The Town FilesRugby, North Dakota
City in Pierce County · population 2,509 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $131,800
- Household income
- $50,365
- Jan low / Jul high
- -4° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 43 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 40.1
Rugby is a city of 2,509 people in Pierce County, North Dakota. The median home is worth $131,800, below the typical North Dakota town ($167,950). It ranks easier by car than 90% of North Dakota towns, better for first-time buyers than 89% of North Dakota towns, better for retirees than 86% of North Dakota towns.
How Rugby 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 Rugby is worth $131,800, below the typical North Dakota town ($167,950). Homes cost about 2.6 times the median household income of $50,365, which is more affordable than 48% of North Dakota towns. Median rent is $853 a month. 74.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Rugby | Typical North Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $131,800 | $167,950 |
| Median rent | $853 | $775 |
| Median household income | $50,365 | $68,195 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.6× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 74.3% | 68.6% |
| Median year built | 1972 | 1973 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.7% | — |
Who lives in Rugby
| People | Rugby | Typical North Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.1 | 39.0 |
| Age 65 and over | 25.4% | 20.1% |
| Under 18 | 18.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.3% | 23.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.0% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 8.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 5.4% | 5.5% |
| Average commute | 11.4 min | 16.8 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.0% | 87.3% |
Weather in Rugby
July highs average 79.9°F and January lows -3.9°F. About 21.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 43.4 inches of snow (typical North Dakota town: 44.3 in). Expect about 7 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 195 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rugby since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical North Dakota town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on August 21, 1973 about 0.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 20, 2011.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 28 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on August 3, 2016.
Severe weather in Pierce County since 1996
Pierce County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, snowstorm, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 1, 2020 | Biological | DR-4509: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3477: Covid-19 |
| July 12, 2017 | Flood | DR-4323: Flooding |
| August 19, 2014 | Flood | DR-4190: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| July 12, 2013 | Severe Storm | DR-4128: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Pierce County
Pierce County had 1,606 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,698 a year. Unemployment was 2.5% in 2023; in Rugby itself the ACS puts it at 0.5%.
Public schools in Rugby
2 public schools with 616 students, about 13.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| RUGBY ELY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-6 | 311 | 14.8 |
| RUGBY HIGH SCHOOL | 7-12 | 305 | 12.7 |
Rugby questions
Is Rugby, North Dakota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rugby scores better for retirees than 86% of North Dakota towns and quieter than 83%. 25.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.1).
How much does a house cost in Rugby?
The median owner-occupied home in Rugby is valued at $131,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $50,365, so homes cost about 2.6 times income. Median rent is $853 a month.
What is the weather like in Rugby?
July highs average 79.9°F and January lows -3.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 21.0 inches of precipitation a year and 43.4 inches of snow.
Does Rugby get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rugby since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on August 21, 1973. 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)