Best and Worst State: Pros and Cons of Living in North Dakota

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In the United States, North Dakota is located in the northern and midwestern regions. The state holds the 19th position when it comes to area, and the fourth position when it comes to population density.

Fargo is the largest city in North Dakota, while Bismarck is its capital. The state is also known as Peace Garden State, Roughrider State, and Flickertail State. In the current era, the state's natural resources have played a significant role in economic development. The most critical project in this respect includes oil extraction from the Bakken formation.

Before European settlers came to the area, the Dakota Native American tribes inhabited it. North and South Dakota are therefore named after this tribe. There are a few other nicknames for North Dakota as well. After the state's sizeable botanical garden, it's been called The Peace Garden State, which symbolizes the friendship between the U.S. and Canada.

Oh, you're heading to North Dakota, aren't you? You might have considered it for a while but aren't completely convinced yet. It doesn't matter how you got here, you've arrived.

We plowed through a lot of dirt in North Dakota, including the pros and cons of living in the state. So put your feet up and relax. This is going to be fun. Here are the pros you will love about North Dakota:

1. No tourists

North Dakota is the least visited state in the country, so there is no traffic or inconvenience from tourists during any season. Despite the fact that this doesn't help their tourism industry much, locals like the fact that tourists don't crowd their favorite spots or ask for directions anymore. 

2. Among the best states to live

USNews.com ranked the Peace Garden State #4 on its "Best States to Live in 2018" list. It ranked first in the category for quality of life for both its social and natural environments, second for fiscal stability and infrastructure, tenth in education, and fourteenth in healthcare. 

3. Fargo is super-safe

Fargo ranked #6 on the Grand Forks Herald's 2017 list of "Safest Cities in the U.S." The ranking was based on road safety, low traffic fatalities per capita, and police officers per 1,000 residents. 

Here are the cons of living in North Dakota:

1. Harsh, long winters:

North Dakota’s weather can be very challenging. Temperatures well below zero are typical here. We don't shy away from snowstorms, either. As a result, people say that North Dakota is a hard place to live.

2. Agriculture or nothing

There are a few job opportunities available to young people in The Flickertail State, despite its impressively low unemployment rate. Locals say the agricultural industry and oil rigging are major employers in the state. You might not find much demand for your expertise, depending on your study area. As a result of this lack of diversity of employment opportunities, the state has seen a large number of people migrate out of the state.

3. It's quite

There is plenty of nature to see, but there isn't much to do in terms of everyday fun. Some out-of-staters may find it difficult to find a lot to do. Yet, residents know that many attractions aren't the point of their state. This place is all about relaxing.

Bonus: Here are some fun facts about North Dakota:

1. The Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba on the north, Minnesota on the east, South Dakota to the south, and Montana as its western neighbor border North Dakota.
2. Max G. Taubert of Casselton built a 50-foot high pyramid of empty oil cans. It is believed to be the highest oil can structure in the world.
3. Devils Lake is the largest natural body of water in North Dakota. Devils Lake derives its name from the Native American name Miniwaukan. Early explorers incorrectly translated the word to mean Bad Spirit. Bolstered by the many legends of drowned warriors and lake monsters, the name evolved into Devils Lake. This very fertile prairie lake grows large numbers of the fish known as walleye, northern pike, and white bass. The lake has earned the reputation of being the Perch Capital of the World.
4. The name Roughrider State originated in state-supported tourism promotion of the 1960s and 70s. It refers to the First U.S. Volunteer Cavalry that Theodore Roosevelt organized to fight in the Spanish-American War.
5. The Dakota Dinosaur Museum in Dickinson houses twelve full-scale dinosaurs, thousands of rock, mineral, and fossil specimens, and a complete real Triceratops and Edmontosaurus.
6. Richardton is home to the Abbey Church, a Barvarian Romanesque structure. Lofty arches, 52 stained glass windows, 24 paintings of Saints on the canvas above the angles, and a vast carved crucifix delineate the impressive interior.
7. The Lone Tree Wildlife Management Area located southwest of Harvey consists of 33,000 acres of gently rolling hills bordering the Sheyenne River.
8. The North Dakota State University research experiment station in Hettinger is the largest state-owned sheep research center in the United States.
9. Sitting Bull Burial State Historic Site located on the western edge of Fort Yates marks the original grave of the Hunkpapa Sioux leader. During the Ghost Dance unrest of 1890, an attempt was made to arrest him at his home on the Grand River in South Dakota, and a skirmish ensued in which Sitting Bull was killed.
10. The World's Largest Buffalo monument is located at Frontier Village in Jamestown. The structure is 26 feet high, 46 feet long, and weighs 60 tons.

If you have tried living or visiting North Dakota, please let us know how it went! Comment your stories below!

Sources: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Dakota

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/moneymag_archive/1999/11/01/268029/index.htm

https://www.usnews.com/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Forks,_North_Dakota

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_of_North_Dakota

https://www.50states.com/facts/north-dakota.htm

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