The Town FilesPembina, North Dakota
City in Pembina County · population 512 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $136,200
- Household income
- $101,875
- Jan low / Jul high
- -5° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 39 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 14
- Median age
- 40.9
Pembina is a city of 512 people in Pembina County, North Dakota. The median home is worth $136,200, below the typical North Dakota town ($167,950). It ranks better transit than 94% of North Dakota towns, better for cycling than 90% of North Dakota towns, better for families than 85% of North Dakota towns.
How Pembina 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 Pembina is worth $136,200, below the typical North Dakota town ($167,950). Homes cost about 1.3 times the median household income of $101,875, which is more affordable than 99% of North Dakota towns. Median rent is $718 a month. 76.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Pembina | Typical North Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $136,200 | $167,950 |
| Median rent | $718 | $775 |
| Median household income | $101,875 | $68,195 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.3× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 76.8% | 68.6% |
| Median year built | 1969 | 1973 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Pembina
| People | Pembina | Typical North Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.9 | 39.0 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.2% | 20.1% |
| Under 18 | 25.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.3% | 23.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.7% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 17.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.0% | — |
| Work from home | 6.2% | 5.5% |
| Average commute | 8.6 min | 16.8 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.9% | 87.3% |
Weather in Pembina
July highs average 78.9°F and January lows -4.8°F. About 22.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 39.1 inches of snow (typical North Dakota town: 44.3 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 193 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pembina since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical North Dakota town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 19, 2004 about 8.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 4, 2011.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 33 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on August 28, 2015.
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 Pembina itself the ACS puts it at 3.3%.
Public schools in Pembina
2 public schools with 141 students, about 6.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| NORTH BORDER-PEMBINA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-8 | 102 | 7.8 |
| NORTH BORDER-PEMBINA HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 39 | 4.3 |
Towns near Pembina
- Hallock, MN19.6 mi · 906 people · home $140,000
- Cavalier, ND20.8 mi · 1,246 people · home $170,400
- Drayton, ND28.2 mi · 757 people · home $107,500
Pembina questions
Is Pembina, North Dakota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Pembina scores better for retirees than 61% of North Dakota towns and quieter than 70%. 19.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.9).
How much does a house cost in Pembina?
The median owner-occupied home in Pembina is valued at $136,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $101,875, so homes cost about 1.3 times income. Median rent is $718 a month.
What is the weather like in Pembina?
July highs average 78.9°F and January lows -4.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 22.1 inches of precipitation a year and 39.1 inches of snow.
Does Pembina get tornadoes?
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pembina since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 19, 2004. 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)