Most Native American places in North Dakota research summary. We used Saturday Night Science to research the North Dakota cities with the highest percentage of Native American residents for 2026. The data comes from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 vintage, which breaks down race by origin.
The city with the highest percentage of Native Americans is Devils Lake. 13.59% of people in Devils Lake are Native Americans.
The city with the lowest percentage of Native Americans is Dickinson. 0.71% of people in Dickinson are Native American.
The city with the most Native Americans is Bismarck. 3,036 people in Bismarck are Native American.
The city with the fewest Native Americans is Valley City. 84 people in Valley City are Native American.
The United States has 1,698,432 Native Americans and is 0.51% Native American.
Which city in North Dakota had the largest Native American population? The place with the largest Native American population in North Dakota for 2026 is Devils Lake. 13.59% of Devils Lake identify as Native American.
13.6% Native American · 993 Native American residents
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
5.0% Native American · 1,226 Native American residents
Located in
Morton County, North Dakota
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
4.0% Native American · 3,036 Native American residents
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
2.8% Native American · 780 Native American residents
Located in
Williams County, North Dakota
Williston is a city in and the county seat of Williams County, North Dakota, United States. The 2010 census gave its population as 14,716, and the Census Bureau gave the 2015 estimated population as 26,977, making Williston the sixth largest city in North Dakota. The North Dakota oil boom is largely responsible for the sharp increase in population.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
2.2% Native American · 341 Native American residents
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
2.0% Native American · 971 Native American residents
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
1.9% Native American · 1,143 Native American residents
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
1.9% Native American · 149 Native American residents
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
1.3% Native American · 84 Native American residents
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
1.2% Native American · 488 Native American residents
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
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 Native American population is concentrated
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How We Determined The Cities In North Dakota With The Largest Native American Population For 2026
We still believe in the accuracy of data — especially from the Census. So that’s where we went to get the race breakdown across North Dakota.
We used Saturday Night Science to analyze the Census’s most recently available data, the 2020-2024 American Community Survey data.
Specifically, we looked at table B03002: Hispanic OR LATINO ORIGIN BY RACE. Here are the category names as defined by the Census:
- Hispanic or Latino
- White alone
- Black or African American alone
- American Indian and Alaska Native alone
- Asian alone
- Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone
- Some other race alone
- Two or more races
Our particular column of interest here was the number of people identifying as American Indian and Alaska Native alone.
We limited our analysis to places with a population greater than 6,000 people. That left us with 12 cities.
We then calculated the percentage of residents that are American Indian and Alaska Native. The percentages ranked from 13.59 to 0.71.
Finally, we ranked each city based on the percentage of the American Indian and Alaska Native population, with a higher score being more American Indian and Alaska Native than a lower score. Devils Lake took the distinction of being the most American Indian and Alaska Native, while Dickinson was the least Native American city.
We updated this article for 2026. This article is our eleventh time ranking the cities in North Dakota with the largest Native American population.
The full plate
Most Native American Places In North Dakota
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Population | Native American Population | % Native American |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Devils Lake | 7,308 | 993 | 13.6% |
| 2 | Mandan | 24,522 | 1,226 | 5.0% |
| 3 | Bismarck | 75,556 | 3,036 | 4.0% |
| 4 | Williston | 28,056 | 780 | 2.8% |
| 5 | Jamestown | 15,787 | 341 | 2.2% |
| 6 | Minot | 47,791 | 971 | 2.0% |
| 7 | Grand Forks | 59,042 | 1,143 | 1.9% |
| 8 | Wahpeton | 8,010 | 149 | 1.9% |
| 9 | Valley City | 6,541 | 84 | 1.3% |
| 10 | West Fargo | 40,094 | 488 | 1.2% |
| 11 | Fargo | 131,627 | 1,155 | 0.9% |
| 12 | Dickinson | 25,357 | 181 | 0.7% |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024, table B03002. 12 North Dakota cities with more than 6,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: Native American Populations Across North Dakota
If you’re looking for a breakdown of Native American populations across North Dakota according to the most recent data, this is an accurate list.
The most Native American cities in North Dakota are Devils Lake, Mandan, Bismarck, Williston, Jamestown, Minot, Grand Forks, Wahpeton, Valley City, and West Fargo. Not sold on North Dakota? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
Questions and answers
Native American Population In North Dakota FAQs
What city in North Dakota has the highest share of Native American residents?
Devils Lake has the highest share of Native American residents in North Dakota for 2026, at 13.59% of the population. Mandan and Bismarck are next.
What city in North Dakota has the most Native American residents overall?
Bismarck has the most Native American residents in North Dakota, with 3,036 people. That is the raw count; Devils Lake leads on share of population.
What are the top Native American communities in North Dakota?
The North Dakota places with the highest Native American population shares are Devils Lake, Mandan, Bismarck, Williston, Jamestown, Minot, Grand Forks, Wahpeton, Valley City, and West Fargo. We ranked all 12 places with more than 6,000 residents.
How many Native Americans live in the United States?
The United States has 1,698,432 residents identifying as American Indian and Alaska Native, which is 0.51% of the country. The share in Devils Lake runs far above that national mark.
Where does this data come from?
Every number comes from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2020-2024), table B03002, based on residents identifying as American Indian and Alaska Native. We rank each North Dakota place with more than 6,000 residents.
