The Town FilesHarvey, North Dakota
City in Wells County · population 1,650 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $118,500
- Household income
- $42,697
- Jan low / Jul high
- -2° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 34 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 6
- Median age
- 42.8
Harvey is a city of 1,650 people in Wells County, North Dakota. The median home is worth $118,500, below the typical North Dakota town ($167,950). It ranks better transit than 97% of North Dakota towns, hipper than 93% of North Dakota towns, more of a college town than 93% of North Dakota towns.
How Harvey 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 Harvey is worth $118,500, below the typical North Dakota town ($167,950). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $42,697, which is more affordable than 34% of North Dakota towns. Median rent is $649 a month. 61.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Harvey | Typical North Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $118,500 | $167,950 |
| Median rent | $649 | $775 |
| Median household income | $42,697 | $68,195 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 61.8% | 68.6% |
| Median year built | 1969 | 1973 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Harvey
| People | Harvey | Typical North Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.8 | 39.0 |
| Age 65 and over | 28.8% | 20.1% |
| Under 18 | 22.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.2% | 23.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.0% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 5.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.5% | — |
| Work from home | 1.3% | 5.5% |
| Average commute | 10.3 min | 16.8 min |
| Homes with broadband | 79.3% | 87.3% |
Weather in Harvey
July highs average 80.5°F and January lows -1.8°F. About 19.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 33.5 inches of snow (typical North Dakota town: 44.3 in). Expect about 11 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 189 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Harvey since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical North Dakota town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 6, 1954 about 6.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 17, 2011.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 39 times; the largest was 3.50 inches on June 28, 2018.
Severe weather in Wells County since 1996
Wells County has been included in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, snowstorm, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 11, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4888: Severe Storm, Tornadoes, And Straight-Line Winds |
| July 5, 2023 | Flood | DR-4717: Flooding |
| February 5, 2023 | Snowstorm | DR-4686: Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Straight-Line Winds |
| July 13, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4660: Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
| October 2, 2020 | Severe Storm | DR-4565: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Wells County
Wells County had 1,438 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,991 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Harvey itself the ACS puts it at 1.4%.
Public schools in Harvey
2 public schools with 393 students, about 11.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| BM HANSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-6 | 213 | 11.2 |
| HARVEY HIGH SCHOOL | 7-12 | 180 | 12.9 |
Harvey questions
Is Harvey, North Dakota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Harvey scores better for retirees than 81% of North Dakota towns and quieter than 24%. 28.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.8).
How much does a house cost in Harvey?
The median owner-occupied home in Harvey is valued at $118,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $42,697, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $649 a month.
What is the weather like in Harvey?
July highs average 80.5°F and January lows -1.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 19.2 inches of precipitation a year and 33.5 inches of snow.
Does Harvey get tornadoes?
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Harvey since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 6, 1954. 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)