ND · 1 city
Dangerous neighborhoods in North Dakota
North Dakota recorded 241 violent crimes per 100,000 residents in 2025, 27% below the national rate and down 16% since 2022. Our Fargo guide breaks down the specific blocks, transit points and hours where a little more attention pays off, and below you'll see how Fargo compares with the state's other cities.
FBI data · 2025
Most dangerous cities in North Dakota, ranked
North Dakota's 8 cities of 10,000+ residents with recent FBI data, ordered by their official violent crime rate: murders, rapes, robberies and aggravated assaults per 100,000 residents. 6 of 8 run above the state average of 241. A high citywide rate doesn't make a whole city unsafe: crime clusters in a few areas, and our Fargo guide above shows where.
- 1
Williston
432 violent crimes per 100k
1.8× the state average
- 2
Fargo
378 violent crimes per 100k
1.6× the state average
- 3
Minot
297 violent crimes per 100k
1.2× the state average
| # | City | Violent per 100k | Property per 100k | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Williston | 432 | 1,769 | 28,724 |
| 2 | Fargo | 378 | 3,260 | 138,990 |
| 3 | Minot | 297 | 1,195 | 47,206 |
| 4 | Mandan2024 | 287 | 2,002 | 24,711 |
| 5 | Grand Forks | 270 | 2,008 | 60,024 |
| 6 | Bismarck | 241 | 1,894 | 78,814 |
| 7 | Jamestown2023 | 197 | 1,259 | 15,724 |
| 8 | West Fargo | 185 | 957 | 41,577 |
| North Dakota average | 241 | 1,495 | ||
| US average | 330 |
Safest cities in North Dakota
At the other end of the list, these have the lowest violent crime rates of the 8 cities in this ranking.
- West Fargo185 per 100k · 23% below the state average
- Jamestown197 per 100k · 30% below the state average
- Bismarck241 per 100k · near the state average
Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer, offenses reported by each city's police department per 100,000 residents; most cities use 2025 data, and a small year next to a name marks a different latest complete year. It includes every city of 10,000+ residents with complete recent data, and years with incomplete reporting are left out. How we rank cities.
North Dakota crime: frequently asked questions
What is the most dangerous city in North Dakota?
Of the 8 North Dakota cities in our ranking, Williston has the highest violent crime rate: 432 offenses per 100,000 residents in 2025, 1.8 times the state average. Fargo and Minot come next.
What is the safest city in North Dakota?
Among the cities we rank, West Fargo has the lowest violent crime rate, at 185 per 100,000 residents in 2025, 23% below the state average. Jamestown follows with 197. A low citywide rate doesn't mean every block is the same, but day-to-day risk is lower.
Is North Dakota safe to visit?
For most visitors, yes, with ordinary precautions. North Dakota recorded 241 violent crimes per 100,000 residents in 2025, 27% below the national rate of 330. Crime is concentrated in specific neighborhoods and hours rather than spread evenly, so knowing where those areas are matters more than the statewide figure; our Fargo guide covers them block by block.
Which North Dakota cities have above-average crime?
6 of the 8 cities we rank have a violent crime rate above the North Dakota average of 241 per 100,000 residents: Williston, Fargo, Minot, Mandan, Grand Forks and Bismarck. The other 2 are below it.
Is crime going up or down in North Dakota?
Violent crime in North Dakota went from 288 offenses per 100,000 residents in 2022 to 241 in 2025, down 16%. Property crime went from 2,038 to 1,495 over 2022–2025, down 27%.
Where do these crime figures come from?
From the FBI Crime Data Explorer, which collects the offenses reported by each police department. Rates are offenses per 100,000 residents, so cities of different sizes can be compared, and years with incomplete reporting are left out. Our methodology explains the details.