#1Bismarck
Burleigh County · 77,963 peopleOutdoors grade, better than 90% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #8 of 23 in ND
Bismarck, #1 on this list · Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0North Dakota rankings · Outdoors
Best towns for the outdoors in North Dakota
Bismarck ranks first on outdoors among North Dakota’s 23 towns of 2,500+; 4 of the 23 grade A− or better on outdoors nationally.
The Outdoors grade, a character grade (not part of the overall): the share of land conserved and the trail miles per square mile. How grades work
#1A
#2Valley City
Barnes County · 6,430 peopleOutdoors grade, better than 78% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #6 of 23 in ND
#3Beulah
Mercer County · 3,077 peopleOutdoors grade, better than 78% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #10 of 23 in ND
All 23 towns
Outdoors grade, best first (the letter is national). Towns with the same score share a rank; the overall grade and state rank are beside each.
23 towns ranked. Not here? See why a town may be missing.
#TownGradeOverall
5Grand ForksGrand Forks County · 60,365 peopleB+better than 73% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #19 of 23
21Minot AFBunincorporated, Ward County · 4,878 peopleCbetter than 27% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #22 of 23
22Apple Creek TownshipBurleigh County · 3,515 peopleCbetter than 26% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #3 of 23
23Hay Creek TownshipBurleigh County · 4,380 peopleC−better than 24% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #2 of 23
Quick answers
Questions people ask
Which North Dakota town is best for the outdoors?
Bismarck (Burleigh County) ranks first on outdoors among 23 towns, with an A; Valley City and Beulah follow.
How are these towns ranked?
The Outdoors grade, a character grade (not part of the overall): the share of land conserved and the trail miles per square mile. Towns are sorted on the grade’s score; the letter and rank are the same as on each town’s page. How grades work.
Why isn’t my town on this list?
The list covers towns of 2,500+ residents with a outdoors grade (23 in North Dakota). Smaller towns have the grade on their page but no rank. Every town is on the North Dakota page.
Go deeper
All North Dakota rankings →More North Dakota lists
Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.
Best places to live23 towns · #1 LincolnMost affordable towns23 towns · #1 New TownSafest towns16 towns · #1 New TownTowns with the best schools23 towns · #1 WahpetonHealthiest towns23 towns · #1 Hay Creek TownshipBest towns for jobs & income23 towns · #1 Hay Creek TownshipMost walkable towns23 towns · #1 Grand ForksTowns with the lowest natural-hazard risk23 towns · #1 Tatman TownshipMost historic towns23 towns · #1 Valley CityTowns with the most civic life22 towns · #1 GraftonTowns with the least snow20 towns · #1 BeulahDescribed, no lettersSnowiest towns20 towns · #1 MinotDescribed, no lettersTowns with the mildest winters24 towns · #1 DickinsonDescribed, no lettersTowns with the hottest summers24 towns · #1 WillistonDescribed, no lettersTowns with the coolest summers24 towns · #1 Devils LakeDescribed, no lettersTowns with the highest incomes23 towns · #1 Hay Creek TownshipDescribed, no lettersTowns with the lowest property taxes21 towns · #1 New TownDescribed, no lettersFastest-growing towns23 towns · #1 HoraceDescribed, no letters
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