North Dakota Cities by Population 2025

401 cities

City	Rank	2025 Pop. ↓	2024 Pop.	Change	Density	Area (mi²)	Type
Fargo	1	137,989	135,588	1.77%	2,715	50.83	City
Bismarck	2	75,990	75,541	0.59%	2,191	34.69	City
Grand Forks	3	58,773	58,847	-0.13%	2,023	29.05	City
Minot	4	46,699	47,036	-0.72%	1,686	27.70	City
West Fargo	5	41,403	40,901	1.23%	2,560	16.18	City
Williston	6	26,632	27,169	-1.98%	1,035	25.73	City
Mandan	7	24,834	24,710	0.5%	1,837	13.52	City
Dickinson	8	24,677	24,903	-0.91%	1,869	13.20	City
Jamestown	9	15,611	15,651	-0.26%	1,174	13.30	City
Wahpeton	10	7,989	7,994	-0.06%	1,492	5.36	City
Horace	11	7,239	6,441	12.39%	572	12.67	City
Devils Lake	12	7,115	7,125	-0.14%	1,022	6.96	City
Valley City	13	6,530	6,540	-0.15%	1,520	4.30	City
Watford City	14	5,866	5,943	-1.3%	653	8.98	City
Minot AFB	15	4,798	4,847	-1.01%	660	7.27	CDP
Lincoln	16	4,529	4,477	1.16%	2,920	1.55	City
Grafton	17	3,993	4,026	-0.82%	1,209	3.30	City
Beulah	18	3,019	3,026	-0.23%	1,236	2.44	City
New Town	19	2,694	2,709	-0.55%	933	2.89	City
Casselton	20	2,468	2,470	-0.08%	1,142	2.16	City
Rugby	21	2,409	2,427	-0.74%	1,054	2.29	City
Hazen	22	2,274	2,275	-0.04%	1,615	1.41	City
Bottineau	23	2,156	2,163	-0.32%	1,638	1.32	City
Lisbon	24	2,155	2,164	-0.42%	940	2.29	City
Stanley	25	2,075	2,129	-2.54%	460	4.51	City
Grand Forks AFB	26	2,050	2,071	-1.01%	273	7.50	CDP
Tioga	27	2,016	2,056	-1.95%	596	3.38	City
Carrington	28	1,963	1,986	-1.16%	828	2.37	City
Langdon	29	1,813	1,830	-0.93%	1,172	1.55	City
Mayville	30	1,777	1,791	-0.78%	943	1.88	City
Oakes	31	1,749	1,756	-0.4%	1,118	1.56	City
Belcourt	32	1,696	1,721	-1.45%	292	5.81	CDP
Hillsboro	33	1,636	1,638	-0.12%	1,471	1.11	City
Harvey	34	1,572	1,586	-0.88%	875	1.80	City
Mapleton	35	1,505	1,470	2.38%	385	3.91	City
Garrison	36	1,462	1,463	-0.07%	1,045	1.40	City
Surrey	37	1,457	1,437	1.39%	690	2.11	City
Bowman	38	1,376	1,393	-1.22%	738	1.86	City
Park River	39	1,363	1,374	-0.8%	526	2.59	City
Burlington	40	1,318	1,312	0.46%	692	1.91	City
New Rockford	41	1,283	1,296	-1%	747	1.72	City
Washburn	42	1,275	1,279	-0.31%	757	1.69	City
Cavalier	43	1,204	1,213	-0.74%	1,398	0.86	City
Larimore	44	1,202	1,213	-0.91%	2,000	0.60	City
Shell Valley	45	1,179	1,181	-0.17%	79	15	CDP
Rolla	46	1,129	1,147	-1.57%	773	1.46	City
Kindred	47	1,086	1,055	2.94%	749	1.45	City
Ellendale	48	1,077	1,085	-0.74%	760	1.42	City
New Salem	49	1,058	1,042	1.54%	764	1.39	City
Thompson	50	1,051	1,060	-0.85%	2,433	0.43	City
Linton	51	1,032	1,038	-0.58%	1,315	0.79	City
Hettinger	52	1,029	1,036	-0.68%	1,241	0.83	City
Velva	53	1,015	1,030	-1.46%	1,053	0.96	City
Crosby	54	1,011	1,023	-1.17%	717	1.41	City
Cando	55	1,003	1,025	-2.15%	1,562	0.64	City
Fort Totten	56	992	1,008	-1.59%	115	8.60	CDP
Beach	57	970	971	-0.1%	380	2.55	City
Belfield	58	949	959	-1.04%	566	1.68	City
Cooperstown	59	949	955	-0.63%	943	1.01	City
Northwood	60	930	940	-1.06%	769	1.21	City
Reile's Acres	61	925	883	4.76%	815	1.14	City
Hankinson	62	918	918	0%	494	1.86	City
Gwinner	63	909	912	-0.33%	441	2.06	City
Cannon Ball	64	901	900	0.11%	10	88.27	CDP
Killdeer	65	888	898	-1.11%	480	1.85	City
Kenmare	66	886	900	-1.56%	661	1.34	City
Walhalla	67	872	876	-0.46%	843	1.03	City
Parshall	68	866	882	-1.81%	244	3.55	City
Harwood	69	847	837	1.2%	650	1.30	City
Green Acres	70	843	825	2.18%	560	1.50	CDP
Enderlin	71	840	848	-0.94%	515	1.63	City
Wishek	72	833	837	-0.48%	580	1.44	City
Hebron	73	781	784	-0.38%	520	1.50	City
Underwood	74	766	770	-0.52%	755	1.01	City
LaMoure	75	758	759	-0.13%	564	1.34	City
Napoleon	76	737	741	-0.54%	533	1.38	City
Drayton	77	720	727	-0.96%	1,094	0.66	City
Glen Ullin	78	719	722	-0.42%	706	1.02	City
Trenton	79	719	671	7.15%	687	1.05	CDP
Wilton	80	710	712	-0.28%	1,277	0.56	City
Mandaree	81	706	699	1%	63	11.13	CDP
Ray	82	706	714	-1.12%	535	1.32	City
Hatton	83	693	697	-0.57%	1,242	0.56	City
Lakota	84	688	686	0.29%	689	1	City
Mohall	85	684	686	-0.29%	620	1.10	City
New England	86	666	671	-0.74%	1,351	0.49	City
Richardton	87	655	663	-1.21%	296	2.21	City
Steele	88	644	648	-0.62%	1,160	0.56	City
Mott	89	628	632	-0.63%	683	0.92	City
Milnor	90	610	612	-0.33%	609	1	City
Minto	91	603	606	-0.5%	420	1.44	City
Ashley	92	598	600	-0.33%	930	0.64	City
Dunseith	93	593	602	-1.49%	592	1	City
Lidgerwood	94	589	591	-0.34%	891	0.66	City
Center	95	577	579	-0.34%	1,207	0.48	City
Edgeley	96	575	575	0%	768	0.75	City
Portland	97	573	575	-0.35%	687	0.83	City
Turtle Lake	98	535	536	-0.19%	1,045	0.51	City
Elgin	99	505	512	-1.37%	614	0.82	City
Pembina	100	487	492	-1.02%	603	0.81	City
Forman	101	483	488	-1.03%	620	0.78	City
Argusville	102	467	470	-0.64%	117	4	City
Berthold	103	453	460	-1.52%	382	1.19	City
East Dunseith	104	449	452	-0.66%	88	5.13	CDP
Rolette	105	447	454	-1.54%	443	1.01	City
Wyndmere	106	446	447	-0.22%	519	0.86	City
Fessenden	107	445	448	-0.67%	1,009	0.44	City
Towner	108	444	451	-1.55%	537	0.83	City
Emerado	109	439	440	-0.23%	1,416	0.31	City
Leeds	110	411	417	-1.44%	649	0.63	City
South Heart	111	406	404	0.5%	301	1.35	City
Glenburn	112	403	403	0%	1,339	0.30	City
Finley	113	385	388	-0.77%	110	3.49	City
Maddock	114	374	379	-1.32%	424	0.88	City
McVille	115	372	375	-0.8%	259	1.44	City
Westhope	116	369	371	-0.54%	1,142	0.32	City
Oxbow	117	367	369	-0.54%	240	1.53	City
Powers Lake	118	366	370	-1.08%	263	1.39	City
Kulm	119	364	365	-0.27%	953	0.38	City
Manvel	120	363	366	-0.82%	1,269	0.29	City
Stanton	121	359	360	-0.28%	1,011	0.35	City
Strasburg	122	353	358	-1.4%	1,213	0.29	City
Buxton	123	349	349	0%	1,045	0.33	City
Apple Valley	124	342	320	6.88%	2,311	0.15	CDP
Fairmount	125	332	334	-0.6%	1,003	0.33	City
Neche	126	332	335	-0.9%	957	0.35	City
Hunter	127	323	325	-0.61%	216	1.49	City
Arthur	128	322	323	-0.31%	210	1.53	City
Max	129	319	321	-0.62%	409	0.78	City
McClusky	130	317	318	-0.31%	854	0.37	City
St. Thomas	131	307	309	-0.65%	302	1.01	City
St. John	132	305	309	-1.29%	690	0.44	City
Alexander	133	299	303	-1.32%	241	1.24	City
Sawyer	134	296	301	-1.66%	603	0.49	City
Hope	135	280	278	0.72%	457	0.61	City
Tower City	136	280	277	1.08%	137	2.05	City
Bowbells	137	279	282	-1.06%	293	0.95	City
Gackle	138	279	280	-0.36%	519	0.54	City
Logan	139	274	269	1.86%	188	1.46	CDP
Gladstone	140	271	271	0%	747	0.36	City
Walcott	141	270	269	0.37%	266	1.02	City
Drake	142	268	272	-1.47%	136	1.97	City
Abercrombie	143	264	261	1.15%	800	0.33	City
Arnegard	144	264	268	-1.49%	776	0.34	City
Reynolds	145	264	266	-0.75%	339	0.78	City
Medina	146	262	263	-0.38%	216	1.21	City
Harmon	147	258	250	3.2%	165	1.57	CDP
Michigan City	148	258	258	0%	513	0.50	City
Davenport	149	254	254	0%	934	0.27	City
Leonard	150	242	243	-0.41%	322	0.75	City
Scranton	151	241	244	-1.23%	351	0.69	City
Hoople	152	240	242	-0.83%	444	0.54	City
Aneta	153	237	237	0%	238	0.99	City
Gilby	154	237	238	-0.42%	1,339	0.18	City
Lansford	155	233	234	-0.43%	664	0.35	City
Carson	156	232	236	-1.7%	58	3.99	City
Dunn Center	157	227	227	0%	581	0.39	City
Colfax	158	224	213	5.16%	222	1.01	City
Halliday	159	224	227	-1.32%	486	0.46	City
Riverdale	160	224	223	0.45%	161	1.39	City
Zap	161	222	223	-0.45%	218	1.02	City
Granville	162	219	222	-1.35%	691	0.32	City
Taylor	163	218	221	-1.36%	435	0.50	City
Hazelton	164	216	217	-0.46%	564	0.38	City
Flasher	165	213	214	-0.47%	334	0.64	City
Anamoose	166	212	214	-0.94%	340	0.62	City
Tappen	167	208	209	-0.48%	198	1.05	City
Grenora	168	207	210	-1.43%	340	0.61	City
Grandin	169	201	198	1.52%	1,110	0.18	City
New Leipzig	170	201	204	-1.47%	226	0.89	City
Fordville	171	199	200	-0.5%	197	1.01	City
Plaza	172	198	201	-1.49%	183	1.08	City
Brooktree Park	173	195	182	7.14%	1,108	0.18	CDP
Edinburg	174	191	192	-0.52%	603	0.32	City
Frontier	175	191	192	-0.52%	1,016	0.19	City
Sherwood	176	190	189	0.53%	601	0.32	City
Page	177	187	188	-0.53%	186	1	City
Golden Valley	178	186	187	-0.53%	249	0.75	City
Four Bears Village	179	185	207	-10.63%	181	1.02	CDP
Buffalo	180	184	186	-1.07%	383	0.48	City
Minnewaukan	181	183	185	-1.08%	379	0.48	City
Medora	182	181	168	7.74%	461	0.39	City
Munich	183	180	183	-1.64%	126	1.43	City
Des Lacs	184	179	181	-1.1%	333	0.54	City
Sheyenne	185	175	176	-0.57%	1,167	0.15	City
Wimbledon	186	173	174	-0.57%	278	0.62	City
Mooreton	187	171	172	-0.58%	640	0.27	City
White Shield	188	166	177	-6.21%	44	3.80	CDP
Regent	189	162	164	-1.22%	289	0.56	City
Litchville	190	161	163	-1.23%	71	2.26	City
Sanborn	191	161	161	0%	268	0.60	City
Binford	192	160	161	-0.62%	453	0.35	City
Fort Yates	193	158	162	-2.47%	2,633	0.06	City
Petersburg	194	158	158	0%	154	1.03	City
Rutland	195	158	159	-0.63%	408	0.39	City
Rhame	196	152	154	-1.3%	102	1.50	City
Christine	197	150	150	0%	735	0.20	City
East Fairview	198	149	139	7.19%	391	0.38	CDP
Mercer	199	148	136	8.82%	667	0.22	City
Streeter	200	147	147	0%	412	0.36	City
Willow City	201	147	148	-0.68%	314	0.47	City
Kensal	202	146	146	0%	242	0.60	City
Blacktail	203	141	132	6.82%	425	0.33	CDP
Makoti	204	141	143	-1.4%	261	0.54	City
Bowdon	205	139	139	0%	554	0.25	City
McGregor	206	139	130	6.92%	1,103	0.13	CDP
Edmore	207	136	137	-0.73%	461	0.29	City
Carpio	208	134	136	-1.47%	212	0.63	City
Lignite	209	134	135	-0.74%	859	0.16	City
Noonan	210	131	132	-0.76%	449	0.29	City
Pick City	211	130	129	0.78%	688	0.19	City
Ruthville	212	130	134	-2.99%	850	0.15	CDP
Tolna	213	130	130	0%	173	0.75	City
Wing	214	128	129	-0.78%	201	0.64	City
Columbus	215	127	129	-1.55%	465	0.27	City
Upham	216	126	128	-1.56%	406	0.31	City
Gardner	217	125	126	-0.79%	252	0.50	City
Marion	218	124	124	0%	148	0.84	City
Reeder	219	122	123	-0.81%	178	0.69	City
Hannaford	220	121	122	-0.82%	553	0.22	City
Adams	221	120	121	-0.83%	123	0.97	City
Palermo	222	119	120	-0.83%	53	2.25	City
Portal	223	116	117	-0.85%	174	0.67	City
Forest River	224	113	112	0.89%	226	0.50	City
Selfridge	225	112	115	-2.61%	380	0.29	City
Crary	226	111	111	0%	117	0.95	City
Galesburg	227	110	111	-0.9%	667	0.17	City
Goodrich	228	110	110	0%	377	0.29	City
Crystal	229	109	110	-0.91%	158	0.69	City
Porcupine	230	108	111	-2.7%	535	0.20	CDP
Wildrose	231	107	108	-0.93%	369	0.29	City
Oriska	232	106	107	-0.94%	397	0.27	City
Lankin	233	101	102	-0.98%	352	0.29	City
Osnabrock	234	101	102	-0.98%	337	0.30	City
Fort Ransom	235	100	99	1.01%	325	0.31	City
Almont	236	99	98	1.02%	40	2.49	City
Ryder	237	99	101	-1.98%	189	0.52	City
Sykeston	238	97	98	-1.02%	246	0.40	City
Bisbee	239	96	98	-2.04%	319	0.30	City
Glenfield	240	95	95	0%	693	0.14	City
Starkweather	241	95	96	-1.04%	731	0.13	City
Newburg	242	93	93	0%	664	0.14	City
Marmarth	243	92	93	-1.07%	36	2.58	City
Spiritwood Lake	244	92	92	0%	81	1.14	City
Oberon	245	91	92	-1.09%	260	0.35	City
Sheldon	246	91	92	-1.09%	222	0.41	City
White Earth	247	89	91	-2.2%	59	1.50	City
Deering	248	88	89	-1.12%	1,048	0.08	City
Ross	249	88	89	-1.12%	306	0.29	City
Fingal	250	87	88	-1.14%	209	0.42	City
Golva	251	87	86	1.16%	272	0.32	City
Rocklake	252	87	88	-1.14%	416	0.21	City
Caledonia	253	86	80	7.5%	166	0.52	CDP
Douglas	254	86	87	-1.15%	303	0.28	City
Esmond	255	86	87	-1.15%	189	0.46	City
Maxbass	256	85	85	0%	521	0.16	City
Montpelier	257	85	85	0%	556	0.15	City
Pisek	258	85	86	-1.16%	746	0.11	City
Dodge	259	84	85	-1.18%	180	0.47	City
Amenia	260	83	83	0%	56	1.49	City
Buchanan	261	83	83	0%	1,092	0.08	City
Karlsruhe	262	83	84	-1.19%	111	0.75	City
Sharon	263	83	84	-1.19%	56	1.49	City
Lehr	264	82	82	0%	427	0.19	City
Selz	265	82	77	6.49%	599	0.14	CDP
Zeeland	266	81	81	0%	272	0.30	City
Menoken	267	80	75	6.67%	37	2.18	CDP
Driscoll	268	79	74	6.76%	137	0.58	CDP
Foxholm	269	79	74	6.76%	82	0.96	CDP
Dwight	270	77	77	0%	397	0.19	City
Epping	271	76	77	-1.3%	203	0.37	City
Dazey	272	73	74	-1.35%	193	0.38	City
Dawson	273	72	72	0%	211	0.34	City
Pekin	274	72	72	0%	285	0.25	City
Wheatland	275	72	68	5.88%	18	4.01	CDP
Donnybrook	276	71	72	-1.39%	104	0.68	City
Cogswell	277	69	69	0%	209	0.33	City
Coleharbor	278	69	67	2.99%	379	0.18	City
Butte	279	68	68	0%	276	0.25	City
Havana	280	68	68	0%	180	0.38	City
Mantador	281	67	67	0%	489	0.14	City
Benedict	282	66	66	0%	264	0.25	City
Cleveland	283	65	63	3.17%	307	0.21	City
Jessie	284	65	61	6.56%	137	0.47	CDP
Sentinel Butte	285	64	63	1.59%	62	1.03	City
Hague	286	63	64	-1.56%	240	0.26	City
Kathryn	287	63	63	0%	108	0.58	City
McHenry	288	63	63	0%	256	0.25	City
Jud	289	62	62	0%	255	0.24	City
Manning	290	62	58	6.9%	108	0.57	CDP
Long Creek	291	61	57	7.02%	258	0.24	CDP
Solen	292	61	63	-3.17%	183	0.33	City
Martin	293	60	60	0%	674	0.09	City
Erie	294	59	55	7.27%	29	2	CDP
Flaxton	295	59	60	-1.67%	208	0.28	City
Mountain	296	59	63	-6.35%	484	0.12	City
Balta	297	58	59	-1.7%	256	0.23	City
Hurdsfield	298	58	59	-1.7%	200	0.29	City
Verona	299	58	58	0%	101	0.57	City
Fullerton	300	57	57	0%	146	0.39	City
Pettibone	301	57	57	0%	313	0.18	City
Tuttle	302	57	57	0%	230	0.25	City
North River	303	55	55	0%	902	0.06	City
Prairie Rose	304	54	54	0%	1,317	0.04	City
Grace City	305	53	53	0%	216	0.24	City
Alamo	306	52	52	0%	95	0.55	City
Briarwood	307	52	52	0%	364	0.14	City
Dickey	308	52	51	1.96%	218	0.24	City
McLeod	309	52	49	6.12%	67	0.77	CDP
Sutton	310	51	48	6.25%	249	0.20	CDP
Englevale	311	50	47	6.38%	34	1.49	CDP
Great Bend	312	50	50	0%	89	0.56	City
Heimdal	313	49	46	6.52%	104	0.47	CDP
Warwick	314	48	49	-2.04%	74	0.65	City
Bathgate	315	47	47	0%	170	0.28	City
Rogers	316	47	47	0%	48	0.98	City
Nome	317	46	47	-2.13%	111	0.41	City
Woodworth	318	44	44	0%	207	0.21	City
Pingree	319	43	43	0%	223	0.19	City
Barney	320	42	42	0%	228	0.18	City
Tolley	321	42	42	0%	336	0.13	City
Wolford	322	42	42	0%	233	0.18	City
Hamilton	323	41	41	0%	144	0.28	City
Niagara	324	41	41	0%	44	0.94	City
Voltaire	325	41	42	-2.38%	84	0.49	City
Alice	326	40	40	0%	41	0.97	City
Embden	327	40	37	8.11%	56	0.72	CDP
Souris	328	39	39	0%	398	0.10	City
Fredonia	329	38	38	0%	158	0.24	City
Landa	330	38	38	0%	500	0.08	City
Milton	331	38	39	-2.56%	81	0.47	City
Cayuga	332	37	37	0%	37	1	City
Forbes	333	37	37	0%	153	0.24	City
Courtenay	334	36	36	0%	86	0.42	City
Inkster	335	36	36	0%	36	0.99	City
Dahlen	336	35	33	6.06%	250	0.14	CDP
Robinson	337	34	34	0%	198	0.17	City
Ardoch	338	33	33	0%	88	0.38	City
Regan	339	33	33	0%	33	1.01	City
Springbrook	340	32	32	0%	86	0.37	City
Alsen	341	31	31	0%	1	29.36	City
Berlin	342	30	30	0%	313	0.10	City
Brocket	343	30	30	0%	40	0.76	City
Canton City (Hensel)	344	30	30	0%	120	0.25	City
Clifford	345	29	29	0%	206	0.14	City
Nekoma	346	29	29	0%	78	0.37	City
Brinsmade	347	28	28	0%	103	0.27	City
Egeland	348	28	29	-3.45%	88	0.32	City
Fortuna	349	28	28	0%	28	1	City
Monango	350	28	28	0%	74	0.38	City
Spiritwood	351	27	26	3.85%	31	0.88	CDP
Fairdale	352	26	26	0%	82	0.32	City
Hampden	353	26	26	0%	151	0.17	City
Luverne	354	26	26	0%	102	0.26	City
De Lamere	355	25	23	8.7%	95	0.26	CDP
Leith	356	25	25	0%	20	1.24	City
Kramer	357	24	24	0%	157	0.15	City
Leal	358	24	24	0%	186	0.13	City
Gardena	359	23	23	0%	67	0.34	City
Amidon	360	22	22	0%	35	0.63	City
Denhoff	361	22	21	4.76%	33	0.66	CDP
Elliott	362	22	22	0%	144	0.15	City
Antler	363	21	21	0%	113	0.19	City
Cathay	364	20	20	0%	109	0.18	City
Venturia	365	20	20	0%	180	0.11	City
Knox	366	19	19	0%	39	0.48	City
Sibley	367	19	19	0%	422	0.04	City
Gascoyne	368	18	18	0%	18	1	City
Ambrose	369	17	17	0%	17	1.01	City
Braddock	370	17	17	0%	68	0.25	City
Lawton	371	17	17	0%	19	0.91	City
Ludden	372	17	17	0%	21	0.80	City
Mylo	373	17	17	0%	20	0.86	City
Pillsbury	374	16	16	0%	63	0.26	City
Bucyrus	375	15	15	0%	43	0.35	City
Haynes	376	15	15	0%	111	0.14	City
Sarles	377	15	15	0%	57	0.26	City
Balfour	378	14	14	0%	25	0.56	City
Conway	379	14	14	0%	68	0.21	City
Hansboro	380	14	14	0%	74	0.19	City
York	381	14	14	0%	67	0.21	City
Auburn	382	13	12	8.33%	13	1	CDP
Raleigh	383	13	12	8.33%	45	0.29	CDP
Calvin	384	12	12	0%	55	0.22	City
Hamberg	385	12	12	0%	29	0.41	City
Ayr	386	11	11	0%	129	0.09	City
Bergen	387	10	10	0%	13	0.75	City
Grano	388	10	10	0%	34	0.29	City
Loraine	389	10	10	0%	41	0.24	City
Overly	390	10	10	0%	27	0.37	City
Nash	391	9	8	12.5%	9	1.02	CDP
Wales	392	9	9	0%	37	0.24	City
Kief	393	8	8	0%	7	1.23	City
Loma	394	8	8	0%	0.00	26.46	City
Hannah	395	7	7	0%	37	0.19	City
Bantry	396	6	6	0%	6	0.93	CDP
Calio	397	5	5	0%	1	8.17	City
Heil	398	5	5	0%	25	0.20	CDP
Larson	399	5	5	0%	12	0.41	CDP
Perth	400	5	5	0%	39	0.13	City
Ruso	401	5	5	0%	20	0.25	City

About North Dakota

North Dakota’s local governance consists of 53 counties and around 360 incorporated cities, with the state’s cities divided into classes based on population. This classification affects the structure of government, service provision, and autonomy.

Fargo, North Dakota’s largest city, operates under a mayor-commission government, where the mayor oversees executive functions, and the city commission manages policy and budgets. This system allows Fargo to independently provide services such as public safety, utilities, and infrastructure within the city.

Bismarck, the state capital, uses a commission form of government, where the city commission functions as both the legislative and executive authority. This structure allows commissioners to handle specific administrative areas like public works, health, and finance, ensuring cohesive governance.

Smaller cities and towns, such as Grand Forks and Minot, often employ variations of the commission system, adapted to meet local needs. These cities manage essential services with limited staff, maximizing efficiency while focusing on community-specific requirements.

Counties in North Dakota, particularly in rural areas like Williams County and Stark County, manage services across unincorporated areas, focusing on law enforcement, road maintenance, and public health. County commissions govern these functions, providing essential services in areas without municipal governance.

Unincorporated regions in North Dakota, typically agricultural or sparsely populated, rely heavily on county government. Residents in these areas lack municipal representation but receive services through county-led programs, including emergency response, land use, and infrastructure.

Regional planning councils encourage cooperation among North Dakota’s counties and cities, addressing challenges like rural economic development, land conservation, and cross-county infrastructure projects to sustain growth in diverse communities.

Biggest City

Fargo is the biggest city in North Dakota, with a population of 137,989 in 2025.

Fastest Growing City

Horace is the fastest growing city in North Dakota over the past 5 years, having grown 12.39% annually since 2020.

10 Largest Cities

Fargo, Bismarck, Grand Forks, Minot, West Fargo, Williston, Mandan, Dickinson, Jamestown and Wahpeton.

Sources

US Census 2023 ACS 5-Year Survey (Table S0101)