Moving to Mandan (Fargo, Bismarck, Dickinson: crime, new home, job outlook)

[Raina1969]

Recently we have bought 15 acres outside of Mandan and are so ready to move away from Boise Idaho. But my husband is not having any luck finding a job. I am just wondering if we should just move and look for a job when we get there or wait. He has sent in a lot of applications and resumes and no go. Could it be because we still live here and employers don't want to pay for the move? What is the job outlook there in the Mandan/Bismarck area? Any imput would be helpful.

[MattDen]

The job market in Bismarck basically mainly depends on the oil prices because Bismarck is a retail hub where people from Western North Dakota go to shop and also the state government.

I lived in North Dakota for 2 years and North Dakotans are extremely, extremely insular. They tend not to like to associate with outsiders.

North Dakotans in my opinion would have a much more vibrant state if they were more open to new people who move to there state. As it stands now the state is basically spinning its wheels because of lack of creativity, its very dependent on natural resources such as coal or oil. The best jobs in the state have to do with oil and coal production for the most part.

North Dakotans have a certain arrogance about them that I never really have seen before. Its the people of North Dakota who are more then anything. This is why the state has been the slowest growing for many decades is because their insular, arrogant behavior.
Most North Dakotans think they have a better work ethic and are more productive then people from other states and usually are very reluctant to hire outsiders.

Its not really the quality of life that has caused the population decline (Its actually got a decent of quality of life overall in my opinion) but the people.

Anyway, Bismarck is an extremely low-wage city overall compared to the national average. The average wage in the Bismarck area is 30,135, compared to 40,146 which is the national average.

So basically the Bismarck has a wage level of about 30% below the national average.

Correction for my last post... I meant to say the National average wage is 30% above Bismarck.

The average wage for the Bismarck area for jobs is about 25% below the national average.

Anyway, I would venture to guess that Bismarck wages will be quite a bit lower then those in Boise.

[Macaroon]

My input would be to NOT be discouraged by MattDen's post. He really, really likes the word "insular" and likes to blast away at people and places. Be patient, somebody who actually knows about the Bismarck area job market is bound to speak up. I wish you the best in your move.

[snowblind9]

I have lived in North Dakota for 33 years. Of that 33 years I've lived in Bismarck 15 years. Don't take the opinion of someone who lived in Fargo a couple years. Bismarck's economy is NOT dependant on the oil fields. The oil fields are over one to three hundred miles away. The cities of Dickinson and Williston are affected by the oil boom though. Bismarck is experiencing nice growth (for ND standards). Many new homes are built every month. Lately the new jobs have been in the retail sector, these have all opened in last two years (Lowes, Home Depot, Old Navy, Two Super Walmarts, Sams Club, plus many, many more smaller retails outlets). But, obviously these aren't high paying jobs. Higher paying jobs are the skilled or professional jobs. Dependant on what field of employment will determine if you will find a job or not. I would try and find a job before you move if I was you. I peek at the jobs once in awhile to see what's out there. There are some great ones but alot of retail and service jobs too. Unlike what a previous post said, people here are VERY friendly. The experience a high quality of life. It can be boring to some though. We have little to no crime. I would have no problem walking anywhere at anytime in the city. (Alleys do give me jitters though) North Dakota has been losing population not because they want it too, it is because small towns are shriveling up. Young people are looking for entertainment and higher paying jobs. So they move away to experience them. Some come back when they want to get away from crime and raise their children. I would challenge you to find nicer people than here. I would be happy to answer more questions.

[Raina1969]

Thanks for all the advice any help is great hopefully we will be there this summer.

[Ride_ND]

Bismarck is growing very quickly. Many retail stores are coming, which brings other businesses and more people so the economy seems to be doing very well. Unemployment is very low as there are so many jobs to be had. Many are mid-low pay, but there are several management opportunities, as well as openings in professional fields. I think you will be able to find a job in a reasonable amount of time, and if nothing else the cost of living is quite reasonable 'round here.

[jazzlover]

Much of my family came from North Dakota originally. I have not lived there and have not visited for a number of years, but I know a lot of people who grew up in North Dakota and I regularly have business dealings with some people in North Dakota. First, why has the population been declining. It's an agriculturally based state and farms are getting larger and larger. In the town where my Dad grew up, 320 acre farms were the norm in the 1940's. Now, most are over 1,000 acres. Bigger farms mean less farmers and less small towns and businesses needed to serve them. Then there's the climate. Cloudy and very cold in most winters, puncuated with the occasional blizzard.

North Dakota people are some of the nicest that I have ever met. I agree with the other posters about the lack of crime in most of North Dakota. My uncle lived in the same house for 30 years in small-town North Dakota and never owned a key for it. The doors were never locked in 30 years. Try that most places. It's a great place to raise children, in my opinion. It seems that there is a disproportionate percentage of North Dakotans that are very successful people, no matter where they wind up living. I think that speaks well for their education and work ethic.

Were I to relcoate, North Dakota is a place I would consider. From what I have heard, Bismarck is a nice community. One of the business people that I interact with lives there and would live nowhere else.

[Raina1969]

I want to thank everyone for their advice. My husband has had 2 interviews this week so I am keeping my fingers crossed that he will get one of the jobs and we can move. I am very excited about moving to Bismarck and so is my husband who is a Nodak native.(He is from Ray) I know it will take a lot of getting used to at least weather wise but my experience with North Dakota as been nothing but positive and I think it will be a great place to raise my kids. Thanks again to all.

[smeghead09]

I know this posting is old, but I had to put in another good word for the place I grew up in and miss very much. MattDen obviously has a grudge of some sort, and, if you look at the statistics on citydata, you will see that he is wrong about the median income. In 2005, Mandan, ND the median income is $46,000, the average home $86,000. That is crazy good, in my opinion. And, as you can see by the other posts (and my uncle and cousins still living there verify this emphatically) the economy is booming up there.

If you can stand the cold, it is a little slice of heaven for families and children. I live in Phoenix, AZ right now and when I try and tell my husband what it was like growing up there I sound like I was raised in the 50's. Growing up, I hated the "lack of culture", but now I realize just how strong the culture was within my own heritage (German), and I sure miss it. There is also a strong Norwegian and Native American culture.

And yes, North Dakotan's think very highly of their strong work ethic. It's called pride, and it's healthy. If you plan on moving there you should be prepared to provide the best customer service possible and to work for every penny that you earn, because that is what everyone does there. Maybe MattDen could not measure up to the standards and has a bit of resentment. You will be rewarded for your hard work with honest employers, the respect of your peers, and life time friendships with some of the most honest and kind people you will ever meet in your lifetime.

I hope this helps someone. I sure miss home. Picking rasberries of the bush next door, perusing my families gardens for strawberries, grabbing a crab apple on the way to school, playing on the sandbar in the Missouri, the zoo, digging tunnels through the snow... sigh.