Signals
Williston
Aberdeen
Growth
36 · Bottom 27%
vs22 · Bottom 10%
Climate
46 · Bottom 1%
vs50 · Bottom 3%
Physical resilience
80 · Top 14%
vs80 · Top 15%
Housing affordability
96 · Top 43%
vs100 · Top 28%
Access
0 · Bottom 1%
vs0 · Bottom 1%
Economic stability
74 · Top 20%
vs75 · Top 19%
Measured values
| Metric | Williston | Aberdeen | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 39,555 | 41,925 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $85,595 | $71,488 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $44,320 | $41,173 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 19/sq mi | 15/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $284,800 | $215,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,123 | $783 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 53.0% | 68.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.4% | 33.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.6% | 11.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 111 | 80 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.8 | 1.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -15.3% | -50.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 1°F | 2°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 15.1" | 21.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 295 mi | 132 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.9 min | 15.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 31.8 | 38.3 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Williston
Elevated or high exposure: winter weather, ice storm.
Aberdeen
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado.
Full profiles: Williston, ND Micro Area · Aberdeen, SD Micro Area · How this is calculated: methodology