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.
$733 median rent · $62,679 median income · #4 cheapest rent in North Dakota
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$778 median rent · $77,171 median income · #7 cheapest rent in North Dakota
Carrington is a city in Foster County, North Dakota, United States. It is the county seat of Foster County. The population was 2,065 at the 2010 census. Carrington was founded in 1883.
Carrington is home to Dakota Growers Pasta Company, Inc.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$649 median rent · $64,327 median income · #2 cheapest rent in North Dakota
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$620 median rent · $49,219 median income · #1 cheapest rent in North Dakota
$713 median rent · $62,786 median income · #3 cheapest rent in North Dakota
$773 median rent · $56,554 median income · #6 cheapest rent in North Dakota
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
$1,075 median rent · $76,848 median income · #14 cheapest rent in North Dakota
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$973 median rent · $73,219 median income · #11 cheapest rent in North Dakota
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
$1,144 median rent · $109,573 median income · #19 cheapest rent in North Dakota
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$751 median rent · $62,750 median income · #5 cheapest rent in North Dakota
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
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is North Dakota’s statewide median.
North Dakota statewide median: $76,657
North Dakota statewide median: $284,076
On the map
Where to retire in North Dakota
Saturday Night Science
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.
The full plate
Best Places To Retire In North Dakota
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Retire Score | Population | Median Income | Average Home Prices | Median Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grafton | 4.60 | 4,102 | $62,679 | $156,085 | $733 |
| 2 | Carrington | 5.70 | 2,168 | $77,171 | $195,800 | $778 |
| 3 | Lisbon | 6.20 | 2,259 | $64,327 | $167,422 | $649 |
| 4 | Rolla | 6.40 | 1,039 | $49,219 | $172,219 | $620 |
| 5 | Bowman | 6.80 | 1,499 | $62,786 | $190,706 | $713 |
| 6 | Jamestown | 7.20 | 15,787 | $56,554 | $208,863 | $773 |
| 7 | Beulah | 7.80 | 3,040 | $76,848 | $236,446 | $1,075 |
| 8 | Minot | 9.30 | 47,791 | $73,219 | $272,695 | $973 |
| 9 | Stanley | 9.60 | 2,097 | $109,573 | $233,786 | $1,144 |
| 10 | Wahpeton | 10.80 | 8,010 | $62,750 | $229,172 | $751 |
| 11 | Lincoln | 12.10 | 4,381 | $87,652 | $307,383 | $950 |
| 12 | Dickinson | 12.20 | 25,357 | $82,696 | $319,458 | $957 |
| 13 | Williston | 12.40 | 28,056 | $79,381 | $365,979 | $1,122 |
| 14 | Grand Forks | 12.60 | 59,042 | $63,627 | $291,535 | $980 |
| 15 | Tioga | 12.60 | 1,657 | $66,181 | $250,223 | $1,092 |
| 16 | Bismarck | 12.80 | 75,556 | $78,387 | $369,559 | $999 |
| 17 | West Fargo | 12.80 | 40,094 | $90,665 | $348,751 | $1,111 |
| 18 | Fargo | 13.70 | 131,627 | $66,998 | $314,973 | $946 |
| 19 | Mandan | 14.40 | 24,522 | $71,780 | $341,688 | $1,083 |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024, FBI UCR, OpenFlights. 19 cities with more than 1,000 residents.
Summary
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. Not sold on North Dakota? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
Questions and answers
Best Places To Retire In North Dakota FAQs
What is the best place to retire in North Dakota?
Grafton is the best place to retire in North Dakota for 2026, according to Saturday Night Science. Carrington and Lisbon are next.
What are the best places to retire in North Dakota?
The best places to retire in North Dakota are Grafton, Carrington, Lisbon, Rolla, Bowman, Jamestown, Beulah, Minot, Stanley, and Wahpeton. We ranked all 19 cities with more than 1,000 residents.
How do you rank retirement spots?
We score every qualifying North Dakota city on rent, crime, things to do, weather, airport access, and median age. The city that balances all six best, Grafton, takes the top spot.
How much does a home cost in Grafton?
The median home in Grafton runs $156,085, against $284,076 across North Dakota as a whole. Across the full top ten, the median home costs $202,332.
Which North Dakota place came in last for retirees?
Mandan lands at the bottom of the retirement ranking for North Dakota. Not ready to retire anyway? Then Mandan might suit you fine.
