Do you want to know the best place to retire in North Dakota? Then you’re in the right place because we’ve compiled a list of the best places to spend your retirement in the Peace Garden State.
North Dakota has more golf courses per capita than any other state. And the oil boom has done more than bring jobs and money into the economy of North Dakota. It’s also made it the fastest-growing state in America. If golfing and a booming economy aren’t enough for you, consider all the natural badland beauty on display at Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
How did we conclude that these are the best places for retirement in North Dakota? We looked at cities with a population of at least 2,000. Then we analyzed which places had the least crime, the most to do, a higher median age, and the best weather, all at the lowest price.
Wherever you retire in North Dakota, you’ll get hooked on tater tot hot dishes, kuchen, and juneberry jam.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Best Places To Retire In North Dakota For 2024
Where is the best city to retire in North Dakota? According to the data Carrington is the best place for retirement in 2024.
There’s no geographical cheat sheet for retiring here. If you want to be smack dab in the middle of the bigger cities of Fargo and Grand Forks, then Hillsboro is where you’ll want to go. If you want to be as close to Bismarck as you can get, Beulah is the retirement haven for you. Retiring in Stanley is your best option if you want to retire as close to Theodore Roosevelt National Park as you can.
If you retire in any of these North Dakotan cities, we’re sure you’ll have a good experience. Many of the places featured on this list overlap with our list of safest and best family cities on our other list, so if those things are also priorities for you, be sure to check out those articles.
So pack up your putter, give that old briefcase to Goodwill, and head on over to one of the best places to retire in North Dakota.
Why did Carrington take the top spot? And where are Fargo and Bismarck?
For more North Dakota state reading:
- Best Places To Live In North Dakota
- Cheapest Places To Live In North Dakota
- Best Places To Raise A Family In North Dakota
- Best Places To Retire In America
The 10 Best Places To Retire In North Dakota For 2024
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Population: 2,161
Median Income: $62,240
Median Home Price: $164,183
Median Rent: $703
Distance to Closest Airport: 97 miles
More on Carrington: Data | Real Estate
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Population: 2,125
Median Income: $64,931
Median Home Price: $135,535
Median Rent: $686
Distance to Closest Airport: 132 miles
More on Oakes: Real Estate
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Population: 7,192
Median Income: $41,203
Median Home Price: $215,052
Median Rent: $664
Distance to Closest Airport: 79 miles
More on Devils Lake: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Population: 15,850
Median Income: $53,389
Median Home Price: $184,873
Median Rent: $739
Distance to Closest Airport: 79 miles
More on Jamestown: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Methodology: How We Determined The Best Places To Retire In the Peace Garden State for 2024
To create our ranking of the best places in North Dakota to retire, we used Saturday Night Science. We analyzed Census data to find all places in the Peace Garden State — 392 cities and towns.
We then narrowed it down to places with at least 2,000 people that weren’t townships. This left us with 20 places from across the state.
For these 20, we looked at the following criteria taken from the Census, the FBI’s Crime Report, National Weather Service, and OpenFlights:
- Low cost of living as measured by rent
- Low crime
- Things to do (Museums, Colleges, and Libraries in town)
- Nice weather
- Distance to the closest international airport
- Other retirees (High median age)
We then ranked each of these places for each criterion from one to 20, with the lowest number being the best.
Finally, we took the average rank across these criteria. The place, in this case Carrington, with the lowest average rank, was crowned the best of the best, a place for you to start your second career.
The report has been updated for 2024. This list reflects our tenth time ranking the best places to retire in North Dakota.
Summary: Maybe You’re Not Ready To Retire In North Dakota Yet…
So there you have it, the best place to retire in North Dakota goes to Carrington.
The best places to retire in North Dakota are Carrington, Rugby, Grafton, Hazen, Lisbon, Oakes, Stanley, Beulah, Devils Lake, and Jamestown.
If you’re not ready to hang up your office apparel yet, then these places might be up your alley:
- Mandan
- Fargo
- West Fargo
For more North Dakota reading, check out:
Best Places To Retire In North Dakota
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Prices | Median Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carrington | 2,161 | $62,240 | $164,183 | $703 |
| 2 | Rugby | 2,654 | $54,852 | $166,273 | $765 |
| 3 | Grafton | 4,161 | $59,696 | $126,820 | $646 |
| 4 | Hazen | 2,569 | $79,231 | $180,243 | $1,040 |
| 5 | Lisbon | 2,159 | $61,250 | $151,840 | $738 |
| 6 | Oakes | 2,125 | $64,931 | $135,535 | $686 |
| 7 | Stanley | 2,189 | $101,351 | $222,891 | $1,142 |
| 8 | Beulah | 3,063 | $90,655 | $197,523 | $1,051 |
| 9 | Devils Lake | 7,192 | $41,203 | $215,052 | $664 |
| 10 | Jamestown | 15,850 | $53,389 | $184,873 | $739 |