Are you looking for love in North Dakota?
Or are you just hoping to hook up with a hot North Dakotan?
Either way, we’ve got you covered here.
If you live in North Dakota, there’s a pretty good chance there are a lot of singles in your area. The Peace Garden State has plenty of people over 18 who aren’t married or in a serious relationship.
That’s great news for people who are single and looking to mingle.
So, where are the best cities for singles in North Dakota? We used Saturday Night Science to find out.
31.8 median age · 17.0% married households
Located in
Cass County, North Dakota
Fargo is the most populous city in the state of North Dakota, accounting for nearly 16% of the state population. Fargo is also the county seat of Cass County. According to the 2016 United States Census estimates, its population was 120,762, making it the 229th-most populous city in the United States. Fargo, along with its twin city of Moorhead, Minnesota, as well as the adjacent cities of West Fargo, North Dakota and Dilworth, Minnesota, form the core of the Fargo-Moorhead, ND-MN Metropolitan Statistical Area, which in 2016 contained a population of 238,124. In 2014, Forbes magazine ranked Fargo as the fourth fastest-growing small city in the United States.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
29.6 median age · 19.0% married households
Located in
Grand Forks County, North Dakota
Grand Forks is the third-largest city in the State of North Dakota and is the county seat of Grand Forks County. According to the 2010 census, the city’s population was 52,838, while the total of the city and surrounding metropolitan area was 98,461. Grand Forks, along with its twin city of East Grand Forks, Minnesota, forms the center of the Grand Forks, ND-MN Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is often called Greater Grand Forks or The Grand Cities.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
34.7 median age · 14.0% married households
Located in
Richland County, North Dakota
Wahpeton is a city in Richland County, in southeastern North Dakota, United States. It is located along the Bois de Sioux River at its confluence with the Otter Tail River, forming the Red River of the North. Wahpeton is the county seat of Richland County. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city’s 2015 population was 7,899.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
32.0 median age · 19.0% married households
Located in
Williams County, North Dakota
Williston is a city in and the county seat of Williams County, North Dakota, United States. The 2010 census gave its population as 14,716, and the Census Bureau gave the 2015 estimated population as 26,977, making Williston the sixth largest city in North Dakota. The North Dakota oil boom is largely responsible for the sharp increase in population.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
33.5 median age · 24.0% married households
Located in
Ward County, North Dakota
Minot MY-not) is a city in and the county seat of Ward County, North Dakota, United States, in the state’s north-central region. It is most widely known for the Air Force base located approximately 15 miles north of the city. With a population of 40,888 at the 2010 census, Minot is the fourth largest city in the state and a trading center for a large portion of northern North Dakota, southwestern Manitoba, and southeastern Saskatchewan. Founded in 1886 during the construction of the Great Northern Railway, Minot is also known as “Magic City”, commemorating its remarkable growth in size over a short time.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
38.9 median age · 32.0% married households
Located in
Burleigh County, North Dakota
Bismarck is the capital of the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Burleigh County. It is the second-most populous city in North Dakota after Fargo. The city’s population was estimated in 2016 at 72,417, while its metropolitan population was 131,635. In 2015, Forbes magazine ranked Bismarck as the seventh fastest-growing small city in the United States.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
33.3 median age · 27.0% married households
Located in
Cass County, North Dakota
West Fargo is a city in Cass County, North Dakota, United States. It is, as of the 2016 Census Estimates, the fifth largest city in the state of North Dakota with a population estimated at 34,858, and it is one of the state’s fastest growing cities. West Fargo was founded in 1926. The city is part of the Fargo-Moorhead, ND-MN Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
40.7 median age · 27.0% married households
Located in
Stutsman County, North Dakota
Jamestown is a city in Stutsman County, North Dakota, United States. It is the county seat of Stutsman County. The population was 15,427 at the 2010 census, making it the ninth largest city in North Dakota. Jamestown was founded in 1872.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
33.3 median age · 27.0% married households
Located in
Stark County, North Dakota
Dickinson is a city in Stark County, North Dakota, United States. It is the county seat of Stark County. The population was 17,787 at the 2010 census. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated 2015 population is 23,765.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
43.2 median age · 30.0% married households
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is North Dakota’s statewide median.
On the map
Where North Dakota’s singles cluster
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How do you determine which city is best for singles in North Dakota anyways?
To give you the places in North Dakota which are best for singles to find one another, we used Saturday Night Science to look at a handful of metrics. Of course, we want to measure the type of people who live in each city and make some assumptions about what single people like.
So we researched the internet for a database that contains all that information.
We threw a lot of criteria at this one to get the best, most complete results possible. Using the 2020-2024 American Community Survey Census data produced for the state of North Dakota, we looked at every single city in the state. We paid particular attention to:
- Population density
- % of population that’s male vs. female (closer to a 50-50 ratio is better)
- % of households with kids
- Median age
- Number of unmarried people in each city
We then gave each city a “Singles Score.”
The higher the score, the better the city is for singles to find one another. We also limited our results to cities with over 2,000 people. For North Dakota, that meant a total of 22 cities.
We updated this article for 2026. This is our eleventh time ranking the best cities for singles in North Dakota.
Read on to see why Fargo is the talk of the town while Carrington is probably a bit on the bland side.
The full plate
Best Cities For Singles In North Dakota
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Singles Score | Population | Median Age | % Married Households | % Households w/ Kids |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fargo | 3.00 | 131,627 | 31.8 | 17.0% | 22.6% |
| 2 | Grand Forks | 4.90 | 59,042 | 29.6 | 19.0% | 23.4% |
| 3 | Wahpeton | 7.20 | 8,010 | 34.7 | 14.0% | 18.1% |
| 4 | Williston | 8.50 | 28,056 | 32.0 | 19.0% | 30.5% |
| 5 | Minot | 8.70 | 47,791 | 33.5 | 24.0% | 26.8% |
| 6 | Bismarck | 9.20 | 75,556 | 38.9 | 32.0% | 25.5% |
| 7 | West Fargo | 9.50 | 40,094 | 33.3 | 27.0% | 30.8% |
| 8 | Jamestown | 10.00 | 15,787 | 40.7 | 27.0% | 16.8% |
| 9 | Dickinson | 11.30 | 25,357 | 33.3 | 27.0% | 36.0% |
| 10 | Grafton | 11.60 | 4,102 | 43.2 | 30.0% | 23.8% |
| 11 | Devils Lake | 12.10 | 7,308 | 37.3 | 24.0% | 20.3% |
| 12 | Mandan | 12.40 | 24,522 | 36.1 | 35.0% | 30.0% |
| 13 | Hazen | 12.60 | 2,453 | 49.1 | 46.0% | 19.4% |
| 14 | Rugby | 13.00 | 2,481 | 40.1 | 41.0% | 17.2% |
| 15 | Beulah | 13.40 | 3,040 | 36.7 | 34.0% | 28.4% |
| 16 | Bottineau | 13.60 | 2,205 | 35.5 | 31.0% | 30.9% |
| 17 | Stanley | 14.20 | 2,097 | 34.8 | 21.0% | 27.3% |
| 18 | Lincoln | 14.40 | 4,381 | 32.8 | 48.0% | 41.2% |
| 19 | Horace | 15.00 | 4,588 | 33.9 | 33.0% | 53.8% |
| 20 | Casselton | 15.40 | 2,953 | 32.9 | 40.0% | 36.0% |
| 21 | Lisbon | 15.40 | 2,259 | 43.4 | 20.0% | 28.6% |
| 22 | Carrington | 17.60 | 2,168 | 40.5 | 37.0% | 28.9% |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024. 22 cities with more than 2,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: The Best Cities For Singles In North Dakota For 2026
If you’re looking for a breakdown of cities in North Dakota ranked by criteria that most agree make a place a great spot for finding a single person (and potentially love), this is an accurate list.
The best cities for singles in North Dakota are Fargo, Grand Forks, Wahpeton, Williston, Minot, Bismarck, West Fargo, Jamestown, Dickinson, and Grafton. Not sold on North Dakota? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
Questions and answers
Best Cities For Singles In North Dakota FAQs
What is the best city for singles in North Dakota?
Fargo is the best city for singles in North Dakota for 2026, according to Saturday Night Science. Grand Forks and Wahpeton are next.
What are the best cities for singles in North Dakota?
The best North Dakota cities for singles are Fargo, Grand Forks, Wahpeton, Williston, Minot, Bismarck, West Fargo, Jamestown, Dickinson, and Grafton. We ranked all 22 cities with more than 2,000 residents.
How do you rank cities for singles?
Singles-friendliness is measured by population density, gender balance, median age, and the share of unmarried residents, all from Census American Community Survey data. More single people around means better odds.
Why did Fargo come out on top?
Fargo posts the best combination of unmarried residents, a dating-friendly age mix, and enough density to actually run into people. That combination beat the other 22 qualifying cities.
What is the toughest place to be single in North Dakota?
Carrington ranks last for singles in North Dakota — more married households and fewer chances to mingle. If you are single and settling there anyway, bring hobbies.
