These Are The 10 Best Places To Live In North Dakota For 2019

How We Calculated The Best Cities To Live In North Dakota

Now that we had our set of cities, it was time to rank them.

We ranked each place in North Dakota across a number of criteria from one to 22, with one being the best.

We then took the average rank across all criteria, with the city posting the lowest overall score being crowned the winner of the title “Best Place To Live In North Dakota”.

The criteria we looked at were:

• Median Home Values
• Median Income
• Population Density (Higher better)
• Unemployment Rate
• Commute Time
• Crime
• Education Levels
• Health Insurance Coverage
• Poverty rates

Sources of criteria include the New Census Data and FBI Crime Data.

After the dust settled, what was the best place to live in North Dakota? That would be Lincoln.

If your city or town isn’t among the top 10, jump down to the bottom of the post to see a detailed chart of the best places in North Dakota.

Otherwise, buckle up for a ride down good living lane with Lincoln at the end of the cul-de-sac.

The 10 Best Places To Live In North Dakota For 2019

The crime is the 2nd lowest in the state in Lincoln, and there were only 3 violent crimes in the entire city last year. We think it’s even safer here than the numbers indicate.

The schools are some of the best in North Dakota, and residents live in very expensive homes. They also earn more than most every other city in the state. Residents in Lincoln earn $74,048 a year.

2. West Fargo

West Fargo broke into the top ten best places to live in North Dakota on the back of a low unemployment and a quality schools system.

It placed 4th overall for its low unemployment rate and the 7th highest median income of any place in our analysis.

However, it only has the 14th shortest average commute time of any place in North Dakota.

Good things do come in small packages; it’s true for Stanley, which with a population of 2,328 makes it one of the smallest on this list.

Relatively low unemployment and relatively high adjusted income are just two blessings Stanley residents enjoy.

The 4th lowest crime rate in all of North Dakota makes Stanley one of the safest place on this list.

At an unemployment rate of 1.0%, everyone who wants a job can get one in Hazen. And the residents command high salaries ($77,275 a year combined income), and live in big fancy homes ($146,700 each).

We’re not saying money is why these cities are the ‘best’ in North Dakota. What we’re implying is that money means safety and peace of mind. And there’s nothing wrong with that.

Perhaps what makes Horace so amazing is the high emphasis they put on quality education: they have one of the highest rate of education at attainment for adults.

However, quality education isn’t all that makes Horace great. They also have the 1st highest median income and the 21st shortest commute time.

6. Williston

Williston ranks as the 6th best place in North Dakota for 2019. Let’s take a look at why.

Williston has a lower crime rate than the cities mentioned above. Williston’s cost of living is a tick higher, but families also earn much higher salaries – to the tune of $90,875 a year.

The knock? We can’t really find one 🙂

With the unemployment rate being the 2nd lowest in North Dakota and very stable household median incomes, it’s easy to see why someone would want to live in Lisbon.

Plus, the crime rate is the 6th lowest in the state!

8. Dickinson

Dickinson had the 16th lowest unemployment of any place in our research (3.5%) and the 9th lowest crime rate. However, the relative lack of population density and long commute times held it back from being higher on our list.

Dickinson is home to an exceptional Volunteer Fire Department that represents so much about what it’s like to live there.

9. Bismarck

Taking its place as the 9th best place in North Dakota is Bismarck. Residents here earn a really high salary each year, and crime is fairly low, in comparison to the rest of North Dakota.

It’s considered a cultural community, as it boasts an arts scene, and many ethnic restaurants, too. Which means you can’t be bored here.

An unemployment rate of only 1.9% helps thing too.

10. Minot

Minot makes a case for being one of the best places to live in North Dakota mainly because of a low crime rate and a higher than average household income level.

And when school spending is higher than the national average and only 2.2% of folks are jobless, you can bet Minot residents are glad to live where they do.