The Town FilesBottineau, North Dakota
City in Bottineau County · population 2,194 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $165,000
- Household income
- $65,905
- Jan low / Jul high
- -4° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 50 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 35.5
Bottineau is a city of 2,194 people in Bottineau County, North Dakota. The median home is worth $165,000, close to the typical North Dakota town ($167,950). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 97% of North Dakota towns, more of a college town than 92% of North Dakota towns, more vibrant than 89% of North Dakota towns.
How Bottineau ranks
Percentile among North Dakota towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of North Dakota towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Bottineau is worth $165,000, close to the typical North Dakota town ($167,950). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $65,905, which is more affordable than 53% of North Dakota towns. Median rent is $840 a month. 60.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bottineau | Typical North Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $165,000 | $167,950 |
| Median rent | $840 | $775 |
| Median household income | $65,905 | $68,195 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 60.8% | 68.6% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1973 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.9% | — |
Who lives in Bottineau
| People | Bottineau | Typical North Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.5 | 39.0 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.6% | 20.1% |
| Under 18 | 22.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.0% | 23.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.0% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 6.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.0% | — |
| Work from home | 6.3% | 5.5% |
| Average commute | 16.4 min | 16.8 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.1% | 87.3% |
Weather in Bottineau
July highs average 79.3°F and January lows -4.0°F. About 19.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 49.8 inches of snow (typical North Dakota town: 44.3 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 196 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bottineau since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical North Dakota town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 26, 1986 about 3.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 28, 2020.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 30 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 14, 2018.
Severe weather in Bottineau County since 1996
Bottineau County has been included in 28 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, snowstorm, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 1, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4934: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| July 13, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4660: Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
| April 1, 2020 | Biological | DR-4509: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3477: Covid-19 |
| July 12, 2017 | Flood | DR-4323: Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Bottineau County
Bottineau County had 2,491 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,666 a year. Unemployment was 2.4% in 2023; in Bottineau itself the ACS puts it at 1.7%.
Public schools in Bottineau
2 public schools with 665 students, about 11.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| BOTTINEAU ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-6 | 350 | 12.1 |
| BOTTINEAU JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | 7-12 | 315 | 10.5 |
Towns near Bottineau
- Dunseith, ND17.3 mi · 632 people · home —
- East Dunseith, ND19.3 mi · 500 people · home $143,800
- Shell Valley, ND28.0 mi · 1,146 people · home $90,800
Bottineau questions
Is Bottineau, North Dakota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bottineau scores better for retirees than 46% of North Dakota towns and quieter than 6%. 20.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.5).
How much does a house cost in Bottineau?
The median owner-occupied home in Bottineau is valued at $165,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $65,905, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $840 a month.
What is the weather like in Bottineau?
July highs average 79.3°F and January lows -4.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 19.2 inches of precipitation a year and 49.8 inches of snow.
Does Bottineau get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bottineau since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 26, 1986. The typical North Dakota town has had 11.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)