety and housing; retirees on fiscal health, healthcare and cost. See the weights →
How does North Dakota compare with its neighbors?
North Dakota ranks #5. Among its bordering states, South Dakota ranks highest (#3) and Minnesota lowest (#12). Montana is the most similar on the composite score and Minnesota the most different. Bordering states are listed best to worst; the national line is the mean of the 50 states.
| State | Overall | Score | Median income | Typical home | Cost index | Violent crime | Tax burden | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota | #5 | 75.5 | $77,871 | $292,293 | 89 | 257 | 6.61% | |
| South Dakota | #3 | 79.3 | $76,881 | $321,574 | 88.6 | 308 | 6.46% | Compare → |
| Montana | #7 | 75.0 | $75,340 | $471,746 | 94.6 | 419 | 7.87% | Compare → |
| Minnesota | #12 | 70.4 | $87,117 | $350,752 | 98.6 | 224 | 9.72% | Compare → |
| United States | — | 57.9 | $80,903 | $368,697 | 100 | 328 | 8.74% |
Overall rank, median income, cost index and tax burden columns are shown on wider screens.
How the score works
Eleven categories, each scored 0–100 and weighted into one composite. Grades follow rank.
The weights
Economy 15% · Safety 12% · Health 12% · Education 12% · Affordability 10% · Fiscal Health 8% · Growth 7% · Transportation 7% · Livability 7% · Outdoor Access 6% · Environment 4%. The composite is the weighted sum, stretched linearly so states spread across most of the 0–100 range.
From raw numbers to scores
Every raw measure is placed on a 0–100 scale between a fixed floor and ceiling, inverted where lower is better (crime, cost, taxes), then combined within its category. The same scale applies to every state.
Letter grades
Grades follow rank, not score: A+ for ranks 1–5, A for 6–10, B+ for 11–18, B for 19–26, C+ for 27–34, C for 35–42, D for 43–48, F for 49–50. A C+ state is not failing; it is in the middle third.
Cities, budgets and neighbors
The 20 North Dakota city scores, the household budgets and the neighbor table on this page are computed from the same sources as the state score. City ranks are among the cities we track, not all cities in the state.
Editor's notes
Passages marked as editor's notes are written for this state and add context the numbers cannot: regions, tradeoffs, who the state fits. Every figure inside them is pulled from the data at build time, so the words cannot drift from the numbers.
Always the latest release
Each source is the most recent release its agency has published. The page is rebuilt when a source updates, so the score can move without any change in the state itself.
What the score cannot tell you
Weather and climate, culture and pace, politics beyond the Cook index shown for context, the quality of a specific school, hospital or neighborhood, job prospects in your field, and anything without a public, comparable, 50-state source. Statewide averages also hide the metro-versus-rural split, which is why the editor's notes name places.
Category briefs
Economy: Unemployment rate and median household income. Safety: Violent and property crime rates per 100,000 residents. Health: Health outcomes, behaviors, and access to care. Education: K-12 school quality, test scores, and graduation rates. Full methodology →
Key takeaways
What the North Dakota numbers say when read together.
North Dakota's best category is economy
North Dakota ranks #8 of 50 for economy with a score of 63.7, against a national average of 47.1. No category ranks better than the state's overall #5.
Safety is where North Dakota falls furthest behind
North Dakota ranks #27 of 50 for safety, 22 places below its overall #5, with a score of 70.2 against a national average of 68.9. At 12% of the composite, it is the category holding the overall score down most.
Unemployment rate is 1.4 points below the national average
North Dakota's unemployment rate is 2.6%, 1.4 points below the national average of 3.95%, #3 of 50 (1 = lowest). The largest gap in the other direction is median household income: $77,871, 4% below the national median. Source: BLS LAUS, latest release.
Migration is a wash
Net -46 households on 27,608 moves is too small a margin to call a direction; North Dakota ranks #28 of 50 on net flow per 1,000 residents. The households arriving report $10,208 less in average income than those leaving ($54,596 against $64,804), so the state is trading down on income even as the headcount shrinks. Minnesota is both the largest source and the largest destination.
A middle income is squeezed less here than in most states
A family of four earning $75,000 ends the year at a $1,122 shortfall after housing, childcare, utilities, groceries, transport and taxes, against a $11,758 shortfall in the median state (#11 of 50). A single adult on the same income comes out at a $36,471 surplus; a retiree couple at a $40,903 surplus. Infant childcare runs $12,281 a year, 21% below the national average.
North Dakota sits 2nd among its 4-state neighborhood
1 of North Dakota's 3 bordering states ranks above its #5; the closest match on the composite is Montana. Median income among them runs from $75,340 in Montana to $87,117 in Minnesota; North Dakota is at $77,871.
Frequently asked questions about living in North Dakota
Is North Dakota a good place to live?
North Dakota ranks #5 of 50 with an A+ grade, #2 of 12 in the Midwest. It is top 10 in economy, growth, and affordability. On the six headline measures it beats the national figure on 5 of 6 (home prices, cost of living, violent crime, unemployment, and tax burden) and trails on income. Whether that adds up to a good place to live depends on what you weigh; the household rankings below re-weight the same numbers for families, retirees and remote workers.
Where does North Dakota rank among US states?
North Dakota ranks #5 of 50 overall with a composite score of 75.5 (grade A+), and #2 of 12 states in the Midwest. Its best category rank is #8 (economy) and its worst #27 (safety). The composite weights eleven categories, with economy, safety, health and education counting most; grades follow rank, so A+ means rank 1–5.
Is it expensive to live in North Dakota?
At #8 of 50 for cost of living (1 = cheapest), North Dakota is 11% below the national average: its index is 89 against a national baseline of 100. The typical home value is $292,293 (21% below the national average), and buying it takes an income of about $79,542 against a median household income of $77,871. At $75,000, a family of four comes out at a $1,122 shortfall after all costs, #11 of 50 (1 = most left over).
Does North Dakota have a state income tax?
Yes. North Dakota's top state income tax rate is 2.5% (#10 of 50, 1 = lowest), and the total state and local tax burden is 6.61% of income, 2.1 points below the national average. Property tax is 0.99% of home value and combined sales tax 7.09%.
What is the crime rate in North Dakota?
North Dakota reports 257 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 22% below the national average and #22 of 50 (1 = safest), and 1,698 property crimes per 100,000, 11% above the national average (#37). Its safety score is 70.2 out of 100, #27 of 50. Figures are FBI estimates from the latest release; for North Dakota they are the prior year's estimate because the FBI flags the latest year as based on limited data.
Does North Dakota have good schools?
North Dakota is #17 of 50 for education (score 65.3 out of 100). Its public school students average 280 in eighth-grade math on NAEP (#8) and 257 in eighth-grade reading (#24), and the high school graduation rate is 85.1%, 0.5 points below the national average (#32). Among tracked cities with at least three schools, Beulah has the highest graduation rate at 95%.
Is North Dakota gaining or losing people?
Neither, to any meaningful degree: North Dakota netted -46 households in the latest IRS release on 13,781 arrivals and 13,827 departures, -0.1 per 1,000 residents (#28 of 50), a flow too small to call a direction. The largest source of arrivals is Minnesota (4,094 households) and the most common destination is Minnesota (4,007). Arriving households report an average income of $54,596 against $64,804 for those leaving, so movers out earn more than movers in. The IRS files count tax returns and say nothing about motives.
Is North Dakota a red or blue state?
North Dakota is a solidly red state: its Cook Partisan Voting Index is R+20, meaning it votes about 20 points more Republican than the country as a whole. The political lean is shown for context and is not part of the composite score.
What are the downsides of living in North Dakota?
Winter, distance and an economy tied to oil. Cold runs from November into April with wind, and the FEMA risk index sits at 52.7 (#46) on flood and winter storm. GDP moved -1% while the nation grew, which is what an oil price dip looks like here. Outside Fargo and Bismarck, specialists and flights are hours away, and only 7.1% of workers are remote.
Is North Dakota a good place to raise a family?
Yes for families that want space and a short commute: #5 for families, schools #17, infant childcare $12,281 a year (21% below the national average). West Fargo, Horace and Bismarck are where families land, and the schools there are growing fast. The catch is that a family of four on $75,000 still comes out at a $1,122 shortfall, better than most states but not free.
Is North Dakota tax-friendly for retirees?
Mostly. Social Security benefits can be deducted from state taxable income, the top income rate is 2.5%, and property tax at 0.99% is in line with the national average. On $75,000, a retiree couple ends the year at a $40,903 surplus, #10. What the tax code gives, the winter and the hospital drive take back for some, which is why the retirees persona lands at #4 rather than higher.
Do I need a car in North Dakota?
Yes, and a garage for it. 0.5% of commuters use transit; Fargo runs a small bus system and nothing else does. The upside is the commute, 17.5 minutes on average and #1 shortest. Plan on a block heater and a full tank between towns, since gas stations on the western two-lanes can be forty miles apart.
Why is North Dakota so cheap?
Land and labor. The state has 799,358 people spread across farm country, so land is cheap and housing was built to match; the price-to-income ratio is 3.8x against 4.6x nationally. Oil revenue keeps the tax burden at 6.61%, and lignite and wind keep power at 11.81 cents per kWh. The exception is the oil patch, where rents chase rig counts.
What is the weather like in North Dakota year-round?
Cold and windy from November through March, warm and stormy in summer, with little between. The Red River Valley is flat enough that wind chill is the number people watch. Spring means flood watch along the Red; summer brings thunderstorms and the odd tornado. The west is drier and slightly warmer. Air quality stays average at 38, bad days coming from Canadian smoke.
All the numbers
Every metric behind North Dakota's 11 category scores, with the national figure beside each. Pick a category.