City profile · North Dakota · Census ACS 2023

Williston, ND

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Williston - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

27,964
Residents
$84,309
Median income
$262,700
Median home
$1,196
Median rent (state)

Williston - the verdict

Nationally, Williston sits in the 66th percentile for household income and the 19th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

66th
percentile, household income
58th
percentile, home value
36th
percentile, median rent
19th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Williston, ND

27,964 people live in Williston, North Dakota - a small city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $84,309 per year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 5.5%. Typical homes in Williston are valued around $262,700, and the median resident age is 31.9 years. 25.7% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 73.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 61 residential building permits were authorized in Williston (Growing), up 11% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Williston's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 2752.5 crimes per 100,000 residents, above the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score).

Living costs in North Dakota run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts North Dakota at 89.0 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Below Average). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,196 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $200 across North Dakota, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 53.7 out of 100 (Low).

Population

27,964 residents

Census ACS 2023 - North Dakota

Median Household Income

$84,309 /yr

Poverty 5.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

89.0 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, North Dakota average

How does Williston compare to other US cities?

Here's how Williston stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 66% higher than other cities
Home value 58% pricier than other cities
Median rent 36% pricier than other cities
Safety 19% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at North Dakota, Williston ranks #19 of 21 North Dakota cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Williston's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in North Dakota, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

66thIncome percentile
19thSafety percentile

66th percentile nationally for median household income · 19th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Williston's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Williston's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 46 Avg. percentile National median
Williston's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Williston's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$262,700 42nd percentile more affordable than 42% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). This entry sits in this band. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Williston $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Williston, ND Williston, ND's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Williston, ND-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Williston, ND median $84,309/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Williston, ND's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Williston, ND. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 25.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 5.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 73.8%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
27,964
Median Income
$84,309
Median Home Value
$262,700
Median Age
31.9
Poverty Rate
5.5%
Labor force participation
73.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
25.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2752.5
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
437.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2315.2
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
13
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
26,000 residents27,000 residents28,000 residents29,000 residents30,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 29,306 residents 29,522 residents ▲ +0.7%
Williston's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Growing
Total Permits (2024)
61
housing units authorized
Single-Family
59
detached homes
Multifamily
2
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
2.2
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 55
2020 36
2021 32
2022 35
2023 29
2024 61

Permit volume increased 11% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
83.4%
Carpool
9.8%
Public Transit
0.3%
Walk
2.9%
Work from Home
2.6%
Other
1.0%

Based on 14,829 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for North Dakota - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$90
avg/month
Natural Gas
$70
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$40
avg/month
Total Utilities
$200
estimated/month

Estimates reflect North Dakota state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a North Dakota state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Williston sits in

Cost of Living Index
89.0
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,196/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
53.7 / 100
Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in North Dakota

Dickinson
25,216 people
Mandan
24,293 people
West Fargo
39,325 people
Jamestown
15,774 people
Minot
47,922 people
Wahpeton
7,996 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Williston's 27,964 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Maryland Heights, MO
27,981 people
Winchester, VA
27,981 people
Henderson, KY
27,994 people
New Iberia, LA
27,926 people
Danvers, MA
27,924 people
Milford, MA
27,919 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Williston's $84,309 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Rural Hill, TN
$84,310 median income
Germantown, OH
$84,307 median income
Mebane, NC
$84,312 median income
Howland Center, OH
$84,306 median income
White Hall, AR
$84,304 median income
Deming, WA
$84,315 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Williston, ND Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Williston, ND - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 79.8% 7.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 9.9% White 79.8% Black or African American 7.1% Asian 1.6% American Indian 1.9% Native Hawaiian 0.2% Some other race 3.7% Two or more races 5.8% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Williston compares to nearby North Dakota cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Williston (this city) 27,964 $84,309
Dickinson 25,216 $76,964
Mandan 24,293 $75,966
West Fargo 39,325 $96,877
Census ACS 5-year FIPS ND FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Williston, ND?

What is the population of Williston, ND? +

Williston, ND has a population of 27,964 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Williston, ND? +

Williston households earn a median of $84,309 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Williston? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Williston; the closest available measure is the North Dakota state average, a cost of living index of 89.0 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within North Dakota vary by metro area.

Is Williston, ND safe? +

Williston has a total crime rate of 2752.5 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Williston, ND? +

Homes in Williston carry a median value of $262,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.