Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Medora’s average commute is 5 minutes, against 16 minutes in North Dakota’s towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns. No town among the 21 in North Dakota we compare has a lower rent at the middle of the market than Medora. Medora’s concentration of trails is 3.0 miles per square mile, where North Dakota’s towns sit at 0.7 and U.S. towns at 0.4. Medora has 6 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them De Mores Packing Plant Ruins and Chateau de Mores. Medora has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Medora beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 133 in 1960, 121 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1876 and 3 maps from 1970 on.
6 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Medora. Close and well known come first.
in town National ParkTheodore Roosevelt National Park730K visitors a year
in town MuseumTheodore Roosevelt Presidential Library
35 mi MuseumDickinson Museum CenterTheodore Roosevelt National Park: NPS/Mark Hoffman, Public domain · Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library: Chad Ziemendorf, for the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Foundation, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Dickinson Museum Center: Df9465, CC BY-SA 4.0
Who provides power, water and the rest in Medora, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Jul 30, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Medora.
Commuting out is the norm in Medora: 14% of working residents work locally. Jobs based in Medora grew to 290 in 2023, 64 more than in 2013. The top destinations are Fargo (7%), Belfield (5%) and Killdeer (5%). For half of commuters, work is under 48 miles away.
| Medora | North Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 14% | 39% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.7% | 9.8% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Its public schools are run by the Billings Co 1 school district. Medora’s only public school teaches 55 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Demores Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–8 | Grades PK–8 | 55 | A+ |
NCES · EDFacts
People 65 and older are 39% of residents (17% statewide); adults 35 to 64 are 21% of residents (35% statewide). 157 people lived in Medora by the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate, 37% more than in 2020. Here, nearly a third of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree, against 33% in North Dakota as a whole.
Somewhere between 38% and 59% women
The Census survey reached too few of Medora’s residents to say more: its margin here is ±10.7 points. Across North Dakota, 48.8% of residents are women.
| Medora | ND | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 5.1% | 13% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 10.6% | 10.5% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 13.6% | 11.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 10.6% | 14.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 3.5% | 13.2% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.1% | 10.1% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 5.1% | 11.4% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 33.8% | 9.6% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 5.6% | 7% | 7% |
| No diploma | 0% | 6% | 10.4% |
| High school | 24.3% | 25.5% | 26% |
| Some college | 17.1% | 21.8% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 26.4% | 14% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 14.3% | 23% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 17.9% | 9.7% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 200, single groups can be off by several points
The biggest park or preserve is Theodore Roosevelt National Park, at 45 acres. Trails total 1.2 miles in 3 parks and preserves.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Theodore Roosevelt National Park | — | 45 |
| 2. Chimney Park | 0.1 mi | 23 |
| 3. de Mores Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Of the 24 North Dakota towns we compare, none has a higher typical July afternoon high than Medora. July afternoons reach 85°, January nights drop to 5° and about 30 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
42% of Medora’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by hail at 18%. Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 66% of U.S. communities. Federal disaster aid has reached households in Medora after 3 declared disasters, most recently in 2011.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
No violent or property crimes were reported in Medora in 2023. In a town this small, a few incidents move the numbers a lot, so rates aren't shown.
Medora is small, so we show counts rather than rates.
FBI crime data, 2023 · crimes reported to police
The share of adults in Medora who have been diagnosed with depression: 21%. This North Dakota town tracks North Dakota closely on all 32 CDC measures. Among adults locally, 31% sleep under 7 hours and 74% had a checkup this year.
| Medora | North Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 22% | 16% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 33% | 36% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 74% | 73% | 79% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 11% | 14% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
None within 15 miles of Medora; the nearest are
About 12 of every 100 Medora residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across North Dakota.
Where Medora’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
6 places in Medora on the National Register of Historic Places.
City in North Dakota, United States
Medora (, mih-DOR-ə) is a city in Billings County, North Dakota, United States. The only incorporated place in Billings County, it is also the county seat. Much of the surrounding area is part of either Little Missouri National Grassland or Theodore Roosevelt National Park. The population was 160 in a 2024 census. It is part of the Dickinson Micropolitan Statistical Area. Medora is home to the South unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park and the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library, Bully Pulpit Golf Course, Chateau de Mores, and home to Rough Rider State Park (formerly Sully Creek State Park), and to the seasonal Medora Musical at the Burning Hills Amphitheater. It is a popular touris…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Medora has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
