Gayest places in North Dakota research summary. We used Saturday Night Science to research the cities in North Dakota with the highest percent of same-sex households for 2026. The data comes from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year vintage, which counts same-sex married spouses and same-sex unmarried partners at the city level.
6.1% gay households · #1 gayest in North Dakota
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2.1% gay households · #2 gayest 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.
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1.3% gay households · #3 gayest 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.
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1.1% gay households · #4 gayest in North Dakota
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
1.1% gay households · #5 gayest in North Dakota
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.
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0.8% gay households · #6 gayest in North Dakota
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0.7% gay households · #7 gayest 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.
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0.7% gay households · #8 gayest in North Dakota
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0.7% gay households · #9 gayest in North Dakota
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
0.6% gay households · #10 gayest in North Dakota
Located in
Morton County, North Dakota
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 LGBTQ households are
Saturday Night Science
How we determined the gayest places in North Dakota for 2026
In order to rank the gayest cities in North Dakota, we used Saturday Night Science and the 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates from the U.S. Census. We looked at:
- Percentage of all households that are unmarried, same-sex partners
We limited the analysis to non-CDPs that have over 1,000 households.
We ranked each place from 1 to 21 with the city containing the highest percentage of unmarried, same-sex partner households being the most gay.
In the end, Lincoln ended up being the most gay place with 6.1% gay households.
Skip to the end to see the list of all the places in the state from gayest to straightest.
We updated this report for 2026. This report is our eleventh time ranking the gayest places in North Dakota.
The full plate
Gayest Places In North Dakota
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Households | LGBTQ Households | % Gay Households |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lincoln | 1,613 | 98 | 6.1% |
| 2 | Wahpeton | 3,459 | 72 | 2.1% |
| 3 | Jamestown | 7,123 | 91 | 1.3% |
| 4 | Grafton | 1,851 | 20 | 1.1% |
| 5 | Fargo | 59,970 | 642 | 1.1% |
| 6 | Rugby | 1,237 | 10 | 0.8% |
| 7 | Minot | 21,202 | 157 | 0.7% |
| 8 | Horace | 1,650 | 12 | 0.7% |
| 9 | West Fargo | 15,841 | 111 | 0.7% |
| 10 | Mandan | 10,465 | 65 | 0.6% |
| 11 | Grand Forks | 26,171 | 101 | 0.4% |
| 12 | Dickinson | 10,486 | 37 | 0.4% |
| 13 | Valley City | 2,984 | 10 | 0.3% |
| 14 | Williston | 11,360 | 32 | 0.3% |
| 15 | Beulah | 1,264 | 2 | 0.2% |
| 16 | Bismarck | 33,130 | 52 | 0.2% |
| 17 | Hazen | 1,110 | 0 | 0.0% |
| 18 | Lisbon | 1,006 | 0 | 0.0% |
| 19 | Watford City | 2,629 | 0 | 0.0% |
| 20 | Casselton | 1,245 | 0 | 0.0% |
| 21 | Devils Lake | 3,747 | 0 | 0.0% |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024. Places with over 1,000 households.
Summary
There You Have It – The Most LGBT Friendly Cities In North Dakota For 2026
If you’re looking at the number of gay households in North Dakota, this is an accurate list.
The gayest cities in North Dakota are Lincoln, Wahpeton, Jamestown, Grafton, Fargo, Rugby, Minot, Horace, West Fargo, and Mandan. Not sold on North Dakota? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
Questions and answers
Gayest Places In North Dakota FAQs
What is the gayest city in North Dakota?
Lincoln is the gayest place in North Dakota for 2026, with same-sex couples making up 6.1% of households. Wahpeton and Jamestown are next.
What are the gayest places in North Dakota?
The gayest places in North Dakota are Lincoln, Wahpeton, Jamestown, Grafton, Fargo, Rugby, Minot, Horace, West Fargo, and Mandan. We ranked all 21 places with over 1,000 households by their share of same-sex partner households.
How do you measure the gayest places?
The Census does not ask about sexual orientation, so we use the closest thing it tracks: the share of households headed by same-sex partners, from the American Community Survey. It undercounts single LGBT residents, but it is consistent from place to place.
What is the straightest place in North Dakota?
Devils Lake is the straightest place in North Dakota by this measure, with same-sex couples at 0.0% of households. It anchors the other end of the ranking.
Does a town have to be big to make the list?
No. Any North Dakota place with more than 1,000 households qualifies, and 21 made the cut this year. Small towns can and do out-rank the big cities on this one.
