Jobs, pay and daily life in Minot, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Minot is a city in North Dakota with 47,791 residents. The median household earns $73,219 a year and the median rent is $973 a month, which is 15.9% of the median household income. It is part of the Minot, ND metropolitan area, where BLS counts 33,260 jobs.
How Minot compares. Among the 30 largest places in North Dakota, Minot is #4 by population, #24 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #21 for remote work (#1 = most), #19 for rent (#1 = cheapest). Its county, Ward County, is #15 of 53 counties for average pay ($60,491).
Minot has 47,791 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 6.1% of the population of North Dakota. It covers 28 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,725 people per square mile. The median age is 33.5, 7% younger than the state median (33.5 against 35.9).
The median gross rent is $973 a month (rent plus utilities), about the same as the state median ($973 against $954). Over a year that is 15.9% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $257,100, which is 3.5 times the median household income ($73,219); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 56.7% of households own their home, 10% below the state average (56.7% against 62.9%).
The Minot, ND metropolitan area has 33,260 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $48,940 a year, 4% below the national median ($48,940 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are sales and related (3,780 jobs, median $36,960); office and administrative support (3,450 jobs, median $47,540); food preparation and serving related (3,430 jobs, median $32,680). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Ward County was 1.7%. 63.4% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Ward County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 77.2% drive alone, 0.5% use public transit, 1.4% walk, 5.3% work from home. 9.2% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 19% above the state average (9.2% against 7.8%).
29.7% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 9% below the state share (29.7% against 32.7%). 4.8% of residents were born outside the United States, about the same as the state share (4.8% against 4.7%). The poverty rate is 11.1%, about the same as the state rate (11.1% against 10.8%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 72°F (22.1°C), and the coolest is Jan at 12°F (-10.9°C). About 487 mm (19 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jun is the wettest month (98 mm) and Feb the driest (13 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Minot AFB (13 miles, rent 47% higher); Stanley (52 miles, rent 18% higher); Bottineau (56 miles, rent 14% lower); New Town (58 miles, rent 13% lower). Rent differences are against Minot; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in North Dakota (255) →State guide: North DakotaCountry guideWard CountyNorth Dakota rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 255 federal postings open in North Dakota (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in North Dakota →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | 1,420 | 1.70 | $35,290 | $27,850 | $47,050 | -0% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,400 | 1.70 | $30,080 | $23,650 | $36,700 | -4% |
| General and Operations Managers | 950 | 1.27 | $93,120 | $50,300 | $179,690 | -12% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 880 | 0.96 | $36,860 | $35,730 | $46,730 | +3% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 880 | 2.00 | $61,030 | $48,480 | $93,060 | +4% |
| Cashiers | 850 | 1.28 | $30,570 | $27,430 | $37,530 | -7% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 740 | 2.43 | $38,040 | $23,480 | $60,740 | +3% |
| Office Clerks, General | 660 | 1.24 | $50,160 | $34,820 | $73,900 | +11% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 640 | 1.02 | $44,560 | $33,700 | $58,530 | +11% |
| Registered Nurses | 620 | 0.86 | $80,490 | $64,990 | $95,290 | -17% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 500 | 0.83 | $35,530 | $31,540 | $44,150 | -5% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 480 | 1.02 | $37,750 | $30,720 | $55,490 | +2% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 440 | 0.90 | $30,930 | $18,370 | $59,900 | -12% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 440 | 1.19 | $47,320 | $32,500 | $60,850 | -0% |
| Nursing Assistants | 430 | 1.38 | $36,500 | $35,130 | $47,500 | -14% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | 420 | 2.39 | $82,680 | $60,980 | $124,660 | +3% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 400 | 1.35 | $61,350 | $48,940 | $81,320 | -4% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 390 | 0.71 | $44,560 | $29,290 | $67,020 | -0% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 380 | 1.25 | $36,390 | $28,480 | $45,000 | -3% |
| Bartenders | 340 | 2.09 | $28,610 | $18,840 | $53,390 | -17% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations Managers | 950 | 1.27 | $93,120 | $50,300 | $179,690 | -12% |
| Registered Nurses | 620 | 0.86 | $80,490 | $64,990 | $95,290 | -17% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 880 | 2.00 | $61,030 | $48,480 | $93,060 | +4% |
| Office Clerks, General | 660 | 1.24 | $50,160 | $34,820 | $73,900 | +11% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 640 | 1.02 | $44,560 | $33,700 | $58,530 | +11% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 740 | 2.43 | $38,040 | $23,480 | $60,740 | +3% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 880 | 0.96 | $36,860 | $35,730 | $46,730 | +3% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 500 | 0.83 | $35,530 | $31,540 | $44,150 | -5% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,420 | 1.70 | $35,290 | $27,850 | $47,050 | -0% |
| Cashiers | 850 | 1.28 | $30,570 | $27,430 | $37,530 | -7% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,400 | 1.70 | $30,080 | $23,650 | $36,700 | -4% |
These figures are for the whole Minot, ND metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $48,940 (US $50,980); unemployment 1.8% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 25.9% |
| Retail trade | 13.6% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 8.6% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 7.5% |
| Construction | 7.2% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 6.3% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 6.1% |
| Other services | 6.0% |
| Manufacturing | 5.5% |
| Public administration | 5.3% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 4.3% |
| Wholesale trade | 3.2% |
| Information | 0.5% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Minot lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ward County | 68,973 | $5,094 million | $73,850 | 31,358 | 2,723 | $60,491 | +0.8% | 1.7% | 36,423 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 4,890 | 18.9% | $69,827 | 1.09 |
| Retail trade | 4,648 | 17.9% | $38,526 | 1.48 |
| Accommodation and food services | 3,367 | 13.0% | $23,156 | 1.18 |
| Construction | 2,031 | 7.8% | $70,163 | 1.23 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,681 | 6.5% | $85,349 | 1.36 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 1,513 | 5.8% | $134,980 | 12.76 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 1,187 | 4.6% | $66,779 | 0.89 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 1,082 | 4.2% | $54,226 | 1.15 |
| Finance and insurance | 1,047 | 4.0% | $85,164 | 0.82 |
| Administrative and waste services | 1,034 | 4.0% | $47,650 | 0.56 |
| Professional and technical services | 966 | 3.7% | $85,943 | 0.44 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 617 | 2.4% | $20,259 | 1.17 |
| Manufacturing | 463 | 1.8% | $54,423 | 0.18 |
| Real estate and rental | 397 | 1.5% | $59,652 | 0.82 |
| Information | 381 | 1.5% | $70,805 | 0.65 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 178 | 0.7% | $65,129 | 0.70 |
| Educational services | 166 | 0.6% | $22,461 | 0.26 |
| Management of companies | 141 | 0.5% | $104,963 | 0.27 |
| Utilities | 133 | 0.5% | $136,145 | 1.12 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 77.2% |
| Public transit | 0.5% |
| Walk | 1.4% |
| Work from home | 5.3% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 9.2% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $73,219 |
| Income per person | $43,757 |
| Median gross rent per month | $973 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 15.9% |
| Median home value | $257,100 |
| Homeowners | 56.7% |
| Poverty rate | 11.1% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 87.0 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $48,940 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 2.50%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 33.5 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 94.3% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 29.7% |
| Born abroad | 4.8% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 63.4% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -10.9 | 12 | 15 |
| Feb | -9.7 | 15 | 13 |
| Mar | -1.6 | 29 | 22 |
| Apr | 5.6 | 42 | 34 |
| May | 12.5 | 54 | 76 |
| Jun | 18.2 | 65 | 98 |
| Jul | 22.1 | 72 | 61 |
| Aug | 20.6 | 69 | 52 |
| Sep | 14.8 | 59 | 49 |
| Oct | 5.9 | 43 | 32 |
| Nov | -1.4 | 29 | 16 |
| Dec | -8.5 | 17 | 19 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minot AFB | ND | 13 mi | 4,878 | $62,500 | $1,431 |
| Stanley | ND | 52 mi | 2,097 | $109,573 | $1,144 |
| Bottineau | ND | 56 mi | 2,205 | $65,905 | $840 |
| New Town | ND | 58 mi | 2,721 | $52,500 | $851 |
| Rugby | ND | 60 mi | 2,481 | $50,365 | $853 |
| Hazen | ND | 67 mi | 2,453 | $79,609 | $918 |
| Beulah | ND | 71 mi | 3,040 | $76,848 | $1,075 |
| Watford City | ND | 97 mi | 6,039 | $102,260 | $1,336 |
| Mandan | ND | 99 mi | 24,522 | $71,780 | $1,083 |
| Bismarck | ND | 101 mi | 75,556 | $78,387 | $999 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
47,791 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$973 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 15.9% of the median household income.
$73,219 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
1.7% (BLS county, Ward County (latest month 2026M09)).
North Dakota. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.