Minnesota vs North Dakota: Which is the Best State to Live in? (2023)
Are you trying to decide where to live and are wondering about the differences between Minnesota vs North Dakota?
These two Midwestern states are located right next to each other but are quite different!
Minnesota is a landscape filled with hundreds of lakes and dense forests, while North Dakota is a vast land of farmland and prairies.
I’ve grown up in Minnesota and have lived here for almost my entire life! But I also went to college in Fargo, right across the border, so I know what it’s like to live in both.
So in this post, I’m going to share everything that I’ve learned from living in these states, and give you some information so you can decide which will be better for you!
Planning Your Trip to Minnesota? Use My Favorite Resources!
🛌 Accommodations: I love using Booking.com for any hotels or short-term rentals.
🏡Vacation Rentals: If you want your own house, VRBO is the best platform.
✈️ Flights: For flights to get here, check out Expedia to save some money!
🚘 Car Rentals: To get around, I use Discover Cars!
📍Tours: I recommend Viator for fun experiences.
Minnesota vs North Dakota: Which is Better?
If you’re trying to decide between living in North Dakota or Minnesota, the choice can be hard since there is so much to consider.
As someone who has lived in both, I have a pretty good idea for which one you should choose, depending on what you enjoy doing.
Minnesota is known for being a great location for people who love the outdoors and enjoy larger cities every once in a while.
On the other hand, North Dakota is a landscape built for farming and you’ll often find people out in rural areas tending to their gardens.
Both have some really great positives and of course, they both come with their negatives as well.
It’s tough to decide which is better without looking at the specifics, so let’s dive right into their differences.
Differences Between Minnesota and North Dakota
Although these two states are right next to each other, they have a few very distinct differences that you should know about before deciding where to move.
Below, I’ll cover some of the main differences between these states.
Cost of Living
The cost of living in either of these states will depend on the county that you’re moving to, but it does stay pretty comparable throughout the states.
As for Minnesota, the cost of living is about 2% lower than the national average, according to Rent Cafe.
Housing, utilities, and transportation are cheaper than they are at other places around the United States, while food and healthcare can be more expensive.
Minneapolis is one of the more expensive places to live, but if you live further north, the costs of living may be a bit lower.
And then looking at North Dakota, the cost of living is even more affordable, being 3% lower than the United States average according to Rent Cafe.
Housing is one of the cheapest things here, being nearly 15% lower than the national average!
When we look at the two states, we can see that North Dakota is just slightly more affordable, but they are both fairly similar.
Employment Opportunities
There are many job opportunities in both Minnesota and North Dakota, but it’s important to understand that because North Dakota is smaller, there are less options.
Minneapolis has a lot of great employment for residents, including quite a few Fortune 500 companies.
Plus, there are a lot more opportunities in other large cities like Duluth, Bloomington, Rochester, and more.
With North Dakota being smaller, there are still many places to work, but the options are fewer.
If you don’t have a job lined up, be sure to check out all of the job options before you move!
Weather
When it comes to weather in Minnesota vs North Dakota, there really isn’t a huge difference, aside from the wind in North Dakota.
Both of these states see a lot of snow in the winter, and they also experience very cold temperatures throughout the winter months.
In the summer, North Dakota and Minnesota are warm and sunny, and we both experience all four seasons.
When I talk about the wind, it’s because North Dakota is so flat that there isn’t anything to stop the wind from blowing. So you’ll often have wind gusts of 30+ mph.
Size
Both Minnesota and North Dakota are located in the Upper Midwest and are fairly similar in size.
Minnesota is almost 87,000 square miles, while North Dakota is just under 71,000 square miles.
When it comes to the largest cities though, these two states are very different.
Fargo is North Dakota’s largest city, having a population of around 126,000 residents, while Minneapolis is much larger with 425,000 people.
And when it comes to populations of the entire state, Minnesota has North Dakota beat with a population of about 5.7 million, whereas North Dakota only has around 775,000 residents.
Geography
The geography of these two Midwestern states is pretty similar, although Minnesota has many more trees than North Dakota does.
In Northern Minnesota, you’ll find lots of trees, lakes, and even some amazing cliff faces off of the North Shore of Lake Superior.
And on the far western side of North Dakota, you’ll find the Badlands of North Dakota, which are beautiful rolling hills.
But throughout the rest of North Dakota, you’ll find mostly plains and large open fields for farmland.
The main difference in geography between these two states is that Minnesota has a lot more trees and lakes than North Dakota does.
Safety & Crime
No matter where you’re thinking about moving, it’s really important to make sure that the location will be safe for you and your family.
The best way to determine the safety of these locations if by looking at their crime rates.
The average crime rate of North Dakota is around 25 crimes per 1,000 residents, while in comparison Minnesota’s is around 24 crimes per 1,000 residents according to Neighborhood Scout.
And when we look at the largest cities, Minneapolis has a crime rate of around 58 per 1,000 residents and Fargo is 50 per 1,000 residents.
So when it comes down to the safety of these two states overall, North Dakota vs Minnesota, they’re fairly similar.
But in the two cities, Minneapolis is a bit less safe than Fargo.
Indoor & Outdoor Activities
Both of these states have quite a variety of activities, both indoors and outdoors.
Depending on where you’re located in each state, you can find hundreds of shopping stores and restaurants to check out.
And in other locations, you can find endless opportunities for hiking, biking, and spending time outdoors.
The best places for indoor activities are the major cities, including Fargo and Minneapolis, and for the outdoors, head to Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota and the North Shore in Minnesota.
Living in Minnesota: Pros & Cons
Now that you know the main differences between the two, you’ll want to look at some pros and cons between them. Here are some about Minnesota.
Pros
Below are some of the best positives of living in the great state of Minnesota.
Great Nature to Enjoy
One of my personal favorite parts of living in Minnesota is the amazing nature that we have almost everywhere you look.
Every road that you drive down is engulfed in trees, there are hiking trails everywhere, and you can set up a camper at all sorts of campgrounds!
Our summers are beautiful and while our winters are cold, they still offer plenty to do from skiing to snowmobiling.
Plenty of Large Cities
On the other hand, if big cities are your thing, Minnesota has plenty of them, starting with our very own Twin Cities.
Minneapolis and St. Paul are known as the Twin Cities, and the entire Metro area around them is made of more big cities.
Plus we have other locations like Rochester, Duluth, St. Cloud, Grand Rapids, and so many more cities in my home state!
Not Many Natural Disasters
One thing that I’m very thankful for is that Minnesota doesn’t have many natural disasters.
While some states see disastrous storms every year and have the disheartening work of cleaning up, Minnesota doesn’t see that often.
We have tornadoes throughout the year, but they don’t typically cause as much damage as other storms do.
Low Cost of Living
Similar to North Dakota, Minnesota has a pretty low cost of living when we compare states around the US.
We have a lower cost of housing and it’s usually easier to find what you’re looking for in a house for a more affordable cost.
Plus food and transportation are typically cheaper as well, helping you save money.
Cons
Now that we’ve covered the pros, here are a few cons that are important to address as well.
Miserable Winters
Let’s face it, Minnesota’s winters are long, cold, and sometimes just plain miserable.
We usually start to see snow in late November and it doesn’t go away until April, so you do have to learn to live with the cold.
But on the bright side, we do a really great job at having fun winter activities to check out, so it isn’t all bad.
Mosquitos
Another bummer that you just really can’t get away from is the amount of mosquitos that we see very summer in Minnesota.
It’s like you’re being swarmed by them every time you step outside, and it’s just really tough to avoid being bitten.
Living in North Dakota: Pros & Cons
Now that you know some of Minnesota’s pros and cons, let’s go over what to know about living in the state of North Dakota.
Pros
Below are some of the best parts of living in North Dakota.
Low Cost of Living
When we compare states around the country, North Dakota has a lower cost of living when it comes to housing and other expenses.
This can be great to save you some money and help lower your expenses.
Good for Farmers/Rural Living
If you’re someone who loves to live out in the country or in a rural setting, then you’ll find plenty of opportunities for that in North Dakota!
Even closer to big cities like Fargo and Jamestown, there are plenty of opportunities to live further out in the country and work in the city.
This offers a great chance to escape the city if you aren’t a city person!
Safe for Families
Fargo is also pretty safe for families, especially if you choose to live outside of the major cities, which do have a higher crime rate.
Living in rural locations will allow you to escape some of the crime and have a nice place to raise a family, retire, or live at any point in life.
Cons
And now let’s cover some of the cons since they’re also important to think about!
Not Much to Do
Although there is things to do in certain parts of the state, like Fargo and near Medora, North Dakota is a pretty bare state.
If you aren’t interested in farming or living in Fargo, unfortunately, your days will likely be left with plenty of time to spare.
Weather
As with Minnesota, one of the biggest downsides of living in North Dakota is the weather, which can sometimes be even worse than in Minnesota.
North Dakota sees really cold temperatures and lots of snow, but it also sees a lot of wind that can cause snow drifts on the road.
This sucks because sometimes in the winter, major highways and interstates are shut down to keep people safe.
Minnesota or North Dakota: Best for Families
If you’re looking to move your family to either Minnesota or North Dakota, you may be wondering which will be best.
It really all comes down to what you prefer to do as a family, since the two states vary quite a bit in activities.
If you like to get out and enjoy the city or spend time in nature, then I would recommend Minnesota, since you’ll find easier access to this.
But if you don’t mind staying at home, want to raise a farm, and like rural areas, then North Dakota will be great for you!
Either way, both states are great for a young family to move to!
North Dakota vs Minnesota: Best for Retirement
If you’ve made it to retirement, choosing where you’ll spend out the rest of your days is such an important choice!
And if you’re looking at North Dakota vs Minnesota, then you’ll want to think about the types of things that you like to do.
For just hanging out at home, spending time out in the yard, going into town every once in a while, North Dakota may be perfect for you.
On the other hand, if you like to spend time at the lake, want to go shopping regularly, and like to be around people, Minnesota is your best option.
But both states are definitely there to provide a fantastic retirement for you.
Distance from Minnesota to North Dakota
These two states are directly across the border from one another, so determining a distance is tough unless you go from specific locations.
For example, if we looked at the distance from Minneapolis to Fargo, this would take about 3.5 hours or about 235 miles.
FAQs
Both Minnesota or North Dakota are fairly cheap for living, but North Dakota is just slightly more affordable.
Yes, North Dakota is just slightly cheaper than Minnesota, although the two are very similar in cost of living.
The population of Minnesota is around 5.7 million, while in comparison the population of North Dakota is at around 775,000. There is a huge difference in population size.
Fargo is located in North Dakota. It’s often mistaken for being in Minnesota because it’s located right across the border.
Wrap-Up: Minnesota vs North Dakota
Whether you’ve lived in one and are moving to the other or are brand new to both, choosing between Minnesota vs North Dakota can be tough.
These two states are similar and both provided a great quality of living to those who decide to move to them.
I’ve lived in both of these states, and honestly, it’s tough to choose which is better, since it all comes down to what you like to do.
