Leal, North Dakota, 2008
Leal’s story
134 years in pictures
Census counts: 88 in 1920, a peak of 105 in 1930, 27 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 2 maps from 1961 on.
- 1892Leal is settled
LealND
A town of 23, settled in 1892.
Photo: Andrew Filer · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
23
2025 Census estimate · −4.2% since 2020
Household income
$71K
median
Median age
33.5
years
Land area
0 sq mi
Is Leal a good place to live?
No town among the 24 in North Dakota we compare has a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Leal. Leal has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
23 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Leal: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Leal, and how to reach them.
PowerCass County Elec Coop12.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterBarnes Rural Water DistrictNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet1 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Leal’s trash rules yet
Register to voteNot requiredNorth Dakota has no voter registration: you show ID at the polls.vote.govWho runs elections hereBarnes County AuditorBarnes County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code5847958479 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Jul 30, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Leal.
46″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter3–21°
Spring29–52°
Summer55–79°
Fall32–54°
Sep 26
typical first frost
May 13
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
Leal stands out in North Dakota and nationally: a smaller share of its adults feel lonely
11% of adults have diabetes in Leal, against 8.9% in North Dakota’s towns and 12% across U.S. towns. Among 24 North Dakota towns, just 2 have a lower share of adults who report frequent mental distress than Leal. For adults locally, the share who say their health is fair or poor is 15%. Also worth knowing: the town does better than the North Dakota average on 8 of 32 CDC measures and worse on 3.
| Leal | North Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 29% | 33% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 15% | 17% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 22% | 16% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 33% | 36% |
32 measures vs. North Dakota
8 better21 too close to call3 worse
| What stands out | Leal | ND |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 5.3% | 7.3% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 7.8% | 10.7% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10% | 8.2% |
CHI Mercy Health
19.4 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
Moderate risk in Leal, with cold waves at the top
Households in Leal have drawn federal disaster aid in 2 declared disasters, most recently in 2011. Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 56% of U.S. communities. FEMA puts 43% of the town’s expected hazard losses down to cold waves, and 19% to inland flooding.
44risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Cold wavesInland floodingHail
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Leal
16pages on Leal
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Leal; the nearest are
Valley City State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Valley City19.5 mi$8,514 in-state tuitionCankdeska Cikana Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Fort Totten68.1 mi$3,950 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 Leal residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across North Dakota.
About Leal
City in North Dakota, United States
Leal is a city in Barnes County in the state of North Dakota. The population was 27 at the 2020 census. Leal was founded in 1892. The name comes from the Scots word for "faithful," which in the phrase laund o the leal means Heaven.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1892
- Area
- 0.1 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,467 ft
- Area code
- 701
Questions about Leal
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Leal, ND a good place to live?
Leal has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.