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 1,000. 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
Where is the best city to retire in North Dakota? According to the data Grafton is the best place for retirement in 2026.
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 Grafton 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 2026
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Population: 2,168
Median Income: $77,171
Median Home Price: $195,799
Median Rent: $778
Distance to Closest Airport: 97 miles
More on Carrington: Data | Movers
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Population: 1,039
Median Income: $49,219
Median Home Price: $172,218
Median Rent: $620
Distance to Closest Airport: 86 miles
More on Rolla: Movers
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Population: 1,499
Median Income: $62,786
Median Home Price: $190,706
Median Rent: $713
Distance to Closest Airport: 138 miles
More on Bowman: Movers
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Population: 15,787
Median Income: $56,554
Median Home Price: $208,863
Median Rent: $773
Distance to Closest Airport: 79 miles
More on Jamestown: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
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Population: 47,791
Median Income: $73,219
Median Home Price: $272,694
Median Rent: $973
Distance to Closest Airport: 1 miles
More on Minot: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
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Population: 8,010
Median Income: $62,750
Median Home Price: $229,172
Median Rent: $751
Distance to Closest Airport: 118 miles
More on Wahpeton: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Methodology: How We Determined The Best Places To Retire In the Peace Garden State for 2026
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 1,000 people that weren’t townships. This left us with 19 places from across the state.
For these 19, 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 19, with the lowest number being the best.
Finally, we took the average rank across these criteria. The place, in this case Grafton, 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 2026. This list reflects our eleventh 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 Grafton.
The best places to retire in North Dakota are Grafton, Carrington, Lisbon, Rolla, Bowman, Jamestown, Beulah, Minot, Stanley, and Wahpeton.
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 | Grafton | 4,102 | $62,679 | $156,085 | $733 |
| 2 | Carrington | 2,168 | $77,171 | $195,799 | $778 |
| 3 | Lisbon | 2,259 | $64,327 | $167,421 | $649 |
| 4 | Rolla | 1,039 | $49,219 | $172,218 | $620 |
| 5 | Bowman | 1,499 | $62,786 | $190,706 | $713 |
| 6 | Jamestown | 15,787 | $56,554 | $208,863 | $773 |
| 7 | Beulah | 3,040 | $76,848 | $236,446 | $1,075 |
| 8 | Minot | 47,791 | $73,219 | $272,694 | $973 |
| 9 | Stanley | 2,097 | $109,573 | $233,785 | $1,144 |
| 10 | Wahpeton | 8,010 | $62,750 | $229,172 | $751 |