Which metro areas in North Dakota are people moving to?
Bismarck, ND (2.6 per 1,000 residents), Fargo, ND-MN (1.9 per 1,000 residents) and Grand Forks, ND-MN (−0.8 per 1,000 residents) drew the most people from the rest of the U.S. for their size among North Dakota metro areas in 2025.
Data as of 2025 · updated
All 4 ranked North Dakota metro areas
| Rank | Metro area | Per 1,000 residents, 2025 | Net movers 2025 | Residents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bismarck, ND | 2.6 | +358 | 139,750 |
| 2 | Fargo, ND-MN | 1.9 | +502 | 269,528 |
| 3 | Grand Forks, ND-MN | −0.8 | −87 | 105,046 |
| 4 | Minot, ND | −7.8 | −592 | 75,694 |
How this is ranked
Net domestic migration from the Census Bureau's population estimates for 2025: people who moved in from the rest of the U.S. minus people who moved out, per 1,000 residents. Moves between the area's own counties cancel out; moves from and to other countries are not included. Only metropolitan statistical areas of two or more counties are ranked (OMB Bulletin 23-01): a one-county area's figures are its county's, and micro areas are left out. Areas without a figure for the same period as the others are not ranked. An area that crosses a state line is ranked in each of its states.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2025). Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how ranks and figures are built.
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Questions
Which metro area in North Dakota gains the most people from the rest of the country?
Bismarck, ND: 2.6 per 1,000 residents, ahead of Fargo, ND-MN (1.9 per 1,000 residents) and Grand Forks, ND-MN (−0.8 per 1,000 residents), of 4 North Dakota metro areas ranked.
How is this ranking calculated?
Net domestic migration from the Census Bureau's population estimates for 2025: people who moved in from the rest of the U.S. minus people who moved out, per 1,000 residents. Moves between the area's own counties cancel out; moves from and to other countries are not included. Only metropolitan statistical areas of two or more counties are ranked (OMB Bulletin 23-01): a one-county area's figures are its county's, and micro areas are left out. Areas without a figure for the same period as the others are not ranked. An area that crosses a state line is ranked in each of its states.