The Town FilesMinot AFB, North Dakota
Community in Ward County · population 5,017 (2020 Census)
- Household income
- $62,500
- Jan low / Jul high
- 2° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 49 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 11
- Median age
- 22.6
Minot AFB is a community of 5,017 people in Ward County, North Dakota. It ranks more of a college town than 97% of North Dakota towns, better for young professionals than 83% of North Dakota towns, more vibrant than 78% of North Dakota towns.
How Minot AFB ranks
Percentile among North Dakota towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of North Dakota towns.
Homes and cost of living
Median rent is $1,431 a month. 0.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Minot AFB | Typical North Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | — | $167,950 |
| Median rent | $1,431 | $775 |
| Median household income | $62,500 | $68,195 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 0.4% | 68.6% |
| Median year built | 2002 | 1973 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Minot AFB
| People | Minot AFB | Typical North Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 22.6 | 39.0 |
| Age 65 and over | 0.3% | 20.1% |
| Under 18 | 36.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.9% | 23.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 1.2% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 30.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.6% | — |
| Work from home | 3.3% | 5.5% |
| Average commute | 9.8 min | 16.8 min |
| Homes with broadband | 98.1% | 87.3% |
Weather in Minot AFB
July highs average 83.6°F and January lows 2.4°F. About 17.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 48.9 inches of snow (typical North Dakota town: 44.3 in). Expect about 17 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 191 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Minot AFB since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical North Dakota town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on August 2, 1960 about 8.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 11, 2000.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 32 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 11, 2000.
Severe weather in Ward County since 1996
Ward County has been included in 28 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 13, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4660: Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
| April 1, 2020 | Biological | DR-4509: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3477: Covid-19 |
| August 19, 2014 | Flood | DR-4190: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| July 12, 2013 | Severe Storm | DR-4128: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Ward County
Ward County had 31,358 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $60,491 a year. Unemployment was 2.1% in 2023; in Minot AFB itself the ACS puts it at 6.1%.
Public schools in Minot AFB
3 public schools with 670 students, about 13.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| DAKOTA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 267 | 13.4 |
| NORTH PLAINS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | K-5 | 229 | 15.3 |
| MEMORIAL MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 174 | 12.4 |
Towns near Minot AFB
- Minot, ND12.9 mi · 48,377 people · home $257,100
Minot AFB questions
Is Minot AFB, North Dakota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Minot AFB scores better for retirees than 0% of North Dakota towns and quieter than 0%. 0.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 22.6).
What is the weather like in Minot AFB?
July highs average 83.6°F and January lows 2.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 17.6 inches of precipitation a year and 48.9 inches of snow.
Does Minot AFB get tornadoes?
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Minot AFB since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on August 2, 1960. The typical North Dakota town has had 11.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)