The Town FilesDunseith, North Dakota
City in Rolette County · population 632 (2020 Census)
- Household income
- $51,449
- Jan low / Jul high
- -5° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 50 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 36.4
Dunseith is a city of 632 people in Rolette County, North Dakota. It ranks easier by car than 87% of North Dakota towns.
How Dunseith 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
Median rent is $364 a month. 43.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Dunseith | Typical North Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | — | $167,950 |
| Median rent | $364 | $775 |
| Median household income | $51,449 | $68,195 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 43.4% | 68.6% |
| Median year built | 1969 | 1973 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Dunseith
| People | Dunseith | Typical North Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.4 | 39.0 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.6% | 20.1% |
| Under 18 | 36.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 11.2% | 23.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.1% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 4.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 0.0% | 5.5% |
| Average commute | 20.0 min | 16.8 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.3% | 87.3% |
Weather in Dunseith
July highs average 79.1°F and January lows -5.1°F. About 20.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 49.8 inches of snow (typical North Dakota town: 44.3 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 209 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dunseith since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical North Dakota town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on July 7, 2008 about 7.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 7, 2008.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 6 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 2, 2026.
Severe weather in Rolette County since 1996
Rolette County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, snowstorm, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| May 29, 2013 | Flood | DR-4118: Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Rolette County
Rolette County had 4,591 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,347 a year. Unemployment was 5.5% in 2023; in Dunseith itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Public schools in Dunseith
2 public schools with 547 students, about 9.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| DUNSEITH HIGH SCHOOL | 7-12 | 298 | 10.6 |
| DUNSEITH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-6 | 249 | 9.2 |
Towns near Dunseith
- East Dunseith, ND3.9 mi · 500 people · home $143,800
- Shell Valley, ND10.7 mi · 1,146 people · home $90,800
- Belcourt, ND14.6 mi · 1,510 people · home —
- Green Acres, ND17.0 mi · 605 people · home —
- Bottineau, ND17.3 mi · 2,194 people · home $165,000
- Rolla, ND20.7 mi · 1,223 people · home $151,500
Dunseith questions
Is Dunseith, North Dakota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Dunseith scores better for retirees than 21% of North Dakota towns and quieter than 34%. 18.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.4).
What is the weather like in Dunseith?
July highs average 79.1°F and January lows -5.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 20.1 inches of precipitation a year and 49.8 inches of snow.
Does Dunseith get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dunseith since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on July 7, 2008. 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)