State rankings

Best Counties to Live in North Dakota

Compare counties in North Dakota by overall score, affordability, economy, schools, safety, taxes, and peace & quiet. Rankings are public-data estimates for comparison and research.

#1 in ND

LaMoure County

83.5

Overall score

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#2 in ND

Towner County

Overall score

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#3 in ND

Dickey County

81.9

Overall score

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#4 in ND

Wells County

81.5

Overall score

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#5 in ND

Foster County

80.9

Overall score

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Category highlights

Quick entry points for common county search priorities.

National rankings

Best overall

LaMoure County

Overall score 83.5

Most affordable

LaMoure County

Affordability 94.4

Best schools

Dickey County

Schools 98.2

Safest

Steele County

Safety 99.9

Lowest taxes

Slope County

Taxes 96.9

Best peace & quiet

Ramsey County

Peace & Quiet 98.1

All North Dakota counties

Showing 53 counties ranked by the default generated overall score.

Rank	County	Overall	Economy	Afford.	Schools	Safety	Taxes	Peace & Quiet	Typical home	Income
1	LaMoure County FIPS 38045	83.5	62.7	94.4	93.4	92.7	70.6	92.3	$146,263	$80,664
2	Towner County FIPS 38095	82	67.4	91.4	91.6	86.4	64.9	91.5	$131,821	$67,350
3	Dickey County FIPS 38021	81.9	65.2	80.8	98.2	98.3	63.3	93.4	$168,745	$68,654
4	Wells County FIPS 38103	81.5	69.9	90.8	83.7	87.8	67.8	93.3	$132,761	$66,114
5	Foster County FIPS 38031	80.9	65.8	84.9	96.8	91.8	53.4	95.7	$184,311	$87,831
6	Steele County FIPS 38091	80.3	54.1	88.3	96.6	99.9	59.9	87.1	$130,700	$77,500
7	Bowman County FIPS 38011	79.3	65.8	78.3	91.5	85.1	77	90.7	$183,492	$72,109
8	Pembina County FIPS 38067	79.3	67.2	88.5	81.9	85.4	64.5	93.7	$132,947	$68,393
9	Adams County FIPS 38001	78.3	59.2	82.8	94.1	83.7	67.9	91.9	$136,450	$62,500
10	Golden Valley County FIPS 38033	78.3	64.6	76	95.3	-	79.8	87.8	$184,552	$68,021
11	Eddy County FIPS 38027	78	61.7	87.7	94	80	53.4	90.9	$116,782	$50,850
12	Traill County FIPS 38097	78	69.8	79	87.5	85.8	57.4	94.1	$211,640	$87,004
13	Burke County FIPS 38013	77.7	76.2	85.5	51.2	98.3	82.6	79.8	$140,162	$91,591
14	Renville County FIPS 38075	77.5	64	76.8	92	79.4	80.1	78.6	$186,736	$74,301
15	Nelson County FIPS 38063	77.3	70.7	82.2	75	80.8	75.9	87.3	$151,639	$67,193
16	Logan County FIPS 38047	76.8	54.1	91.8	79.8	92	60.9	89.5	$102,000	$62,750
17	Pierce County FIPS 38069	76.8	48.4	88.5	90.6	96.8	50.4	97.9	$147,300	$59,365
18	Griggs County FIPS 38039	76.7	58.3	87.1	83.4	83.1	67.6	88.8	$128,850	$61,711
19	Hettinger County FIPS 38041	76.2	71.6	85.3	68.8	83.5	61.6	91.5	$135,967	$73,026
20	Billings County FIPS 38007	75.6	76.3	54.7	74.5	96.9	92	83.5	$331,000	$86,806
21	McIntosh County FIPS 38051	75.6	53.9	89.9	87	79.8	58	88.9	$84,200	$64,419
22	Grant County FIPS 38037	75.2	53.9	89.3	75.1	91.2	66.1	81.9	$93,200	$57,875
23	Mercer County FIPS 38057	75.2	63.6	72.6	83.5	95	57.2	88.6	$231,337	$80,946
24	Cavalier County FIPS 38019	75.1	70.1	79.7	72.5	88.4	54.7	87.5	$163,327	$69,531
25	Barnes County FIPS 38003	74.7	51.2	72.3	94.6	96.5	58.3	92.3	$193,628	$68,038
26	Divide County FIPS 38023	74.1	77.4	86.2	39.3	85.5	82.7	84.4	$167,600	$91,852
27	Burleigh County FIPS 38015	73.8	79.9	51	78.1	97.5	61.1	93.6	$362,350	$86,851
28	Bottineau County FIPS 38009	73.7	65.9	73.9	78.5	75.3	76.7	82.2	$210,385	$85,000
29	McHenry County FIPS 38049	72.1	50.8	89.2	67.4	77.1	79.7	81.6	$153,384	$80,733
30	Walsh County FIPS 38099	72.1	71.5	85.4	62.4	62.6	63.4	92.8	$157,408	$71,944
31	Cass County FIPS 38017	71.8	76.2	45.7	91.2	97.9	39.1	90.3	$328,967	$75,555
32	Stutsman County FIPS 38093	71.7	62.7	59	86.3	95.6	48	97.4	$224,540	$61,856
33	Stark County FIPS 38089	71.2	72	55.6	67.8	97.5	64.3	93	$310,355	$84,449
34	Kidder County FIPS 38043	70.7	55.9	64.9	63.4	97.2	89.5	85.1	$213,803	$65,610
35	Sargent County FIPS 38081	70.7	53.1	83.5	74.2	76	54.8	95.7	$175,719	$77,946
36	Morton County FIPS 38059	70.3	75.9	54.2	64.2	96.2	58.1	93.2	$318,880	$79,382
37	McLean County FIPS 38055	70.2	64.2	77.2	60.3	79.3	67.1	83.7	$212,100	$83,583
38	Ramsey County FIPS 38071	70	59.9	57.6	78.7	95	56.8	98.1	$222,690	$61,006
39	Grand Forks County FIPS 38035	69.7	70.6	48.1	81.7	96.2	44.7	94.8	$284,894	$68,075
40	Richland County FIPS 38077	69.2	71.4	70.8	50.5	87.7	57.9	93	$222,822	$75,432
41	Emmons County FIPS 38029	69	42.3	82.4	68.5	82.5	73.7	87.4	$145,400	$66,538
42	Dunn County FIPS 38025	68.9	85.1	46.9	52.8	83.9	87.1	81.4	$384,084	$97,689
43	Ransom County FIPS 38073	68.7	57.2	78.8	71.6	67.9	54.8	95.1	$193,954	$75,736
44	Slope County FIPS 38087	68.2	63.9	85.2	10.9	97.1	96.9	89.6	$170,000	$71,250
45	Ward County FIPS 38101	67.8	71	57.8	66.6	86.3	47.7	91.3	$277,618	$78,238
46	Sheridan County FIPS 38083	67.6	45.4	92.9	33.1	91.9	81.8	88.3	$128,478	$62,639
47	Oliver County FIPS 38065	67.4	54.8	67.4	49.5	96.3	82.2	85.4	$251,891	$77,240
48	Williams County FIPS 38105	60.7	75.5	41.7	28.7	90.4	77.6	86.6	$343,436	$85,595
49	Benson County FIPS 38005	59.5	45.4	83.3	1	94.4	83.8	92.1	$147,236	$64,033
50	McKenzie County FIPS 38053	57.9	74.6	42.8	22.3	72.4	89	85.8	$367,243	$93,404
51	Mountrail County FIPS 38061	57.6	69.2	62	4.9	72.8	84.6	88.2	$236,830	$80,717
52	Rolette County FIPS 38079	56.8	34.4	87.1	8.4	92.1	63.5	92	$103,800	$59,517
53	Sioux County FIPS 38085	50.9	33.1	85.7	0.1	-	87.9	94.2	$85,400	$42,083