In this article, we will explore some of the most liberal cities in North Dakota, where progressive ideas and inclusive attitudes flourish.
If you’re looking to move to North Dakota and want to know where the majority of North Dakotans lean left, you’ve come to the right place.
Specifically, we wanted to know which cities have the highest number of liberal voters in the Peace Garden State.
To do so, we analyzed how the people in each city in North Dakota with a population greater than 6,000 voted during the last presidential election. The cities with the highest percentage of voters who voted Democrat were named the most liberal cities in the state.
46.8% Democrat vote · #2 most liberal 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.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
46.8% Democrat vote · #2 most liberal 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
41.6% Democrat vote · #3 most liberal in North Dakota
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
32.7% Democrat vote · #4 most liberal in North Dakota
Valley City is a city in Barnes County, North Dakota, United States. It is the county seat of Barnes County. The population was 6,585 during the 2010 census, making it the thirteenth largest city in North Dakota. Valley City was founded in 1874.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
32.1% Democrat vote · #5 most liberal 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
30.5% Democrat vote · #6 most liberal in North Dakota
Located in
Ramsey County, North Dakota
Devils Lake is a city in Ramsey County, North Dakota, United States. It is the county seat of Ramsey County. The population was 7,141 at the 2010 census. It is named after the nearby body of water, Devils Lake. The first house in Devils Lake was built in 1882. It was surveyed in 1883 and named Creelsburg and later Creel City, after the surveyor, Heber M. Creel. In 1884 it was renamed Devils Lake.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
28.3% Democrat vote · #7 most liberal in North Dakota
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
26.9% Democrat vote · #8 most liberal 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
25.8% Democrat vote · #9 most liberal 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
23.3% Democrat vote · #10 most liberal 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
Mapping the liberal strongholds in North Dakota
Saturday Night Science
How we determined the most liberal cities in North Dakota for 2026
To find the most liberal places in North Dakota, we used Saturday Night Science – the argument you’d make at a bar – to find the cities with the most liberals.
We started by making a list of every city in North Dakota over 6,000 people based on the 2020-2024 American Community Survey. That left us with 13 cities and towns.
We then measured the voting record and MIT election data to determine which places lean the most leftward in their allegiances by:
- Percentage Of Votes For Democratic President In 2020
Because no voting data exists at the city level, we used county-level election results from the 2020 election. We assigned every city in a county the percentage of votes that went to the Democrats, effectively extending the county’s results to the city level. In cases where larger cities encompassed an entire county, the election outcomes accurately reflected the city’s political landscape.
The winner, Fargo, is “The Most liberal City in North Dakota For 2026”. The most conservative place in North Dakota was Watford City.
We updated this article for 2026. This report is our eleventh time ranking the most liberal places to live in North Dakota.
The full plate
Most Liberal Places In North Dakota
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Population | % Liberal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fargo | 131,627 | 46.8% |
| 1 | West Fargo | 40,094 | 46.8% |
| 3 | Grand Forks | 59,042 | 41.6% |
| 4 | Valley City | 6,541 | 32.7% |
| 5 | Wahpeton | 8,010 | 32.1% |
| 6 | Devils Lake | 7,308 | 30.5% |
| 7 | Bismarck | 75,556 | 28.3% |
| 8 | Jamestown | 15,787 | 26.9% |
| 9 | Minot | 47,791 | 25.8% |
| 10 | Mandan | 24,522 | 23.3% |
| 11 | Dickinson | 25,357 | 16.6% |
| 12 | Williston | 28,056 | 15.1% |
| 13 | Watford City | 6,039 | 15.0% |
Source: county-level 2020 election results, U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024. 13 cities with more than 6,000 residents.
Summary
Summing Up The Liberal Snowflakes in North Dakota
Well, there you have it, the places in North Dakota that have the highest number of liberals per capita, with Fargo ranking as the least conservative in the entire state.
The most liberal cities in North Dakota are Fargo, West Fargo, Grand Forks, Valley City, Wahpeton, Devils Lake, Bismarck, Jamestown, Minot, and Mandan.
If you’re curious, here are the least liberal cities in North Dakota.
