Photo: Andrew Filer from Seattle (ex-Minneapolis) · CC BY-SA 2.0Within North Dakota, Williston is healthier than 32% of graded towns
Williston differs from North Dakota on 21 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 8 better, 13 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Williston. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Williston
More Williston adults lack emotional support
1 in 4 adults lack social or emotional support (25%), vs 20.6% across North Dakota. Frequent mental distress is above the state too: 16.6%, vs 14.2% across North Dakota. Mind & connection ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Williston
1 in 7 adults worry about having enough food (14%), vs 10.7% across North Dakota. Housing insecurity (11.9% vs 8.9%) and utility shut-off threats (7.1% vs 5.8%) are higher too. Everyday needs ↓
Cancer and heart disease are less common in Williston
Williston runs below North Dakota on seven chronic conditions, most of all cancer (5.6% vs 8.2%), heart disease (4.5% vs 6.1%) and arthritis (19.4% vs 25.3%). A young population is part of it: only 10% of residents are 65 or older (North Dakota 17%). Conditions ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the North Dakota figure falls outside Williston’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
What’s behind Williston’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Williston is healthier than 68% of U.S. towns, #16 of 23 in North Dakota. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 96% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 21%).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Williston’s median household income is $79,381; among the 10,773 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($60K–$99K), it’s healthier than 76%, about where its income would put it.
How Williston adults are doing
On 3 of 4 measures, Williston runs above North Dakota.
1 in 3 Williston adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
8.3% of Williston adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 6.7% across North Dakota.
Out of every 100 Williston adults…
Williston runs below ND on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 10% of Williston residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across North Dakota. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Williston
1 hospital in Williston, plus the nearest just outside it.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Williston; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Everyday habits, side by side with North Dakota
Share of adults, with the North Dakota figure marked.
12 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Williston adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks North Dakota.
Williston and the towns around it
Williston has the best Health Grade of the 3 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Williston | B+ | 40% | 8% | 15.4% | CDC place |
| Missouri Ridge Township · Williston Township | B+ | 40.1% | 8.1% | 15.6% | ZIP 58801 |
| Stony Creek Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Mont Township | — | — | — | — | |
| Pherrin Township | — | — | — | — |
Stony Creek Township, Mont Township and Pherrin Township: fewer than 1,000 residents. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Williston adults live with a disability (North Dakota 27.6%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Williston
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Williston is better than North Dakota on 8 and worse on 13; on the rest, the North Dakota figure falls inside Williston’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Williston | ND | U.S. | vs ND |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 16.1%13.9–18.4 | 16.1% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 10.9%9.6–12.4 | 11.4% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 16.6%14.6–18.6 | 14.2% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 40%34–45.9 | 36.5% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 8%6.9–9.2 | 9.8% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 28.1%24.9–31.4 | 31.8% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 28.7%25.4–32.2 | 33.8% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 19.4%17.1–21.8 | 25.3% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 10.3%9.1–11.6 | 10.1% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 5.6%5–6.1 | 8.2% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.5%4–5 | 6.1% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5%4.4–5.6 | 5.9% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.4%2.2–2.6 | 3.1% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 12.3%9.9–14.9 | 10.8% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 15.4%13.2–17.7 | 13.1% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 23.7%20.1–27.5 | 21.8% | 24.7% | About the same |
| Binge drinking | 25.5%21.7–29.5 | 21.3% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 37.3%31.8–42.8 | 32.7% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 10%8.4–11.7 | 7.3% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 68.8%64.5–72.7 | 74.4% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 61%57.3–64.5 | 64.5% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 77.8%75.2–80.5 | 82.7% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 69.5%66.1–72.5 | 76.3% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 60.3%55.1–65.1 | 64.9% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 75.9%68.5–81.9 | 78% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 21.5%18.4–24.7 | 21.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 34.2%29.7–38.9 | 29.6% | 32.5% | Worse |
| Lack social and emotional support | 25%21.4–28.6 | 20.6% | 23.6% | Worse |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 14%11.9–16.3 | 10.7% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 11.9%10.2–13.8 | 8.9% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.1%6.1–8.2 | 5.8% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 7.9%6.8–9 | 6.5% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 8.3%6.9–10 | 6.7% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 27.6%24–31.3 | 27.6% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9.4%8.1–10.8 | 11.2% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.4%12.6–16.2 | 12.6% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6%5.3–6.8 | 7.8% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 4.2%3.8–4.6 | 4.1% | 5.4% | About the same |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.2%6.4–8.1 | 7.1% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 3%2.7–3.3 | 3.1% | 3.8% | About the same |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the North Dakota figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Williston
Is Williston a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Williston is healthier than 68% of U.S. towns: ≈ B+ for health, #16 of 23 in North Dakota. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 76%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Williston?
CDC estimates 40% of adults have obesity, likely between 34% and 45.9%, against 36.5% across North Dakota and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Williston?
CHI St. Alexius Health Williston in Williston, 2.4 miles in a straight line from Williston’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Williston have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 10% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.4–11.7%), against 7.3% across North Dakota.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Williston more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from C+ to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Williston.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The North Dakota figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.