Is being in an area of North Dakota that’s growing quickly a good thing or a bad thing?
Depends on who you ask.
Some want bigger, more exciting cities like Fargo and Bismarck, while others want peace and quiet like in Watford City and Valley City, thank you very much.
But today, we’re going to put opinions aside and look at the cold, hard facts — since 2010, which cities in North Dakota have grown the fastest.
After getting knee-deep in the Census’s American Community Survey using Saturday Night Science, we emerged with this set of cities in the Peace Garden State that have people climbing over each other to get in.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In North Dakota For 2026
What’s the fastest growing city in North Dakota for 2026? Based on the most recent ACS data, Watford City ranks as the fastest-growing city in North Dakota. If you happen to be a resident of Watford City, you’re probably not surprised to find it on our list.
If you’re surprised — and you’re wondering why these places are a big deal — keep reading. We’ll tell you what makes each of these 10 places in North Dakota grow like weeds.
For more North Dakota state reading:
- Best Places To Live In The United States
- Fastest Growing States In The United States
- Best Places To Live In North Dakota
- Cheapest Places To Live In North Dakota
- Most Dangerous Cities In North Dakota
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In North Dakota For 2026
1. Watford City
/10
Population: 6,039
Population 2010: 1,746
Percent Growth 245.9%
Absolute Growth: 4,293
More on Watford City: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
2. Williston
/10
Population: 28,056
Population 2010: 13,852
Percent Growth 102.5%
Absolute Growth: 14,204
More on Williston: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
3. West Fargo
/10
Population: 40,094
Population 2010: 23,868
Percent Growth 68.0%
Absolute Growth: 16,226
More on West Fargo: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
4. Dickinson
/10
Population: 25,357
Population 2010: 17,168
Percent Growth 47.7%
Absolute Growth: 8,189
More on Dickinson: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
5. Mandan
/10
Population: 24,522
Population 2010: 17,813
Percent Growth 37.7%
Absolute Growth: 6,709
More on Mandan: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
6. Fargo
/10
Population: 131,627
Population 2010: 102,527
Percent Growth 28.4%
Absolute Growth: 29,100
More on Fargo: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
7. Bismarck
/10
Population: 75,556
Population 2010: 59,988
Percent Growth 26.0%
Absolute Growth: 15,568
More on Bismarck: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
8. Minot
/10
Population: 47,791
Population 2010: 39,054
Percent Growth 22.4%
Absolute Growth: 8,737
More on Minot: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
9. Grand Forks
/10
Population: 59,042
Population 2010: 52,294
Percent Growth 12.9%
Absolute Growth: 6,748
More on Grand Forks: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
10. Devils Lake
/10
Population: 7,308
Population 2010: 7,040
Percent Growth 3.8%
Absolute Growth: 268
More on Devils Lake: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Methodology: How We Measured The Fastest Growing Cities In the Peace Garden State for 2026
To figure out which cities are growing the most, we used Saturday Night Science to look at the growth rates for cities since the beginning of the decade, according to the American Community Survey put out by the census every year. Specifically:
- Current Population
- Population in 2010
- Growth rate from 2010 to Current (The latest available data which came out in Dec 2024)
We ranked all 13 North Dakota cities with a population over 6,000 people from highest growth rate to lowest.
The city with the highest growth rate during this time was crowned the fastest-growing city in the Peace Garden State.
And for those of you who are a little rusty with their statistics, you can calculate the growth rate by the following formula:
[Current Population – Population 2010] / [Population 2010]
The data has been updated for 2026. This report is our eleventh time ranking the fastest growing cities in North Dakota.
Here’s a graph of the cities in North Dakota with the most significant percent increase in population:
Summary: These Places Grew Up So Fast In North Dakota, You Know?
So there you have it, the fastest growing cities in North Dakota are led by Watford City which has been growing at a blistering pace this decade relative to other cities and towns around the state.
The fastest-growing cities in North Dakota are Watford City, Williston, West Fargo, Dickinson, Mandan, Fargo, Bismarck, Minot, Grand Forks, and Devils Lake.
It’ll be interesting to see if these places can keep growing at the same rate over the next couple of years. We’ll be here to let you know!
These places have been growing (or shrinking) the slowest (fastest):
- Valley City
- Wahpeton
- Jamestown
For more North Dakota reading, check out:
- Best Places To Raise A Family In North Dakota
- Safest Places In North Dakota
- Worst Places To Live In North Dakota
Fastest Growing Places In North Dakota For 2026
| Rank | City | Population | Population 2010 | Growth | Absolute Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Watford City | 6,039 | 1,746 | 245.9% | 4,293 |
| 2 | Williston | 28,056 | 13,852 | 102.5% | 14,204 |
| 3 | West Fargo | 40,094 | 23,868 | 68.0% | 16,226 |
| 4 | Dickinson | 25,357 | 17,168 | 47.7% | 8,189 |
| 5 | Mandan | 24,522 | 17,813 | 37.7% | 6,709 |
| 6 | Fargo | 131,627 | 102,527 | 28.4% | 29,100 |
| 7 | Bismarck | 75,556 | 59,988 | 26.0% | 15,568 |
| 8 | Minot | 47,791 | 39,054 | 22.4% | 8,737 |
| 9 | Grand Forks | 59,042 | 52,294 | 12.9% | 6,748 |
| 10 | Devils Lake | 7,308 | 7,040 | 3.8% | 268 |