Best town in north dakota (Fargo, Bismarck: low crime, house, unemployment rate)

[natepickle]

Hi,
My family and i are ready for a change we live in virginia about 2 hrs west of DC we have found the mountains still have the DELIVERANCE feel to them.

What is the best town there for a family with a 10yr and 6 yr old, they love to swim on swim teams. We thought Shenandoah valley here got snow but we havent seen any in 2 yrs. We want to see snow with bright sunny winter days, close to water not right on it but a short drive to it, a pet friendly place with outdoor activities

We would like to be within 2 hrs of museums like DC has, as town where kids are safe, a sense of community, great job growth, low crime.

I grew up all my life at the beach of NC and i miss friendly people, the kind that invite you to dinner to welcome you. where a hand shake means something. Almost a Mayberry feel with modern stores nearby.

Are there any towns like that there?

[c0ldfuse]

Originally Posted by natepickle

Hi,
My family and i are ready for a change we live in virginia about 2 hrs west of DC we have found the mountains still have the DELIVERANCE feel to them.

There is a midwest 'deliverance' here. It's just a Yankee version. North Dakota feels very rural if you've spent any time in a large (>300,000 people) city. Even Fargo, the most progressive and city-like town in North Dakota still has that vibe (this may cause some angry ND reactions, but as someone who has lived in towns from 50k to 2-3 million, it does). I personally could not live anywhere less than 50k, so take it as you will.

What is the best town there for a family with a 10yr and 6 yr old, they love to swim on swim teams. We thought Shenandoah valley here got snow but we havent seen any in 2 yrs. We want to see snow with bright sunny winter days, close to water not right on it but a short drive to it, a pet friendly place with outdoor activities

Bismarck has the river which is outstanding in the Summer. Everything in this comment points you to Bismarck. You need to remember you're 200 miles on the dot to Fargo at this point. The next "big" town (15,000 people) is Jamestown which is 100 miles away.

We would like to be within 2 hrs of museums like DC has, as town where kids are safe, a sense of community, great job growth, low crime.

You're better off looking at the St. Cloud or Rochester area of Minnesota for this one. In my opinion, there nothing that will even compare to what you've experienced outside of Minneapolis/Chicago.

I grew up all my life at the beach of NC and i miss friendly people, the kind that invite you to dinner to welcome you. where a hand shake means something. Almost a Mayberry feel with modern stores nearby.

Are there any towns like that there?

This is the entire midwest in a nutshell. You'll find this all over North Dakota and everywhere but Minneapolis area. This isn't to say you won't find it in Minneapolis but the real hometowny feel is gone.


I'd suggest the following cities (ranked off of your comments):

(1) Duluth, MN - ideal for what you want.
(2) Fargo, ND - more rural than Duluth, still fitting for your requirements.
(3) Rochester, MN - Best hospital in the nation after John Hopkins, the Mayo Clinic, and also a huge IBM plant. The University of Minnesota is finally getting their university going there. Great public school system.
(4) St. Cloud, MN - Smallish town feel within driving range of the big city. The number of commuters to the Twin Cities is staggering. It has a small outlying city connected to it called Sartell worth checking out too.
(5) Bismarck, ND - A 'big' small town. The most isolated of all my suggestions. Has a few good things that bigger towns have while never leaving the small town feel.
(6) Madison, WI - I've always liked Madison and think you may too.

There are several different flavors of the midwest. If you're seriously considering a move, you MUST spend at least two weeks in a city you're pondering.

[krotzmc]

Been in Grand Forks 19 years now and having a hard time putting 'two hours to museums', 'close to water' and 'north dakota' together into one solution. I agree, perhaps St. Cloud, Alexandria or Brainerd (MN) -- somewhere a couple hours drive from Minneapolis -- might be a better fit.

[biplanepilot]

I've travelled to 45 states and still appreciate coming home to Bismarck, where I've lived since 1989. It has many of the amenities you'll find in larger cities, just on a smaller scale with fewer choices. The museum selection isn't much beyond the nice State Heritage Center. The Missouri River and area lakes are terrific. ND has thousands of miles of shoreline. Unlike many areas of the country, you don't have to stand in line and spend a fortune just to enjoy the water. (The river right in Bismarck is getting crowded, but its just a 2 mile stretch like that). Great opportunities for hunting, fishing, mountain biking, hiking, camping and terrific scenery, especially in the badlands in the west and Turtle Mountains in the north. Of course the prairie has its own special beauty. A 2.5% unemployment rate is also not something to overlook.

[Old Surrender]

I'd say Fargo and Duluth would be good options.
Fargo's economy is way better than Duluth's right now, though.

[magiccity]

There are a lot of small towns that are close to major cities. It depends on where you want to work and if you are willing to travel.

[JACK SAWYER]

and i think the cost of living is cheaper in North Dakota than most places? so you may not need to earn a large paycheck to get by? Some of the small towns have good prices on homes compered to some large towns too,I does seem like you have to drive more miles per year in a lot of jobs than most places? I have a house in az i go to sometimes in the winter and it seem like its around %25 more to buy anything including the grocery bill?

[THE_NOSE]

If you want the "big city feel", want higher ed., or are younger than 30 then I'd recommend Fargo. Landscape is unbelievably boring, but the city itself is nice and I like the atmosphere. -Traffic is good.

Bismarck is meticulously clean and is very quiet and pretty. It's my #1 suggestion if you have young children. Speaking as a college student, the only downside I find is there is nothing to do in the winter- This and the fact that there is no higher education to speak of.

Minot is more blue collar, but I like it because the town has character and it's nicer IMO than Grand Forks. The economy is booming there because of oil. -so is Williston's but I don't care much for the city.

If you want an actual small town I highly recommend Kenmare, Hazen, & Stanley.

[Roloff1976]

I would say Minot is booming more because of the Air Force base has been increasing their support with a few thousand new military peronsal. They just released the oil impact on cities, Minot only has about 269 people employed in the oil industry at this time...but that could change in a couple years as oil moves farther east.

[MikeyToo]

I'd like to say, there isn't any best town in North Dakota, or anywhere! It all depends on where your coming from. My wife is from California (except for a couple years), and we moved to North Dakota almost 2 years ago. She in her deepest heart thought she might like to live in a small town someday, although she lived in the big cities of California most of her life. Most people in California can't comprehend paradise outside of the state. Today, my wife will admit, that deep-down she has always been a small town girl, so loves our move back (for me) to North Dakota. What I'm saying, it's rather hard to pick and choose, unless you experience it. Then you might be able to say you made a bad or good move. You need to experience it first, then make your choice. NoDak isn't for everyone, but many that have moved here will tell you its the best move they every made. Some have an opposite opinion. Anyway, good luck in your search for your best place...
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