Williston, North Dakota
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 44% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 30% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 16% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 71% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade D, better than 12% of US places
- top 2% for commute time
- top 3% for air quality
- bottom 1% for airport distance
Williston is a mid-size city in North Dakota with about 28,000 residents. It grades B+ for getting around and D for lifestyle & connectivity. Standout strengths include commute time, air quality, and walkability. It rates lower on violent crime and airport distance.
- The median home value in Williston is $246k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median household income in Williston is $80k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median gross rent in Williston is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Williston has a violent crime rate of 2344/100k, per the FBI Uniform Crime Reports.
- The average one-way commute in Williston is 15 min, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
Climate
Warm, dry summers · Harsh winters · Dry · Heavy snow
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Precipitation 2.2 in0.6 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$80k72nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$48kbetter than 39% of US places
Home Value$246k70th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 33% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$5kbetter than 7% of US places
Property Tax Rate0.73%better than 70% of US places
Income Tax2.50%better than 82% of US places
Sales Tax7.04%better than 55% of US places
Estimated total tax burden7.04%better than 85% of US places
Unemployment2.9%better than 60% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)12°F3rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)70°F15th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation15.1 in8th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall48.2 inbetter than 15% of US places
Sunny Days242 daysbetter than 61% of US places
Summer Humidity55°Fbetter than 84% of US places
Comfortable Days53 daysbetter than 10% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk85.6better than 17% of US places
Air Quality19 AQIbetter than 97% of US places
School Quality50.2better than 36% of US places
Violent Crime2344/100kbetter than 5% of US places
Property Crime2152/100kbetter than 16% of US places
Community
Population27,78395th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age31.411th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.3872nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.1578th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+6995th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)73.5%34th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)7.2%80th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)11.3%76th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)1.3%75th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)6.7%80th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time15 minbetter than 98% of US places
Walkability9.9/20better than 86% of US places
Airport Distance546 mibetter than 0% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access84.0%better than 42% of US places
Amenities Nearby10.08better than 15% of US places
Park & Nature AccessLimitedbetter than 21% of US places
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Williston an affordable place to live?
- Williston is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $48k, better than 39% of comparable areas. Median rent is $1k.
- Is Williston safe?
- Williston is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 2344/100k (better than 5%). Property crime is 2152/100k.
- What is the weather like in Williston?
- Williston averages 70°F in July and 12°F in January, with 15.1 in of annual precipitation and about 242 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Williston?
- Public-school quality in Williston is below average, scoring better than 36% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Williston?
- The average one-way commute in Williston is 15 min.