© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Living in
Williston.
About
Life in Williston
Williston has experienced rapid growth fueled by oil industry jobs, and that reality shapes what living here is actually like. Median rent runs just over $1,100 monthly, and home values hover around $286,000, which is reasonable for a booming area but reflects the demand pressure. The community skews younger with a median age around 31, and there's a noticeable gender imbalance favoring men due to oil industry workers, which shapes the social dynamic.
Williston at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
32.0 yrs
Poverty Rate
8.1%
Foreign-Born
11.4%
Broadband Internet
93.2%
of households
Population Growth
+1.3%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics11.4% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Williston: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Williston, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (29.8%), and 8.0% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
27.6%
of residents
65 and Older
10.0%
of residents
Households with Kids
30.5%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
31.3%
of households
Married Couples
44.8%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.42
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 18% above ND average
Rent, home values, and income in Williston
In Williston, rent runs 18% above the ND average, and home values are 15% above the ND average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
30.7%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
7.6%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$1,974
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
47.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
2003
median year built
Vacant Homes
24.8%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $371,767 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for ND
Unemployment in Williston
Unemployment in Williston is close to the ND average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Williston Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute17.6 min avg
How Williston residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Williston, most residents drive alone to work (82%), and 83% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 10 mi
Williston Basin International Airport (XWA)
Regional airport · few flights105k passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 31% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Williston runs 31% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
431.7
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,768.5
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Williston Police Department
Natural DisastersHail most common — 18 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
53.7 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Williams County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Williams County, which includes Williston, the most common type is hail, with 18 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 18 | Drought | $25,000 |
| 2024 | 16 | Heavy Snow | $12.1M |
| 2023 | 8 | Hail | None reported |
| 2022 | 23 | High Wind | $15.8M |
| 2021 | 21 | Drought | $2.3M |
| 2020 | 14 | High Wind | $130,000 |
| 2019 | 8 | Heavy Snow | $5,000 |
| 2018 | 12 | Funnel Cloud | $80,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Williams County, county-wide
Air Quality39 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in McKenzie County, ND (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 33 miles from Williston) is typically good — 295 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
39
Good Days
295
per year
Moderate Days
64
per year
Unhealthy Days
2
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: McKenzie County, ND (33 mi away)
Climate82°F summers, 4°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Williston has warm summers (avg high 82°F) and very cold winters (avg low 4°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
54°/29°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
82°/54°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
56°/30°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
25°/4°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
15.1"
Annual Snowfall
48.2"
Hot Days/Year
21
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
191
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
100
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 22°F | 1°F | 0.56" |
| Feb | 27°F | 6°F | 0.48" |
| Mar | 40°F | 18°F | 0.63" |
| Apr | 56°F | 29°F | 1.05" |
| May | 67°F | 40°F | 2.10" |
| Jun | 77°F | 50°F | 2.64" |
| Jul | 85°F | 56°F | 2.48" |
| Aug | 84°F | 54°F | 1.57" |
| Sep | 73°F | 44°F | 1.36" |
| Oct | 56°F | 30°F | 0.94" |
| Nov | 38°F | 17°F | 0.67" |
| Dec | 26°F | 6°F | 0.63" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Williston
Williston has 1 hospital, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
11.4%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
CHI St Alexius Health Williston
Critical Access Hospitals · ER available
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education14.7:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Williston
Williston's student/teacher ratio is 14.7:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 25.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
9
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
25.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.7:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Williston
Public · 2-year · 651 students · in-state tuition $6,436 · 39% graduate · median earnings $53,831 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site, 22 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Williston
Williston has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site (22 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site
National Historic Site
22 mi awayTheodore Roosevelt National Park
National Park
71 mi awayPublic Libraries in Williston
Williston Community Library
1302 Davidson Drive, Williston
Cities Near Williston
The closest cities within 60 miles
No other cities we cover are within 60 miles of Williston.
Planning a move to Williston?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Williston FAQ
Is Williston, North Dakota affordable?⌄
Williston's median rent is $1,122/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $79,381/year. Median home value is $286,200.
Is Williston, North Dakota safe?⌄
Williston's violent crime rate was 432 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1769 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Williston, North Dakota?⌄
Williston has an unemployment rate of 2.8%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Williston, North Dakota?⌄
The cost of living in Williston is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,122/month and median household income is $79,381/year. The median home value is $286,200. About 31% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Williston, North Dakota?⌄
The average commute in Williston is 18 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from