Minot receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Minot
Dickinson
Opportunity
77 · Top 11%
vs72 · Top 19%
Growth
52 · Top 46%
vs47 · Bottom 44%
Climate
52 · Bottom 2%
vs49 · Bottom 1%
Physical resilience
88 · Top 13%
vs66 · Top 42%
Housing affordability
94 · Top 22%
vs98 · Top 13%
Access
0 · Bottom 1%
vs0 · Bottom 1%
Economic stability
60 · Bottom 49%
vs55 · Bottom 41%
Measured values
| Metric | Minot | Dickinson | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 47,791 | 25,357 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $73,219 | $82,696 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $43,757 | $40,079 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,725/sq mi | 1,921/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $257,100 | $263,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $973 | $957 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 56.7% | 61.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.3% | 2.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.2% | -1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.7% | 31.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.1% | 13.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 126 | 51 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.6 | 2.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 65.8% | 4.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 4°F | 6°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 16.7" | 15.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 227 mi | 197 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.4 min | 17.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.5 | 33.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 17 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.71 | 11.46 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 39.8% | 36.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 43.9% | 43.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 34.1% | 31.2% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Minot
Elevated or high exposure: winter weather.
Dickinson
Elevated or high exposure: winter weather, hail.
Full profiles: Minot, ND · Dickinson, ND · How this is calculated: methodology