North Dakota

Home/North Dakota North Dakota State-to-state migration of people and income, 2022–2023 filing years At a glance (2023) Cost of living 88 12% below the U.S. average Median home value $241,100 national $303,400 Home prices, 5 years +26.1% over the 5 years to 2023 Monthly rent $934 national $1,348 Homeownership 63% national 65% Unemployment 2.0% national 3.6% Household income $75,949 national $78,538 Median age 35.7 yrs national 38.7 The cost of living runs about 12% below the national average. The median home is valued at $241,100 (nominal). Home prices have risen about 26% over the five years to 2023. Median rent is about $934 a month. Unemployment averaged 2.0% in 2023 (national 3.6%). Median household income is $75,949. These figures describe all residents, not just tax filers, come from separate sources than the migration data on this page, and do not indicate why anyone moved. Between the 2022 and 2023 filing years, North Dakota saw a net loss of 43 tax-filing households and a net loss of 671 individuals. Against a population of about 783,926, that is a net outflow of about 0.9 per 1,000 residents. On net, the area lost $145M in associated adjusted gross income (AGI, nominal dollars). The largest inflow, about 4,094 households, came from Minnesota; the largest outflow, about 4,007 households, went to Minnesota. In the prior (2022) filing year, the area saw a net loss of 2,556 individuals. These figures cover federal income tax filers only and do not indicate why people moved. Net income (AGI) $145M nominal dollars Net households 43 tax returns Net people 671 exemptions 0.9 net people per 1,000 residents (population 783,926) Income (AGI) in and out Moved in$765.6M Moved out$910.6M Net -$145M (nominal) HowAmericaMoves.com North Dakota counties Net migration by county. Hover for figures; click a county to open it. Net outNet in(AGI $) Hover an area to trace its top 5 inbound (in) and outbound (out) moves. Net income (AGI) that moved in minus out, in nominal dollars (not adjusted for inflation).Net tax returns (filing households) that moved in minus out.Net people per 1,000 residents, so larger and smaller areas compare fairly. Hover an area to trace its top moves HowAmericaMoves.com Top origin states 1Minnesota4,094$223M2Texas874$45.3M3California749$39.6M4South Dakota656$35.4M5Montana613$34.8M6Arizona538$30.4M7Florida518$26.4M8Colorado451$28.6M9Washington365$20.7M10Wisconsin248$13.8M HowAmericaMoves.com Top destination states 1Minnesota4,007$241.5M2Texas920$64.4M3Arizona680$55.8M4South Dakota676$43.3M5Florida596$52.5M6Colorado538$35.2M7Montana501$32.5M8California492$28.9M9Washington331$19.7M10Wisconsin285$18.4M HowAmericaMoves.com Churn by state both directions at once The biggest two-way exchanges of filing households, 2022–2023. Moved in and moved out are gross one-way counts; net is the difference. Click a column to sort. Minnesota 4,094 4,007 +87 -$18.5M Texas 874 920 -46 -$19.1M South Dakota 656 676 -20 -$7.9M California 749 492 +257 +$10.8M Arizona 538 680 -142 -$25.4M Montana 613 501 +112 +$2.3M Florida 518 596 -78 -$26.1M Colorado 451 538 -87 -$6.6M Washington 365 331 +34 +$1M Wisconsin 248 285 -37 -$4.7M Illinois 218 220 -2 -$157K Idaho 237 195 +42 -$363K Counts are filing households (IRS returns), matching the lists above; income is nominal AGI. A dash means the IRS published only one direction of that exchange (small flows are suppressed), so no net is computed. HowAmericaMoves.com Net migration by year Net 2012–2023: -$1.6B (-9,545 people) 20122023 HowAmericaMoves.com Net AGI and net people by year (nominal dollars) Year Net AGI Net people 2012 +$123.7M +9,873 2013 +$172.7M +8,620 2014 +$13.4M +5,629 2015 +$102.2M +5,853 2016 -$281.3M -7,817 2017 -$442.9M -10,873 2018 -$200.1M -3,635 2019 -$142.5M -2,433 2020 -$262.2M -5,424 2021 -$244.9M -6,111 2022 -$248.5M -2,556 2023 -$145M -671 Migration in context How big is this move, relative to the state? In the 2022–2023 filing year, about 671 more people left North Dakota than moved in (counting tax filers and their dependents) — a net loss of about $145M in income (nominal) — in a state of 787,071 people. Population 787,071 Census 2023 estimate Net migration rate 0.9 net people per 1,000 residents A Town Of 10,000 Would Net About -9 People. Net income per resident −$184 nominal dollars ≈ -$145M total across 787,071 residents. The rate lets you compare North Dakota with a stateof any size: it’s the net flow divided by population. The IRS counts tax filers; population counts all residents, so read the rate as a scale indicator, not a literal share of people. HowAmericaMoves.com Components of population change 2023 (Census) Where the state’s overall change came from. Census counts all residents; the IRS migration above is one slice of the domestic-migration component. Births +9,729 Deaths 6,936 Net domestic migration +930 Net international migration +3,158 Total change +6,880 Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program. Figures are people, not tax filers. HowAmericaMoves.com Income & cost of living What a dollar is worth here Prices around North Dakota run about 12% below the national average. In plain terms: $100 spent here buys about what $113 buys in the average American community. The figures below apply that to income, each compared to the U.S. average of $70,002 per person. Income per person $71,545 what people here earn (BEA 2023, nominal) 2% above the U.S. average Price level 88.2 100 = U.S. average prices (BEA price parity) everyday costs about 11.8% lower than average What that income buys $81,141 local income restated at U.S.-average prices 16% above the U.S. average Cheaper than U.S. avgU.S. average (100)Pricier Price parity shown at the state level (BEA does not publish a single figure below the metro level). HowAmericaMoves.com Where the cost comes from price parity by category Index where 100 = U.S. average for that category. Housing is usually what separates one place from another. Housing & rents69.3 Goods97.0 Utilities75.0 Other services89.6 Housing is measured from rents (including an estimated rental value for owner-occupied homes), so a run-up in purchase prices shows here only as it reaches rents. Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Covers all residents, a separate universe from the IRS filer income above. How the data works. HowAmericaMoves.com Who lives here The people of North Dakota American Community Survey, 2019–2023 (a 5-year average of all residents, not just tax filers). Median age 35.7 years Median household income $75,949 per household (ACS 2019–2023, nominal) 3% below the U.S. median College degree 32% adults 25+ with a bachelor's or higher Poverty rate 10.6% residents below the poverty line Average commute 18 min mean travel time to work Broadband at home 88% households with any broadband Race and ethnicity (share of residents) White 83%Hispanic 4%Black 3%Asian 2%Other 8% White, Black, and Asian counts are people who are not Hispanic or Latino; Hispanic or Latino can be of any race. Shares are rounded and may not total 100. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates. Covers all residents, a separate universe from the IRS filer data. A 5-year estimate is an average over 2019–2023; compare years at least five apart, since consecutive windows overlap. How the data works. HowAmericaMoves.com Housing what it costs to live here (ACS 2019–2023) Median home value $241,100 owner-occupied homes 21% below the U.S. median Median rent $934 gross rent per month 31% below the U.S. median Homeownership 63% of occupied homes are owner-occupied Home-price appreciation FHFA index, 2023 Past year +5.2% price change, 2022 to 2023 Past 5 years +26% price change, 2018 to 2023 A repeat-sales index (how much the same homes changed in price), so it tracks the market over time rather than the current level. Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency, annual all-transactions HPI; the county series is FHFA’s developmental index. New home construction building permits, 2023 2,618new housing units authorized in 2023 Single-family 57%Multifamily 43% Units authorized by residential building permits (new supply), summed from counties for the state and U.S. Permits are authorizations, not completions. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey. Home value is what owners estimate their homes are worth, not recent sale prices. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2019–2023), nominal dollars. How the data works. HowAmericaMoves.com Local economy & risk Jobs and natural hazards Unemployment rate 2.0% BLS 2023 annual average Labor force 418,213 409,642 employed Disaster declarations 2 major federal, 2023 most common: Flood Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS) and FEMA. A disaster declaration marks federal assistance eligibility, not damage severity, and says nothing about why anyone moved. How the data works. HowAmericaMoves.com Unemployment now 1.9% May 2026 ▼ 0.4 points vs May 2025 January 2024May 2026 Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS). Monthly unemployment for this state, not seasonally adjusted. Updated every month, so it moves faster than the annual average above. How the data works. HowAmericaMoves.com Who’s moving by income Net migration by income bracket Tax-filing households that moved into North Dakota minus those that left, by the adjusted gross income they reported, 2022–2023. Positive means more arrived than left at that income level. $1–$10k +206 In 1,235Out 1,029+$1.3M AGI $10k–$25k +607 In 3,151Out 2,544+$11.2M AGI $25k–$50k +203 In 4,467Out 4,264+$6.6M AGI $50k–$75k 246 In 2,214Out 2,460-$15.7M AGI $75k–$100k 200 In 1,086Out 1,286-$17.7M AGI $100k–$200k 450 In 1,404Out 1,854-$62.1M AGI $200k+ 136 In 375Out 511-$70.7M AGI Among the highest earners ($200k+), North Dakota ranks #28 of 51 states for net household migration (-136). Source: IRS Statistics of Income, state-level gross migration file (returns with negative AGI are excluded, so this won’t exactly match the totals above). Income is what filers reported, not a reason anyone moved. Compare all states by income bracket. How the data works. HowAmericaMoves.com Goods trade What North Dakota ships and receives Physical goods shipped between North Dakota and other states, 2022. This is freight, not the migration of people or income shown above. $25.7B Ships to other states +5% since 2017 $52.1B Receives from states +37% since 2017 $26.5B Net balance Top goods shipped out Machinery $8.7B Agricultural products (excludes animal feed, cereal grains, and forage products) $8.6B Cereal grains (includes seed) $6.4B Other prepared foodstuffs and fats and oils $4.7B Non-metallic mineral products $3.2B Mixed freight $2.7B Top goods received Machinery $7.3B Mixed freight $5.4B Motorized and other vehicles (includes parts) $4.5B Cereal grains (includes seed) $4.4B Non-metallic mineral products $3.4B Other coal and petroleum products, not elsewhere classified $3.1B Biggest trading partners (both ways) Goods trade runs in both directions: states swap different goods, so a partner is often near the top of both columns. Net is ships minus receives (positive means North Dakota ships more to that partner than it gets back). Partner Ships to Receives Net Total Minnesota $10.0B $12.7B -$2.7B $22.7B Illinois $1.1B $4.5B -$3.4B $5.6B Texas $1.4B $2.9B -$1.5B $4.3B Indiana $401M $3.6B -$3.2B $4.0B Iowa $640M $3.1B -$2.5B $3.7B Wisconsin — $3.1B — $3.1B South Dakota $1.5B $1.5B +$15M $2.9B Ohio $665M $2.0B -$1.3B $2.7B Goods shipped every five years by the Census Commodity Flow Survey (a sample, so figures are estimates and the smallest flows are withheld). Value is nominal. The totals and partner table above count trade between North Dakota and other states; the goods lists count everything the state ships or receives, including within-state shipments. Compare all states. How the data works. HowAmericaMoves.com Taxes the state collects What North Dakota collects in taxes Total state taxes $6B FY 2023, nominal Per resident $7,685 total state taxes ÷ population Largest categories (share of total) Severance taxes$3.2B 52% General sales & gross receipts$1.3B 21% Individual income tax$495.4M 8% Corporation net income tax$324.1M 5% Other selective sales tax$194.9M 3% Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State Government Tax Collections. This is what the state government collected (not local taxes), not a measure of any individual’s tax burden. How the data works. HowAmericaMoves.com Elections National maps → How North Dakota has voted. Certified returns, popular vote only. This is a separate dataset from the migration figures on this page. President, 1976–2024 Year Democratic Republican Other Margin Total 2024 112,327 246,505 9,323 R +36.4 368,155 2020 114,902 235,595 11,322 R +33.4 361,819 2016 93,758 216,794 33,808 R +35.7 344,360 2012 124,966 188,320 9,646 R +19.6 322,932 2008 141,278 168,601 6,742 R +8.6 316,621 2004 111,052 196,651 5,130 R +27.4 312,833 2000 95,284 174,852 18,131 R +27.6 288,267 1996 106,905 125,050 34,456 R +6.8 266,411 1992 99,168 136,244 72,721 R +12.0 308,133 1988 127,739 166,559 2,963 R +13.1 297,261 1984 104,429 200,336 4,206 R +31.0 308,971 1980 79,189 193,695 28,232 R +38.0 301,116 1976 136,078 153,684 7,546 R +5.9 297,308 U.S. Senate races all states → Year Winner Democratic Republican Other Margin 2024 Kevin Cramer 121,602 241,569 1,156 R +32.9 2022 John Hoeven 59,995 135,474 44,671 R +31.4 2018 Kevin Cramer 144,376 179,720 — R +10.8 2016 John Hoeven 58,116 268,788 15,231 R +61.5 2012 Heidi Heitkamp 161,337 158,401 — D +0.9 2010 John Hoeven 52,955 181,689 3,890 R +54.0 2006 Kent Conrad 150,146 64,417 3,589 D +39.3 2004 Byron L. Dorgan 212,143 98,553 — D +36.6 2000 Kent Conrad 176,470 111,069 — D +22.7 U.S. House seats won district maps → 2024 D 0 R 1 2022 D 0 R 1 2020 D 0 R 1 2018 D 0 R 1 2016 D 0 R 1 2014 D 0 R 1 2012 D 0 R 1 2010 D 0 R 1 2008 D 1 R 0 2006 D 1 R 0 2004 D 1 R 0 2002 D 1 R 0 2000 D 1 R 0 2024 results by county Republican wonDemocratic wonIndependent / other Which party received the most votes, as a solid color.Winning margin as a share of all votes cast.Change in margin since 2020, in percentage points.Total votes cast, all candidates. HowAmericaMoves.com Source: MIT Election Data and Science Lab county returns (CC0). Margins are the popular-vote gap as a share of all votes cast. Counties in North Dakota (53) Adams CountyBarnes CountyBenson CountyBillings CountyBottineau CountyBowman CountyBurke CountyBurleigh CountyCass CountyCavalier CountyDickey CountyDivide CountyDunn CountyEddy CountyEmmons CountyFoster CountyGolden Valley CountyGrand Forks CountyGrant CountyGriggs CountyHettinger CountyKidder CountyLaMoure CountyLogan CountyMcHenry CountyMcIntosh CountyMcKenzie CountyMcLean CountyMercer CountyMorton CountyMountrail CountyNelson CountyOliver CountyPembina CountyPierce CountyRamsey CountyRansom CountyRenville CountyRichland CountyRolette CountySargent CountySheridan CountySioux CountySlope CountyStark CountySteele CountyStutsman CountyTowner CountyTraill CountyWalsh CountyWard CountyWells CountyWilliams County Get the next update for North Dakota The IRS releases new migration data once a year. Drop your email and we will send the refreshed numbers when they land. No spam, unsubscribe anytime. Email address