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Williston, North Dakota 10-18-2008
North Dakota›Williams County

WillistonND

A town of 2,430, settled in 1887. Nearly 35.5% of it is conserved land.

6 bordering townsMap →
Population
2,430
−16.9% since 2010
Typical home
$376K
+5.6% in a year
Household income
$250K
median
Median age
12.1
years
Jobs based here
2,355
A job hub

What makes Williston stand out

The 3 things Williston does most differently from other towns.

Picked automatically from the data
A shrinking town

Williston has shrunk 16.9% since 2010

1,307 people in 2010; 2,430 today.

1,3072010
1,0862020
2,430Today

U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 · ACS

Williston’s report card

See the data ↓

Now in Williston

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Williston is #24 of 24 in ND for “Coolest summers”. Fair?
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The data

Ordered by what stands out in Williston. Another town gets a different order.

Outdoors

Nearly a third of Williston is conserved land

7.1 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves.

35.5%conserved
Map of Williston: conserved land, trails and the top places to walk
Green: conserved land · dashed: trails · numbers: the places below
35.5%
conserved · 4,225 of 11,916 acres
7.1 mi
of trails · 0.4 per sq mi
#4
most conserved land in ND
Biggest places to walkTrailsAcres
1. Lewis and Clark Wildlife Management Area—10
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Work & commute

Most working residents commute out of Williston

Most working residents leave Williston for work: only 8% work in town. The top destinations are Williston (51%), Judson (7%) and Fargo (3%). Half commute less than 5 miles.

8%work in town

Where working residents work

In Williston8%
Williston51%
Judson7%
Fargo3%
Bismarck2%
5 mi
median commute distance
2,355
jobs based in Williston
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Natural hazards

Very low risk, with cold waves at the top

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 9% of U.S. communities.

9risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
9Very low riskLowerHigher
Cold wavesInland floodingTornadoes
2
paid flood claims since 1999
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Housing

A typical Williston home is worth about $376K

The typical Williston home is worth about $376,000, up 5.6% in a year, 28% above the North Dakota typical home.

$376KZillow home value

Typical home value

Williston$376K
North Dakota$292K
+5.6%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Health

Healthier than 67% of U.S. towns

Williston beats the North Dakota average on 8 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 12.

B+Health Grade
32 measures vs. North Dakota
8 better12 too close to call12 worse
What stands outWillistonND
Fewer adults who have had cancer5.6%8.2%
Fewer adults with heart disease4.5%6.1%
More uninsured adults9.7%7.3%
Chi St. Alexius Health Williston
3 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
41st
percentile among ND towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Climate

Snowy winters, pleasant summers

Williston has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 2°, and about 48 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

48″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter5–25°
Spring29–55°
Summer53–81°
Fall31–56°
Sep 21
typical first frost
May 21
typical last frost
+2.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
A job hub

Every workday, about 2,298 people come to Williston for work

Where Williston’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.

51% → Williston Williston 51% 7% → Judson Judson 7% 3% → Fargo Fargo 3% 2% → Bismarck Bismarck 2% 2% → Pherrin Pherrin 2% 2% → Missouri Ridge Missouri Ridge 2% Williston · 8% stay
2,355jobs based in Williston
8%of working residents work in town
5 mimedian commute distance

Census LEHD 2023

Fort Buford Military Reservation, North Dakota and Montana
1899 · Fort Buford Military Reservation, North Dakota and Montana · Wikimedia Commons
Williston’s story

139 years in pictures

6 postcards, papers and photographs from public archives.

Freighting on the Missouri River atExperimental farm, Williston, N. DakExperimental farm, Williston, N. Dak
Explore the history →

About Williston

City in North Dakota, United States

Official town website ↗

Williston is a city in and the county seat of Williams County, North Dakota, United States. The 2020 census gave its population as 29,160, making Williston the sixth-most populous city in North Dakota. It is near the southeast edge of the Williston Basin, named after the city. This huge subterranean geologic feature is known for its rich deposits of petroleum, coal, and potash, which contributed to the city's population nearly doubling between 2010 and 2020, due largely to the North Dakota oil boom. Williston's newspaper is the weekly Williston Herald. Williston is the home of Williston State College and the Miss North Dakota Scholarship Pageant.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Established
1887
Population
29,479
Area
21 sq mi
Elevation
1,877 ft
ZIP code
58801, 58802, 58803
Area code
701

Williston’s neighbors

6 towns share a border with Williston.

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Photo of Williston

Williston, ND · Photo: Andrew Filer from Seattle (ex-Minneapolis) · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Source ↗