2026 ranking

Best small towns to live in North Dakota

The 25 North Dakota small towns with the best mix of affordability, safety, schools and jobs, picked from 33 real small towns of 1,000 to 15,000 people — not suburbs.

1
Carrington, ND Score 81/100
2,168 people · typical home $151k · household income $77k · schools in the top 5% of ND · 1.0% unemployment · 3 mi to a hospital
2
Larimore, ND Score 72/100
1,240 people · typical home $204k · household income $88k · 15 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 6% of ND · 3.0% unemployment · 11 mi to a hospital
3
Northwood, ND Score 69/100
1,046 people · typical home $208k · household income $79k · 15 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 38% of ND · 1.0% unemployment · 3 mi to a hospital
4
Rugby, ND Score 67/100
2,481 people · typical home $132k · household income $50k · schools in the top 21% of ND · 1.0% unemployment · 9 mi to a hospital
5
Ellendale, ND Score 64/100
1,033 people · typical home $116k · household income $55k · schools in the top 3% of ND · 5.0% unemployment · 20 mi to a hospital
6
Langdon, ND Score 64/100
1,782 people · typical home $136k · household income $64k · schools in the top 43% of ND · 1.0% unemployment · 5 mi to a hospital
7
Hillsboro, ND Score 64/100
1,704 people · typical home $175k · household income $81k · schools in the top 51% of ND · 2.0% unemployment · 2 mi to a hospital
8
Hazen, ND Score 63/100
2,453 people · typical home $190k · household income $80k · schools in the top 29% of ND · 2.0% unemployment · 4 mi to a hospital
9
Bottineau, ND Score 61/100
2,205 people · typical home $165k · household income $66k · 31 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 55% of ND · 2.0% unemployment · 3 mi to a hospital
10
Oakes, ND Score 61/100
1,858 people · typical home $160k · household income $68k · schools in the top 36% of ND · 2.0% unemployment · 4 mi to a hospital
11
Hettinger, ND Score 58/100
1,250 people · typical home $112k · household income $63k · schools in the top 64% of ND · 3.0% unemployment · 4 mi to a hospital
12
New Rockford, ND Score 57/100
1,260 people · typical home $101k · household income $44k · schools in the top 27% of ND · 3.0% unemployment · 17 mi to a hospital
13
Cando, ND Score 56/100
1,164 people · typical home $168k · household income $52k · 48 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 45% of ND · 0.0% unemployment · 1 mi to a hospital
14
Park River, ND Score 55/100
1,458 people · typical home $132k · household income $69k · 58 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 56% of ND · 2.0% unemployment · 2 mi to a hospital
15
Garrison, ND Score 52/100
1,397 people · typical home $166k · household income $72k · schools in the top 66% of ND · 0.0% unemployment · 14 mi to a hospital
16
Harvey, ND Score 52/100
1,679 people · typical home $119k · household income $43k · schools in the top 44% of ND · 2.0% unemployment · 3 mi to a hospital
17
Crosby, ND Score 51/100
1,065 people · typical home $115k · household income $83k · schools in the top 79% of ND · 2.0% unemployment · 4 mi to a hospital
18
Stanley, ND Score 51/100
2,097 people · typical home $238k · household income $110k · 53 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 73% of ND · 1.0% unemployment · 3 mi to a hospital
19
Lisbon, ND Score 51/100
2,259 people · typical home $192k · household income $64k · schools in the top 35% of ND · 3.0% unemployment · 2 mi to a hospital
20
Valley City, ND Score 50/100
6,541 people · typical home $162k · household income $60k · 19 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 71% of ND · 5.0% unemployment · 0 mi to a hospital
21
Grafton, ND Score 49/100
4,102 people · typical home $147k · household income $63k · 58 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 81% of ND · 1.0% unemployment · 0 mi to a hospital
22
Kenmare, ND Score 46/100
1,002 people · typical home $116k · household income $64k · 241 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 64% of ND · 2.0% unemployment · 3 mi to a hospital
23
Mayville, ND Score 46/100
1,976 people · typical home $198k · household income $56k · schools in the top 30% of ND · 5.0% unemployment · 2 mi to a hospital
24
Washburn, ND Score 46/100
1,507 people · typical home $238k · household income $73k · schools in the top 37% of ND · 1.0% unemployment · 19 mi to a hospital
25
Beulah, ND Score 40/100
3,040 people · typical home $203k · household income $77k · schools in the top 75% of ND · 2.0% unemployment · 10 mi to a hospital

How we ranked them

Every small town in North Dakota with 1,000–15,000 people that stands on its own (not part of a big metro core, by USDA rural-urban codes) and has solid Census data. Each town is scored against the others in North Dakota on: affordability (household income vs. home prices), safety (violent crime, FBI), schools (reading proficiency vs. other North Dakota districts), jobs (unemployment, half weight) and everyday access (distance to a hospital and a grocery store, quarter weight each). Missing numbers count as average.

The "best" town is different for everyone — weather, size, politics, things to do and more all matter too.

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