Jobs, pay and daily life in Williston, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 08/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Williston is a city in North Dakota with 28,056 residents. The median household earns $79,381 a year and the median rent is $1,122 a month, which is 17.0% of the median household income. We could not match it to a metropolitan area in the BLS wage tables, so metro pay data is not shown.
How Williston compares. Among the 30 largest places in North Dakota, Williston is #6 by population, #26 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #25 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #25 for remote work (#1 = most). Its county, Williams County, is #2 of 53 counties for average pay ($91,464).
Williston has 28,056 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 3.6% of the population of North Dakota. It covers 26 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,090 people per square mile. The median age is 32.0, 11% younger than the state median (32.0 against 35.9).
The median gross rent is $1,122 a month (rent plus utilities), 18% above the state median ($1,122 against $954). Over a year that is 17.0% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $286,200, which is 3.6 times the median household income ($79,381); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 47.1% of households own their home, 25% below the state average (47.1% against 62.9%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Williams County was 2.1%. 75.8% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Williams County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 81.9% drive alone, 0.3% use public transit, 3.1% walk, 3.6% work from home. 10.0% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 28% above the state average (10.0% against 7.8%).
25.8% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 21% below the state share (25.8% against 32.7%). 11.3% of residents were born outside the United States, 141% above the state share (11.3% against 4.7%). The poverty rate is 8.1%, 25% below the state rate (8.1% against 10.8%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 74°F (23.2°C), and the coolest is Jan at 16°F (-8.7°C). About 420 mm (17 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jun is the wettest month (76 mm) and Feb the driest (12 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Watford City (32 miles, rent 19% higher); Sidney (41 miles, rent 17% lower); New Town (55 miles, rent 24% lower); Stanley (58 miles, similar rent). Rent differences are against Williston; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in North Dakota (255) →State guide: North DakotaCountry guideWilliams CountyNorth Dakota rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 255 federal postings open in North Dakota (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
No metropolitan wage table is matched to this city. Employment shares of residents by industry (ACS):
| Industry ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 25.2% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 17.9% |
| Retail trade | 12.4% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 10.2% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 6.9% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 6.0% |
| Construction | 4.6% |
| Manufacturing | 3.7% |
| Other services | 3.6% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 3.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 3.1% |
| Public administration | 1.7% |
| Information | 1.3% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Williston lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Williams County | 39,555 | $7,473 million | $188,917 | 27,125 | 2,228 | $91,464 | +3.4% | 2.1% | 20,697 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mining, oil and gas | 7,796 | 32.1% | $140,011 | 75.99 |
| Construction | 2,477 | 10.2% | $105,367 | 1.74 |
| Retail trade | 2,354 | 9.7% | $45,194 | 0.87 |
| Accommodation and food services | 2,150 | 8.8% | $28,322 | 0.87 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,736 | 7.1% | $95,220 | 1.62 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 1,692 | 7.0% | $97,646 | 1.47 |
| Health care and social assistance | 1,576 | 6.5% | $59,394 | 0.41 |
| Administrative and waste services | 814 | 3.3% | $72,542 | 0.51 |
| Professional and technical services | 780 | 3.2% | $99,943 | 0.41 |
| Real estate and rental | 760 | 3.1% | $100,384 | 1.80 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 738 | 3.0% | $59,448 | 0.90 |
| Finance and insurance | 391 | 1.6% | $76,205 | 0.36 |
| Manufacturing | 368 | 1.5% | $72,025 | 0.17 |
| Utilities | 271 | 1.1% | $121,593 | 2.63 |
| Information | 154 | 0.6% | $69,374 | 0.30 |
| Educational services | 94 | 0.4% | $28,891 | 0.17 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 93 | 0.4% | $29,451 | 0.20 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 52 | 0.2% | $72,369 | 0.24 |
| Management of companies | 28 | 0.1% | $90,061 | 0.06 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 81.9% |
| Public transit | 0.3% |
| Walk | 3.1% |
| Work from home | 3.6% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 10.0% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $79,381 |
| Income per person | $45,046 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,122 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 17.0% |
| Median home value | $286,200 |
| Homeowners | 47.1% |
| Poverty rate | 8.1% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | n/a |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | n/a |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 2.50%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 32.0 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 93.1% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 25.8% |
| Born abroad | 11.3% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 75.8% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -8.7 | 16 | 14 |
| Feb | -7.7 | 18 | 12 |
| Mar | -0.3 | 31 | 20 |
| Apr | 6.2 | 43 | 33 |
| May | 13.0 | 55 | 69 |
| Jun | 18.8 | 66 | 76 |
| Jul | 23.2 | 74 | 54 |
| Aug | 21.4 | 71 | 41 |
| Sep | 15.3 | 60 | 43 |
| Oct | 6.4 | 44 | 28 |
| Nov | -0.6 | 31 | 14 |
| Dec | -6.9 | 20 | 16 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watford City | ND | 32 mi | 6,039 | $102,260 | $1,336 |
| Sidney | MT | 41 mi | 6,171 | $62,538 | $931 |
| New Town | ND | 55 mi | 2,721 | $52,500 | $851 |
| Stanley | ND | 58 mi | 2,097 | $109,573 | $1,144 |
| Glendive | MT | 90 mi | 4,810 | $72,670 | $842 |
| Dickinson | ND | 98 mi | 25,357 | $82,696 | $957 |
| Minot AFB | ND | 107 mi | 4,878 | $62,500 | $1,431 |
| Beulah | ND | 108 mi | 3,040 | $76,848 | $1,075 |
| Minot | ND | 109 mi | 47,791 | $73,219 | $973 |
| Hazen | ND | 112 mi | 2,453 | $79,609 | $918 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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vs
28,056 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,122 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 17.0% of the median household income.
$79,381 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
2.1% (BLS county, Williams County (latest month 2026M09)).
North Dakota. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.