Minot vs Williston
Minot, North Dakota versus Williston, North Dakota: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Minot and Williston score about the same overall (46 vs 46 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Minot | Williston |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $76k | $80k |
| Cost of Living | $42k | $48k |
| Home Value | $242k | $246k |
| Monthly Rent | $937 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.16% | 0.73% |
| Income Tax | 2.50% | 2.50% |
| Sales Tax | 7.04% | 7.04% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 8.53% | 7.04% |
| Unemployment | 3.7% | 2.9% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 14°F | 12°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 71°F | 70°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 16.7 in | 15.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 45.1 in | 48.2 in |
| Sunny Days | 232 days | 242 days |
| Summer Humidity | 57°F | 55°F |
| Comfortable Days | 69 days | 53 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 71.6 | 85.6 |
| Air Quality | 53 AQI | 19 AQI |
| School Quality | 59.6 | 50.2 |
| Violent Crime | 1094/100k | 2344/100k |
| Property Crime | 1062/100k | 2152/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 48,038 | 27,783 |
| Median Age | 33.0 | 31.4 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.32 | 0.38 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.09 | 1.15 |
| Political Leaning | R+47 | R+69 |
| White (%) | 79.5% | 73.5% |
| Black (%) | 4.3% | 7.2% |
| Hispanic (%) | 7.4% | 11.3% |
| Asian (%) | 2.2% | 1.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 6.5% | 6.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 19 min | 15 min |
| Walkability | 8.6/20 | 9.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 447 mi | 546 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 86.9% | 84.0% |
| Amenities Nearby | 14.78 | 10.08 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Minot or Williston more affordable?
- Minot has the lower cost of living: its index is $42k, compared with Minot's $42k and Williston's $48k. Median rent is $937 in Minot versus $1k in Williston.
- Is Minot or Williston safer?
- Minot has the lower violent crime rate. Minot reports 1094/100k and Williston reports 2344/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Minot or Williston?
- The median home value is $242k in Minot and $246k in Williston, so homes are more affordable in Minot.