2008 · Old Wishek City Hall · Wikimedia Commons
Wishek’s story
128 years in pictures
6 postcards, papers and photographs from public archives.
- 1898Wishek is settled
- 2008Old Wishek City Hall
WishekND
A town of 849, settled in 1898.
Photo: Andrew Filer · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
849
−13.8% since 2010
Median home value
$101K
Census ACS
Household income
$70K
median
Median age
48.6
years
Jobs based here
401
Balanced
A shrinking town
Wishek has shrunk 13.8% since 2010
1,002 people in 2010; 849 today.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 · ACS
Wishek’s report card
Now in Wishek
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Live in Wishek? Is a C+ for its schools right?
Your answer becomes a post in Wishek’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Weather
Forecast →63°
Heavy Rain and Fog/Mist
H 0° · L 56°
Local news
All →- Wishek Sausage announces multi-state retail expansion, new production facilityValley News Live · Aug 25
- Wishek Sausage building new facility to expand into stores statewideKFYR-TV · Aug 25
- Wishek Sausage plans expansion into stores across North DakotaKFYR-TV · Aug 24
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Wishek. Another town gets a different order.
Climate
Snowy winters, pleasant summers
Wishek has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 81°, a January night drops to 2°, and about 42 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
42″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter5–24°
Spring29–52°
Summer54–79°
Fall32–55°
Sep 27
typical first frost
May 13
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Work & commute
About one in three working residents works right in Wishek
About one in 3 of Wishek’s working residents works in town. The top destinations are Ashley (20%), Bismarck (6%) and Fargo (3%). Half commute less than 17 miles.
32%work in town
Where working residents work
In Wishek32%
Ashley20%
Bismarck6%
Fargo3%
Grand Forks2%
17 mi
median commute distance
401
jobs based in Wishek
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Schools
Wishek’s public schools outperform 40% of North Dakota districts
The public schools Wishek’s kids attend trail 60% of North Dakota’s districts on state tests. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.
C+School Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wishek Elementary School | PK–6 | 150 | B− |
| Wishek High School | 7–12 | 97 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within ND on state testsAll 2 schools →
Safety
Crime reported in Wishek
1 crime was reported in Wishek in 2024: 0 property and 1 violent. In a town this small, a few incidents move the numbers a lot, so rates aren't shown.
Wishek is small, so we show counts rather than rates.
1
violent crimes reported in 2024
0
property crimes reported in 2024
FBI crime data, 2024 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Health
How healthy Wishek is
Wishek beats the North Dakota average on 4 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 12.
32 measures vs. North Dakota
4 better16 too close to call12 worse
| What stands out | Wishek | ND |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 14.5% | 21.3% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 85.1% | 76.3% |
| More adults with heart disease | 11.5% | 6.1% |
South Central Health
0.1 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Natural hazards
Moderate risk, with cold waves at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 51% of U.S. communities.
51risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Cold wavesInland floodingHail
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Small town
849 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
About Wishek
City in North Dakota, United States
Wishek ( WISH-ik) is a city in McIntosh County, North Dakota, United States. The population was 864 as of the 2020 census, and was estimated at 827 in 2025.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1898
- Population
- 864
- Area
- 1.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 2,034 ft
- ZIP code
- 58495
- Area code
- 701
More about Wishek
Still missing for Wishek:upcoming events