What it's like to live in Williston
Williston is a small city in North Dakota with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, unemployment below the national average, and commutes that run shorter than most cities. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Williston deals with crime rates above the national average, brutally cold winters, snowy winters, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low unemployment
- Short commutes
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Crime above national average
- Brutally cold winters
- Snowy winters — 48" per year
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Williston compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Williston
Based on Williston's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,244
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $44,880 a year
- 31% of Williston renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$57,240
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $28,620
- Homes cost 3.6× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 21% below US
$1,122/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,122 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $286,200. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $286,200 · 31% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 35% below US
2.8% unemployment
Unemployment here is 2.8%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 31% above US
432 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is worth weighing seriously here. Rates run above the national average, and while plenty of residents live comfortably, neighborhood selection matters a lot more than it does in a safer city.
Property crime 1769/100k · Williston Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 32% below US
18 min average commute
Commutes run short here, averaging 17.6 minutes. That's an underrated perk of living in a smaller or well-planned city, where time isn't lost sitting in traffic. 9 in 10 workers drive to work.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 82°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 4°F. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 3.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 28% below US
26% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 26%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
9 public schools inside the boundary
There are 9 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site (22 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Williston's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are crime rates above the national average and brutally cold winters. A year of median rent ($1,122/mo) equals 17% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, job seekers, and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive and anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.
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