The Town FilesWilliston, North Dakota
City in Williams County · population 29,160 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $286,200
- Household income
- $79,381
- Jan low / Jul high
- 1° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 48 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 6
- Median age
- 32.0
Williston is a city of 29,160 people in Williams County, North Dakota. The median home is worth $286,200, above the typical North Dakota town ($167,950). It ranks more vibrant than 91% of North Dakota towns, more walkable than 83% of North Dakota towns, better for young professionals than 74% of North Dakota towns.
How Williston 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 Williston is worth $286,200, above the typical North Dakota town ($167,950). Homes cost about 3.6 times the median household income of $79,381, which is more affordable than 13% of North Dakota towns. Median rent is $1,122 a month. 47.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Williston | Typical North Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $286,200 | $167,950 |
| Median rent | $1,122 | $775 |
| Median household income | $79,381 | $68,195 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.6× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 47.1% | 68.6% |
| Median year built | 2003 | 1973 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.8% | — |
Who lives in Williston
| People | Williston | Typical North Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.0 | 39.0 |
| Age 65 and over | 10.0% | 20.1% |
| Under 18 | 27.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.8% | 23.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.1% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 8.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 11.4% | — |
| Work from home | 3.6% | 5.5% |
| Average commute | 17.6 min | 16.8 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.2% | 87.3% |
Weather in Williston
July highs average 84.5°F and January lows 1.0°F. About 15.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 48.2 inches of snow (typical North Dakota town: 44.3 in). Expect about 21 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 191 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Williston since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical North Dakota town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 27, 1982 about 9.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 10, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 49 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on July 18, 2022.
Severe weather in Williams County since 1996
Williams County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 1, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4934: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| December 24, 2024 | Fire | DR-4852: Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds |
| July 13, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4660: Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
| September 1, 2021 | Severe Storm | DR-4613: Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| April 1, 2020 | Biological | DR-4509: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Williams County
Williams County had 27,125 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $91,464 a year. Unemployment was 1.6% in 2023; in Williston itself the ACS puts it at 4.9%.
Public schools in Williston
11 public schools with 5,234 students, about 14.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| WILLISTON MIDDLE SCHOOL CENTRAL CAMPUS | 5-8 | 1,532 | 15.0 |
| WILLISTON HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 1,353 | 14.1 |
| HAGAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | K-4 | 460 | 14.8 |
| MCVAY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | K-4 | 431 | 21.6 |
| RICKARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | K-4 | 352 | 16.0 |
| MISSOURI RIDGE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | K-5 | 330 | 11.4 |
| WILKINSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | K-4 | 310 | 11.9 |
| LEWIS AND CLARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | K-4 | 276 | 11.5 |
| GARDEN VALLEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | K-3 | 131 | 13.1 |
| WILLISTON MIDDLE SCHOOL CENTRAL CAMPUS PK | PK-PK | 36 | 36.0 |
| DEL EASTON ALTERNATIVE HIGH SCHOOL | 10-12 | 23 | 11.5 |
Towns near Williston
- Ray, ND24.1 mi · 740 people · home $227,600
- Fairview, MT29.8 mi · 896 people · home $171,600
Williston questions
Is Williston, North Dakota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Williston scores better for retirees than 5% of North Dakota towns and quieter than 7%. 10.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 32.0).
How much does a house cost in Williston?
The median owner-occupied home in Williston is valued at $286,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $79,381, so homes cost about 3.6 times income. Median rent is $1,122 a month.
What is the weather like in Williston?
July highs average 84.5°F and January lows 1.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 15.1 inches of precipitation a year and 48.2 inches of snow.
Does Williston get tornadoes?
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Williston since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 27, 1982. 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)