Ranked from official statistics; every city opens its own guide.
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 08/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Among the 30 largest places in North Dakota, Horace has the lowest unemployment rate (0.4%), followed by Langdon and Rugby. Click any column to sort; click a city for its guide.
Across the 30 places in North Dakota that we cover, the median is 1.9% and the average 2.4%; the figure runs from 0.4% (Horace) to 6.1% (Minot AFB). That is a spread of 14.2 times between the two ends. The state figure is 2.8%; 10 of the 30 places are above it and 20 at or below.
The first five are Horace, Langdon, Rugby, Watford City, Grafton. A high or low position is not good or bad on its own: unemployment from the ACS is a survey estimate with a margin of error, and small places can swing widely. Use the Compare tab on each city page to see how two places differ across income, rent, commute and education, and check the county page for the local job market.
| # ⇅ | City ⇅ | County ⇅ | Unemployment (ACS) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Horace | Cass County | 0.4% | 4,588 | $138,578 | $2,146 |
| 2 | Langdon | Cavalier County | 0.5% | 1,782 | $64,286 | $786 |
| 3 | Rugby | Pierce County | 0.5% | 2,481 | $50,365 | $853 |
| 4 | Watford City | McKenzie County | 0.6% | 6,039 | $102,260 | $1,336 |
| 5 | Grafton | Walsh County | 0.8% | 4,102 | $62,679 | $733 |
| 6 | Casselton | Cass County | 0.9% | 2,953 | $73,259 | $814 |
| 7 | Lincoln | Burleigh County | 1.1% | 4,381 | $87,652 | $950 |
| 8 | West Fargo | Cass County | 1.1% | 40,094 | $90,665 | $1,111 |
| 9 | Stanley | Mountrail County | 1.3% | 2,097 | $109,573 | $1,144 |
| 10 | Carrington | Foster County | 1.4% | 2,168 | $77,171 | $778 |
| 11 | Mandan | Morton County | 1.5% | 24,522 | $71,780 | $1,083 |
| 12 | Oakes | Dickey County | 1.7% | 1,858 | $67,632 | $843 |
| 13 | Wahpeton | Richland County | 1.7% | 8,010 | $62,750 | $751 |
| 14 | Bottineau | Bottineau County | 1.7% | 2,205 | $65,905 | $840 |
| 15 | Devils Lake | Ramsey County | 1.7% | 7,308 | $43,220 | $711 |
| 16 | New Town | Mountrail County | 1.9% | 2,721 | $52,500 | $851 |
| 17 | Beulah | Mercer County | 2.0% | 3,040 | $76,848 | $1,075 |
| 18 | Grand Forks | Grand Forks County | 2.4% | 59,042 | $63,627 | $980 |
| 19 | Hazen | Mercer County | 2.4% | 2,453 | $79,609 | $918 |
| 20 | Bismarck | Burleigh County | 2.5% | 75,556 | $78,387 | $999 |
| 21 | Dickinson | Stark County | 3.2% | 25,357 | $82,696 | $957 |
| 22 | Minot | Ward County | 3.4% | 47,791 | $73,219 | $973 |
| 23 | Lisbon | Ransom County | 3.5% | 2,259 | $64,327 | $649 |
| 24 | Fargo | Cass County | 3.8% | 131,627 | $66,998 | $946 |
| 25 | Grand Forks AFB (unincorporated) | Grand Forks County | 3.9% | 1,987 | $72,782 | $1,626 |
| 26 | Jamestown | Stutsman County | 4.9% | 15,787 | $56,554 | $773 |
| 27 | Williston | Williams County | 4.9% | 28,056 | $79,381 | $1,122 |
| 28 | Valley City | Barnes County | 4.9% | 6,541 | $60,339 | $780 |
| 29 | Mayville | Traill County | 5.2% | 1,976 | $55,735 | $854 |
| 30 | Minot AFB (unincorporated) | Ward County | 6.1% | 4,878 | $62,500 | $1,431 |
Largest Cities · Cities With the Cheapest Rent · Cities With the Highest Household Income · Cities Where Rent Takes the Smallest Share of Income · Cities in the Highest-Paying Counties · Most College-Educated Cities · Cities With the Most Homeowners · Cities With the Most Remote Work · Cities With the Shortest Commutes
Unincorporated places are census-designated places: they have no city government but are counted as communities. Figures describe the city itself.
Horace, with 0.4% (among the 30 largest places; ACS 2020–2024).
The 30 largest places in North Dakota by population.