Towns and cities in North Dakota

4 of North Dakota’s 23 graded towns and cities (17%) grade A− or better nationally, against 25% of U.S. towns. Lincoln ranks first in the state with an A+; safety (A−) and health (A−) are its strongest grades; walkability (C−) is its lowest.

Letters are national: the overall grade blends cost of living, safety, schools, health, jobs & income, walkability and hazard risk. How grades work

How North Dakota compares: report card Best places to live Most affordable towns Safest towns Towns with the best schools Healthiest towns Best towns for jobs & income

towns of 2,500+ with an overall grade

grade A− or better nationally

of 2,500+ without enough data for a grade

smaller places (1,000–2,499) with subject grades

Towns by letter

A⁺1A2A⁻1B⁺3B6B⁻2C⁺4C3C⁻0D1D⁻0

All 23 graded towns

Every town of 2,500+ residents with an overall grade, A to Z. The rank is among 23 North Dakota towns on the best places to live list.

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23 graded towns, A to Z.

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AApple Creek TownshipBurleigh County#3 of 233,515
BBeulahMercer County#10 of 233,077
BBismarckBurleigh County#8 of 2377,963
CDevils LakeRamsey County#21 of 237,333
BDickinsonStark County#12 of 2325,870
C⁺FargoCass County#18 of 23136,275
A⁻Gibbs TownshipBurleigh County#4 of 232,856
BGraftonWalsh County#13 of 234,023
C⁺Grand ForksGrand Forks County#19 of 2360,365
AHay Creek TownshipBurleigh County#2 of 234,380
BHoraceCass County#11 of 237,001
C⁺JamestownStutsman County#16 of 2315,688
A⁺LincolnBurleigh County#1 of 234,493
C⁺MandanMorton County#17 of 2325,061
B⁻MinotWard County#14 of 2347,308
CMinot AFBunincorporated, Ward County#22 of 234,878
B⁻New TownMountrail County#15 of 232,715
DTatman TownshipWard County#23 of 232,673
B⁺Valley CityBarnes County#6 of 236,430
B⁺WahpetonRichland County#5 of 238,141
BWatford CityMcKenzie County#9 of 236,378
B⁺West FargoCass County#7 of 2341,175
CWillistonWilliams County#20 of 2329,522

Also in North Dakota

Not on the ranked list

Not graded

Every North Dakota town of 2,500+ residents has an overall grade.

Smaller places 46 with 1,000–2,499 residents

These have subject grades (safety, schools, health and the rest) but no overall grade or rank: the overall starts at 2,500 residents.

Go deeper

Lists in North Dakota

Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.

All North Dakota rankings →

Best places to live23 towns · #1 Lincoln Most affordable towns23 towns · #1 New Town Safest towns16 towns · #1 New Town Towns with the best schools23 towns · #1 Wahpeton Healthiest towns23 towns · #1 Hay Creek Township Best towns for jobs & income23 towns · #1 Hay Creek Township Most walkable towns23 towns · #1 Grand Forks Towns with the lowest natural-hazard risk23 towns · #1 Tatman Township Best towns for the outdoors23 towns · #1 Bismarck Most historic towns23 towns · #1 Valley City Towns with the most civic life22 towns · #1 Grafton Towns with the least snow20 towns · #1 BeulahDescribed, no letters Snowiest towns20 towns · #1 MinotDescribed, no letters Towns with the mildest winters24 towns · #1 DickinsonDescribed, no letters Towns with the hottest summers24 towns · #1 WillistonDescribed, no letters Towns with the coolest summers24 towns · #1 Devils LakeDescribed, no letters Towns with the highest incomes23 towns · #1 Hay Creek TownshipDescribed, no letters Towns with the lowest property taxes21 towns · #1 New TownDescribed, no letters Fastest-growing towns23 towns · #1 HoraceDescribed, no letters