Now that we’re headed towards the next big election, we wanted to get a better sense of what parts of North Dakota would be the most likely to back Donald Trump again.
Specifically, which cities have the highest number of conservative voters in the Peace Garden State?
To do so, we used Saturday Night Science to measure how each city in North Dakota with populations greater than 5,000 voted in past elections. The cities with the highest percentage of voters who voted Republican were named the most conservative cities in the state.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 most conservative places in North Dakota for 2024
If you’re wondering, Fargo is the most liberal city in North Dakota of all those we measured.
And to be clear, we didn’t form this list based on our own biases — we relied on the cold hard data. For more on how we ran the numbers, keep on reading. Then we’ll take a closer look at each of our top 10 most conservative cities in North Dakota.
Additional reading about North Dakota and the most conservative places in the country:
The 10 Most Conservative Places In North Dakota For 2024
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Percent Republican: 82.7%
More on Watford City: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Percent Republican: 81.9%
More on Williston: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Percent Republican: 80.5%
More on Dickinson: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Percent Republican: 73.7%
More on Mandan: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Percent Republican: 70.7%
More on Minot: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Percent Republican: 70.2%
More on Jamestown: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Percent Republican: 68.5%
More on Bismarck: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Percent Republican: 66.6%
More on Devils Lake: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Percent Republican: 64.9%
More on Wahpeton: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Percent Republican: 64.1%
More on Valley City: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
How we determined the most conservative cities in North Dakota for 2024
To find the most conservative places in North Dakota, we used Saturday Night Science – the argument you’d make at a bar – to find the cities with the most conservatives.
We started by making a list of every city in North Dakota over 5,000 people based on the 2018-2022 American Community Survey. That left us with 13 cities and towns.
We then measured the voting record and MIT election data to determine which places rock the most rightward in their allegiances by:
- Percentage Of Votes For The Republican President In 2020
Because no voting data exists at the city level, we used county-level election results from the 2020 election. We assigned every city in a county the percentage of votes that went to the Republicans, effectively extending the county’s results to the city level. In cases where larger cities encompassed an entire county, the election outcomes accurately reflected the city’s political landscape.
Next, we ranked each city from 1 to 13 for each criterion, where number one was the most conservative.
The winner, Watford City, is “The Most Conservative City in North Dakota For 2024”. The most liberal place in North Dakota was Fargo.
We updated this article for 2024. This report is our tenth time ranking the most conservative places to live in North Dakota.
Summing Up The Conservative Strongholds in North Dakota
Well, there you have it, the places in North Dakota that have the highest number of conservatives per capita, with Watford City ranking as the most conservative in the entire state.
The most conservative cities in North Dakota are Watford City, Williston, Dickinson, Mandan, Minot, Jamestown, Bismarck, Devils Lake, Wahpeton, and Valley City.
If you’re curious, here are the least conservative cities in North Dakota:
- Fargo
- West Fargo
- Grand Forks
For more North Dakota reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In North Dakota
- Cheapest Places To Live In North Dakota
- Most Dangerous Cities In North Dakota
- Richest Cities In North Dakota
- Safest Places In North Dakota
- Worst Places To Live In North Dakota
- Most Expensive Places To Live In North Dakota
Most Conservative Places In North Dakota
| Rank | City | Population | % Conservative |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Watford City, ND | 5,900 | 82.7% |
| 2 | Williston, ND | 27,783 | 81.9% |
| 3 | Dickinson, ND | 25,116 | 80.5% |
| 4 | Mandan, ND | 24,049 | 73.7% |
| 5 | Minot, ND | 48,038 | 70.7% |
| 6 | Jamestown, ND | 15,850 | 70.2% |
| 7 | Bismarck, ND | 73,694 | 68.5% |
| 8 | Devils Lake, ND | 7,192 | 66.6% |
| 9 | Wahpeton, ND | 7,983 | 64.9% |
| 10 | Valley City, ND | 6,558 | 64.1% |
| 11 | Grand Forks, ND | 58,935 | 54.8% |
| 12 | West Fargo, ND | 38,653 | 49.5% |
| 13 | Fargo, ND | 127,319 | 49.5% |