The 10 Most Dangerous Cities In North Dakota

The 10 Most Dangerous Places To Live In North Dakota For 2025

Best-known from the Coen brothers’ movie about a crime gone wrong, Fargo has plenty of real crime going on, considering it’s the most dangerous city in North Dakota for 2025.

Fargo averaged one car theft each day over 2024 and maintained the highest burglary rate in North Dakota. We just hope nobody combines those crimes and pulls an airplane heist of the Fargo Air Museum.

Overall, residents had a 1 in 27 chance of being the victim of a property crime and a 1 in 200 chance of being the victim of a violent crime. That includes the second highest rate of rape cases and the fourth highest murder rate in North Dakota — oh jeez.

Williston experienced a slight drop in its crime rates to change this many spots on this list from last year, but things are still far from perfect. Located in the northwestern part of the state, Williston is the second fastest growing city in North Dakota, and it seems local authorities are struggling to keep up.

Like the first couple cities on this list, Williston’s biggest issue is violent crime — residents had a 1 in 228 shot of being violently attacked over 2024. Once again, that includes rape and murder rates that both place in the top five statewide.

You should also watch your valuables when you’re out at Fort Union Trading Post because property crime rates in Williston rank as the fourth highest in North Dakota.

Grand Forks is the state’s 3rd biggest city and home to the University of North Dakota. It’s also the third most dangerous place to live in North Dakota.

Grand Forks is not the sort of place where you can leave your doors unlocked or your packages out on the porch for long, considering it had the fourth highest burglary rate in North Dakota.

Violent crime is also on the rise in Grand Forks. Residents had a 1 in 278 chance of finding themselves on the receiving end of a violent attack in 2024.

Located across the Missouri River from Bismarck, Mandan ranks as North Dakota’s fourth most dangerous place to call home.

Mandan is home to Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park, but we think honest Abe would be rolling over in his grave if he saw how much crime was going down here. Mandan had the 13th highest murder rate and the fifth highest rate of rape cases in North Dakota.

Additionally, Mandan reported 638 property crimes in 2024 — definitely not something to be proud of.

The capital and second biggest city in North Dakota, Bismarck has a lot to work on in the crime department.

While there are lions and tigers and bears at the Dakota Zoo, the really scary stuff is going down on Bismarck’s streets.

Crime has stayed steady in Bismarck over the past year, but that’s hardly good news when you have the eighth highest violent crime rate and the third highest property crime rate in the state.

Overall, Bismarck ranked in North Dakota’s top ten for burglary, rape, and murder rates.

The state’s oil boom over the past decade has caused Watford City’s population to soar by over 300% since 2010, making it the the fastest growing city in North Dakota. Obviously, the influx of people has made things less safe.

While you can’t see anything nefarious from the vista at River Bend Overlook, trust us when we tell you there’s a whole lot of crime going down in Watford City.

Violent crime fell last year, but it’s still the fifth most violent place in North Dakota. Residents had a 1 in 330 shot of being assaulted, raped, robbed, or murdered over 2024.

Located in Stark County, North Dakota, Dickinson is ranked as the seventh most dangerous place to live in the state for 2025. This ranking is based on various crime statistics, including a total of 74 violent crimes, including 2 murder cases, 10 rapes, 2 robberies, and 60 aggravated assaults.

While Dickinson may face challenges in terms of safety, it’s important to note that these statistics provide an opportunity for improvement. Dickinson has the potential to overcome these challenges and enhance its livability for its population of approximately 24,910 residents.

This being North Dakota, there’s not much around Minot. Still, even with its rural surroundings, if you happen to find yourself in town, you’ll find a lot of attractions to keep you busy.

Located in the north-central part of the state, Minot provides the home of the Minot Air Force Base. Given this aviation focus, you’ll also find the Dakota Territory Air Museum. But, wait, there’s more: the town also boasts the Scandinavian Heritage Association, the Taube Museum of Art, and the North Dakota State Fair Center.

Unfortunately, you’ll also run into a surprisingly high crime rate. This represents the number 8 most dangerous spot in North Dakota.

Wahpeton may have the world’s largest catfish, but it also has the ninth largest crime problem in North Dakota for 2025.

Located an hour south of Fargo, Wahpeton had the 13th highest murder rate statewide. Other than that, though, Wahpeton is the least violent place on this list.

On the other hand, Wahpeton residents had a 1 in 45 chance of being the victim of a property crime over 2024. That includes the eighth highest burglary rate in North Dakota, so invest in a good security system if you’re living in Wahpeton.

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