The Town FilesCavalier, North Dakota
City in Pembina County · population 1,246 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $170,400
- Household income
- $60,449
- Jan low / Jul high
- -4° / 78°
- Snow a year
- 39 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 14
- Median age
- 41.5
Cavalier is a city of 1,246 people in Pembina County, North Dakota. The median home is worth $170,400, close to the typical North Dakota town ($167,950). It ranks better for retirees than 100% of North Dakota towns, better for first-time buyers than 91% of North Dakota towns, better for cycling than 91% of North Dakota towns.
How Cavalier 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 Cavalier is worth $170,400, close to the typical North Dakota town ($167,950). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $60,449, which is more affordable than 34% of North Dakota towns. Median rent is $800 a month. 50.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Cavalier | Typical North Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $170,400 | $167,950 |
| Median rent | $800 | $775 |
| Median household income | $60,449 | $68,195 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 50.6% | 68.6% |
| Median year built | 1973 | 1973 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.3% | — |
Who lives in Cavalier
| People | Cavalier | Typical North Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.5 | 39.0 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.1% | 20.1% |
| Under 18 | 21.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.9% | 23.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.2% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 9.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.3% | — |
| Work from home | 10.7% | 5.5% |
| Average commute | 11.1 min | 16.8 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.0% | 87.3% |
Weather in Cavalier
July highs average 77.5°F and January lows -4.3°F. About 20.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 39.1 inches of snow (typical North Dakota town: 44.3 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 192 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cavalier since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical North Dakota town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on June 3, 2011 about 8.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 15, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 41 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 22, 1992.
Severe weather in Pembina County since 1996
Pembina County has been included in 38 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, biological, severe storm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 5, 2023 | Flood | DR-4717: Flooding |
| July 13, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4660: Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
| July 9, 2020 | Flood | DR-4553: Flooding |
| April 1, 2020 | Biological | DR-4509: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3477: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Pembina County
Pembina County had 3,284 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $58,468 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Cavalier itself the ACS puts it at 8.7%.
Public schools in Cavalier
2 public schools with 399 students, about 12.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| CAVALIER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 211 | 14.1 |
| CAVALIER HIGH SCHOOL | 6-12 | 188 | 11.1 |
Towns near Cavalier
- Walhalla, ND16.0 mi · 893 people · home $93,000
- Pembina, ND20.8 mi · 512 people · home $136,200
- Drayton, ND25.8 mi · 757 people · home $107,500
- Grafton, ND28.1 mi · 4,170 people · home $147,300
- Park River, ND28.4 mi · 1,424 people · home $131,900
Cavalier questions
Is Cavalier, North Dakota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Cavalier scores better for retirees than 100% of North Dakota towns and quieter than 62%. 24.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.5).
How much does a house cost in Cavalier?
The median owner-occupied home in Cavalier is valued at $170,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $60,449, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $800 a month.
What is the weather like in Cavalier?
July highs average 77.5°F and January lows -4.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 20.0 inches of precipitation a year and 39.1 inches of snow.
Does Cavalier get tornadoes?
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cavalier since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on June 3, 2011. 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)