Is Riverdale a good place to live?
Riverdale’s median age is 61.6 years, where North Dakota’s towns sit at 33.9 years and U.S. towns at 40.5 years. 34% of the land in Riverdale is conserved, above both North Dakota’s towns (2.8%) and U.S. towns (4.3%). The biggest park or preserve is Riverdale Wildlife Management Area, at 209 acres. Riverdale has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
221 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Moving to Riverdale: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Riverdale, 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.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Riverdale.
Riverdale has set aside nearly a third of its land for conservation
2.8 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve. The trail density in Riverdale is 2.0 miles per square mile.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Riverdale Wildlife Management Area | — | 209 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Fewer children than North Dakota overall
Children under 18 are 8% of residents (24% statewide); adults 35 to 64 are 50% of residents (35% statewide). 31% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 33% across North Dakota.
Ages · share of residents
Education · adults 25 and older
Women and men · all residents
Somewhere between 32% and 74% women
The Census survey reached too few of Riverdale’s residents to say more: its margin here is ±21.4 points. Across North Dakota, 48.8% of residents are women.
| Riverdale | ND | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 6.4% | 13% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 1.1% | 10.5% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 0.5% | 11.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 13.9% | 14.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 4.8% | 13.2% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 9.6% | 10.1% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 35.8% | 11.4% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 19.3% | 9.6% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 8.6% | 7% | 7% |
| No diploma | 1.7% | 6% | 10.4% |
| High school | 33.1% | 25.5% | 26% |
| Some college | 15.1% | 21.8% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 18.6% | 14% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 22.1% | 23% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 9.3% | 9.7% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 200, single groups can be off by several points
Riverdale has 0.6 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Most working residents leave Riverdale for work: only 0% work in town. Riverdale’s average trip to work is 20 minutes. The top destinations are Bismarck (29%), Underwood (6%) and Washburn (6%).
| Riverdale | North Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 20 minutes | 16 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $73,000 | $73,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Snowy winters and pleasant summers in Riverdale
Riverdale has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with very little rain. July afternoons reach 82°, January nights drop to 3° and about 43 inches of snow falls in a winter.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
The typical home in Riverdale is valued at about $231K
The typical Riverdale home is worth about $231,000, up 15.1% in a year, 21% below the North Dakota typical home. 84% of households own their home in Riverdale.
Typical home value
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Low risk in Riverdale, with cold waves at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 64% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
More of Riverdale’s adults have high blood pressure than in the typical North Dakota or U.S. town
44% of Riverdale adults have high blood pressure. Among 24 North Dakota towns, just 1 have a higher share of adults who have diabetes than Riverdale. 42% of Riverdale adults have obesity.
| Riverdale | North Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 44% | 31% | 35% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 15% | 17% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 29% | 33% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 82% | 73% | 79% |
| What stands out | Riverdale | ND |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 6.2% | 8.9% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 4.1% | 5.8% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 12.9% | 8.2% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Lake Sakakawea and 3 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Riverdale. Close and well known come first.
2 mi LakeLake Sakakawea
14 mi LandmarkFort Mandan
8 mi National Historic SiteKnife River Indian Villages National Historic Site9K visitors a year
20 mi MuseumNorth Dakota Lewis and Clark Interpretive CenterPhoto credits
Lake Sakakawea: Shannon1, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Fort Mandan: Gooseterrain2, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site: Unknown, Public domain · North Dakota Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center: Gooseterrain2, CC0
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Everything we know about Riverdale
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Riverdale; the nearest are
About 0 of every 100 Riverdale residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across North Dakota.
100% of working residents leave Riverdale for work
Where Riverdale’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
About Riverdale
City in North Dakota, United States
Riverdale is a city in McLean County, North Dakota, United States. The population was 223 at the 2020 census. Riverdale was the largest of the construction camps that sprang up in 1946 to house workers building the Garrison Dam just to the west. After the dam was completed in 1953, residents of the other camps (including Dakota City and Big Bend) who decided to stay on relocated to Riverdale. It was operated by the federal government from its establishment until 1986, when it was turned over to the state of North Dakota with incorporation following shortly thereafter.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1946
- Area
- 1.4 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,969 ft
- ZIP code
- 58565
- Area code
- 701
Questions about Riverdale
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Riverdale, ND a good place to live?
Riverdale has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.