Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 1,116, settled in 1887.
The best of Williston Township’s subject grades is an A for incomes; the weakest is a D for schools. Williston Township’s median household income is $250,000, above both the North Dakota town median ($73,000) and the median of U.S. towns ($80,000). Only 3 of North Dakota’s 69 towns score higher on incomes. 36% of the land in Williston Township is conserved, against 2.8% in North Dakota’s towns and 4.3% across U.S. towns. On civic life, just 4 of North Dakota’s 64 towns do worse. Williston Township has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Williston Township beats most towns.
1,307 counted in 2010 and 1,086 in 2020; an estimated 1,116 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within North Dakota), ordered by how far Williston Township is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 295 in 1890, 29,160 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1899 and 3 maps from 1959 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Williston Township, 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 Williston Township.
Most working residents leave Williston Township for work: only 8% work in town. Since 2013, Williston Township has lost 1,261 jobs, to 2,355 in 2023. The average trip to work in Williston Township is 18 minutes.
| Williston Township | North Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 8.4% | 39% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 18 minutes | 16 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 91% of U.S. communities. Since 1999, 2 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Williston Township.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
7.1 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Lewis and Clark Wildlife Management Area | — | 10 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Williston Township beats the North Dakota average on 8 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 12. 26% of Williston Township adults binge drink. Only 2 of the 24 North Dakota towns we compare have a higher share of adults who have obesity than Williston Township.
| Williston Township | North Dakota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 22% | 16% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 69% | 73% | 79% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 29% | 33% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 31% | 35% |
| What stands out | Williston Township | ND |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 5.6% | 8.2% |
| Fewer adults with heart disease | 4.5% | 6.1% |
| More uninsured adults | 9.7% | 7.3% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Williston Township has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with very little rain. Only 2 of the 24 North Dakota towns we compare have a higher July high than Williston Township.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
1 within 15 miles of the center of Williston Township
About 2 of every 100 Williston Township residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across North Dakota.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
City in North Dakota, United States
Williston is a city in and the county seat of Williams County, North Dakota, United States. The 2020 census gave its population as 29,160, making Williston the sixth-most populous city in North Dakota. It is near the southeast edge of the Williston Basin, named after the city. This huge subterranean geologic feature is known for its rich deposits of petroleum, coal, and potash, which contributed to the city's population nearly doubling between 2010 and 2020, due largely to the North Dakota oil boom. Williston's newspaper is the weekly Williston Herald. Williston is the home of Williston State College and the Miss North Dakota Scholarship Pageant.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B.