Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US metro and micro areas.

Safety89#100/924
Economy85#135/925
Housing97#31/925
Health88#114/925
Healthcare52#439/923
Environment92#74/917
Education72#259/925
Infrastructure74#244/925
Community86#130/925
Leisure & amenities66#316/925

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Wahpeton, ND-MN micropolitan area ranks highest and lowest among US metro and micro areas (score = percentile, 100 = best).

Strengths

Rent as share of income · low19.6%
100/100North Dakota 25.0%United States 30.6%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25071
Social associations · high18.4 /10k
98/100North Dakota 15.7 /10kUnited States 9.1 /10k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Rent-burdened households · low34.0%
97/100North Dakota 38.9%United States 51.1%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25070
Violent crime rate · low74 /100k
96/100North Dakota 238 /100kUnited States 328 /100k2025Federal Bureau of InvestigationAggregated from counties
Drug overdose deaths · low6.8 /100k
95/100North Dakota 12.1 /100kUnited States 18.4 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionAggregated from counties
Frequent mental distress · low15.8%
94/100North Dakota 15.4%United States 18.6%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties

Weaknesses

New business applications · low8.0 /1k
9/100North Dakota 11.1 /1kUnited States 16.6 /1k2025U.S. Census BureauAggregated from counties
Grocery stores · low0.9 /10k
9/100North Dakota 2.1 /10kUnited States 1.7 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsAggregated from counties
Distance to an emergency room · high11.5 mi
13/100North Dakota 7.7 miUnited States 5.5 miJul 2026Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesAggregated from counties
Primary care physicians · low39 /100k
16/100North Dakota 79 /100kUnited States 76 /100k2022University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Mental health providers · low135 /100k
18/100North Dakota 261 /100kUnited States 348 /100k2025University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Access to exercise opportunities · low60.5%
21/100North Dakota 75.6%United States 84.5%2022 & 2024University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

Drug overdose deathsWorsening
2.1 /100k (2019) → 6.8 /100k (Mar 2025–Feb 2026)
+220%7 yearsUS 20.0 /100k → 18.4 /100k
Drought exposureImproving
52% (2021) → 18% (Oct 2025–Sep 2026)
−35 pts5 yearsUS 40% → 43%
Homicide rateImproving
2.2 /100k (2021) → 0.0 /100k (May 2025–Apr 2026)
−100%5 yearsUS 7.8 /100k → 4.8 /100k
Mental health providersImproving
81 /100k (2021) → 135 /100k (2025)
+66%4 yearsUS 282 /100k → 348 /100k
Violent crime rateImproving
182 /100k (2020) → 74 /100k (2025)
−59%5 yearsUS 389 /100k → 328 /100k
Rent-burdened householdsImproving
45.7% (2015-2019) → 34.0% (2020-2024)
−12 pts5 yearsCensus table B25070US 49.6% → 51.1%

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Wahpeton, ND-MN micropolitan area improved on 9 of 26 measures with a comparison and declined on 6. 6 moved within the margin of error and 5 barely changed.

Earlier period
Latest period
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among metro and micro areas: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts. Periods differ by measure (most compare 2015-2019 with 2020-2024); each row names its own in its tooltip and in the table.

Improved9

Rent / income−8.2 points27.8% → 19.6%
Real income+47%$54,580 → $80,399
Rent burden−12 points45.7% → 34.0%
Violent crime−59%182 /100k → 74 /100k
Traffic deaths−27%20.4 /100k → 14.8 /100k

Declined6

Uninsured+3.7 points3.7% → 7.4%
Commute+3.0 min18.3 min → 21.3 min
Gyms−50%1.7 /10k → 0.9 /10k
Arts & recreation−13%6.5 /10k → 5.6 /10k
Pharmacies−25%3.5 /10k → 2.6 /10k

All 26 measures

Change of every measure of Wahpeton, ND-MN micropolitan area between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Arts, entertainment and recreation	6.5 /10k2020	5.6 /10k2025	−13%	Declined	10%
Average commute time	18.3 min2015-2019	21.3 min2020-2024	+3.0 min	Declined	6%
Average weekly wage	$8872020	$1,0952025	+23%	Improved	51%
Bachelor's degree or higher	22.0%2015-2019	24.3%2020-2024	+2.3 points	Within the margin of error	38%
Broadband subscriptions	79.3%2015-2019	89.6%2020-2024	+10 points	Improved	65%
Child poverty rate	11.9%2015-2019	9.4%2020-2024	−2.5 points	Within the margin of error	52%
Distance to an airport	45 mi2020	46 mi2025	+0 mi	Little change	16%
Effective property tax rate	0.94%2015-2019	0.98%2020-2024	+0 points	Within the margin of error	2%
Grocery stores	0.9 /10k2020	0.9 /10k2025	−0%	Little change	51%
Gyms and fitness centers	1.7 /10k2020	0.9 /10k2025	−50%	Declined	4%
High school diploma or higher	92.0%2015-2019	94.2%2020-2024	+2.2 points	Within the margin of error	65%
Home price to income ratio	2.2×2015-2019	2.5×2020-2024	+0.3×	Declined	65%
Income adjusted for local prices	$54,5802019	$80,3992024	+47%	Improved	96%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4342015-2019	0.4392020-2024	+0.005	Within the margin of error	41%
Median household income	$61,1362015-2019	$73,7342020-2024	+21%	Improved	16%
New business applications	5.3 /1k2020	8.0 /1k2025	+52%	Improved	59%
Pharmacies	3.5 /10k2020	2.6 /10k2025	−25%	Declined	12%
Poverty rate	10.4%2015-2019	11.0%2020-2024	+0.6 points	Within the margin of error	16%
Public libraries	1.3 /10k2019	1.3 /10k2024	−2.6%	Little change	41%
Rent as share of income	27.8%2015-2019	19.6%2020-2024	−8.2 points	Improved	100%
Rent-burdened households	45.7%2015-2019	34.0%2020-2024	−12 points	Improved	98%
Restaurants and bars	13.5 /10k2020	13.9 /10k2025	+3.2%	Little change	60%
Traffic deaths	20.4 /100k2015-2019	14.8 /100k2020-2024	−27%	Improved	93%
Unemployment rate	3.9%2020	3.0%2025	−0.9 points	Little change	4%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	3.7%2015-2019	7.4%2020-2024	+3.7 points	Declined	2%
Violent crime rate	182 /100k2020	74 /100k2025	−59%	Improved	98%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 708 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: Regional Economic Accounts; Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates; Business Formation Statistics; Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master files; Public Libraries Survey; Fatality Analysis Reporting System; Distance to airports and intercity rail. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 925 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Metro and micro areas like Wahpeton, ND-MN micropolitan area five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Wahpeton, ND-MN micropolitan area in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Wahpeton, ND-MN micropolitan area itself moved −0.2 points in standing on average over the same 26 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

22,955 residents

Men
Women

80 and over
70–79
60–69

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

9,504 households (±252)

Wahpeton, ND-MN micropolitan area
United States share

Under $25k15%1,473
$25k–50k17%1,649
$50k–75k18%1,707

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

9,504 households (±252)

Wahpeton, ND-MN micropolitan area
United States share

Own71%6,780
Rent29%2,724

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

Table view

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

11,501 workers (±275)

Wahpeton, ND-MN micropolitan area
United States share

Drive alone77%8,901
Carpool6.7%768
Public transit0.2%†26

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes no occupation wages for Wahpeton, ND-MN micropolitan area.

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

Wahpeton, ND-MN has 686 employer establishments, 299 for every 10,000 residents (1.20× the US rate of 248), with 7,553 paid employees at an average annual pay of $49,701. The Census Bureau also counts 1,723 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 686; 1,723 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 299; US 248
Paid employees: 7,553
Average annual pay: $49,701; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Wahpeton, ND-MN by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Specialty trade contractors	67	29.2	1.89×More than typical	272	$48,059	119
Religious organizations	37	16.1	2.91×More than typical	177	$17,373	—
Restaurants and other eating places	32	13.9	0.76×Fewer than typical	528	$16,557	10
Ambulatory health care services	30	13.1	0.63×Fewer than typical	330	$63,997	43
Building equipment contractors	29	12.6	2.10×More than typical	185	$49,303	23
Insurance agencies and brokerages	25	10.9	2.48×More than typical	69	$59,768	42
Truck transportation	24	10.5	2.07×More than typical	131	$56,863	65
Construction of buildings	22	9.6	1.27×More than typical	178	$68,281	57
Banks and credit unions	20	8.7	2.70×More than typical	132	$59,326	—
Automotive repair and maintenance	19	8.3	1.64×More than typical	54	$49,556	37
Foundation, structure and building exterior contractors	18	7.8	2.49×More than typical	52	$42,500	17
Gasoline stations	17	7.4	2.29×More than typical	176	$27,932	—

Rank places for an industry

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 22,943 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
A metro area's figures are the exact sums of its counties.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contract spending

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $3.1M on contracts performed in Wahpeton, ND-MN micropolitan area: $135 per resident (US $1,995).

Obligations: $3.1M; −43% vs FY2025
Per resident: $135; US $1,995
Sole-source: 0.0%; US 30%
Single offer: 0.0%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Defense Logistics Agency$2.8M90%
Food and Drug Administration$247.9K8.0%
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service$104.8K3.4%

Top recipients

RDO AGRICULTURE EQUIPMENT CO$2.8M90%
COMPUTER EVIDENCE SPECIALISTS, LLC$247.9K8.0%
PATRIOT ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES, INC.$104.8K3.4%
WESTERN SAND & GRAVEL INC$00.0%
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT & PLANNING SOLUTIONS LLC-$37K0.0%

Spending by fiscal year

2.1MFY2017
3.7MFY2018
6MFY2019
5.9MFY2020
3.5MFY2021
3.5MFY2022
4.1MFY2023
4.6M

Top industries (NAICS)

Other fabricated metal product manufacturing · 3329$2.7M88%
Investigation and security services · 5616$247.9K8.0%
Remediation and other waste management services · 5629$104.8K3.4%
Motor vehicle parts manufacturing · 3363$31.7K1.0%
Engine, turbine, and power transmission equipment manufacturing · 3336$9,7750.3%
Forging and stamping · 3321$5,5520.2%

Largest awards

ND RMP AND ASSOCIATED EIS$2.5M
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT & PLANNING SOLUTIONS LLC· Richland County, ND· Professional services· Sep 18, 2019 – Feb 25, 2026· 140L0619F0272
IQ REGION 2 - 75F40125D00026 - CES NORTH DAKOTA(ND) RETAIL TOBACCO INSPECTION SERVICES TO 75F40126F19007$234.7K
COMPUTER EVIDENCE SPECIALISTS, LLC· Richland County, ND· Professional services· Jul 31, 2026 – Jul 31, 2026· 75F40126F19007
NORTH DAKOTA- REGION 2$228.5K
COMPUTER EVIDENCE SPECIALISTS, LLC· Richland County, ND· Professional services· Sep 30, 2025 – Aug 3, 2026· 75F40125F19002
GAOA NORTH COUNTRY TRAIL SURFACING DPG

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 7, 2026, loaded Oct 7, 2026.

Federal grants & assistance

Grants, loans (counted at their subsidy cost), direct payments and insurance, by fiscal year of the action (USAspending.gov, FABS). Reported apart from contracts and never added to them.

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $198.7M in grants, loans, direct payments and insurance for Wahpeton, ND-MN micropolitan area: $8,631 per resident (US $12,975).

Assistance · FY2026: $198.7M; −16% vs FY2025
Per resident: $8,631; US $12,975
Loan face value: $1.6M; lent or guaranteed
To individuals: 22%; counted, never named

Top programs

96.002 · Social Security Retirement Insurance$96.3M48%
10.988 · Supplemental Disaster Relief Program$35.6M18%
64.109 · Veterans Compensation for Service-Connected Disability$11.9M6.0%
96.001 · Social Security Disability Insurance$9.2M4.7%
96.004 · Social Security Survivors Insurance$8.9M4.5%
10.990 · Farmer Bridge Assistance Program$6.3M3.1%
20.287 · Surface Transportation Block Grant Program$3.8M1.9%
84.063 · Federal Pell Grant Program$3.8M1.9%

Top recipients (organizations)

MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION$7.6M3.8%
SAINT PAUL, MN
CIRCLE OF NATIONS$5.9M3.0%
WAHPETON, ND
NORTH DAKOTA STATE COLLEGE OF SCIENCE$3.8M1.9%
WAHPETON, ND
NORTH DAKOTA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION$1.3M0.6%
BISMARCK, ND
RYAN AND MICHAEL HOUGH FARMS

Organizations only: awards to individuals and county aggregate records count in the totals but are never listed. Grants to state governments recorded at the agency's own address are counted statewide, not in the capital's county.

Top agencies

Social Security Administration$116.3M59%
Farm Service Agency$41.8M21%
Department of Agriculture
Under Secretary for Benefits/Veterans Benefits Administration$13.4M6.7%
Department of Veterans Affairs
Federal Highway Administration$8.9M4.5%
Department of Transportation
Bureau of Indian Affairs and Bureau of Indian Education

Assistance by fiscal year

203.7MFY2021
243.6MFY2022
167.9MFY2023
150.7MFY2024
236.2MFY2025
198.7MFY2026

County aggregates

67%

Share of obligations reported only as county totals of many small awards (for example Social Security or Medicare payments), with no recipient named.

Source: Federal financial assistance transactions (Financial Assistance Broker Submission) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 7, 2026, loaded Oct 7, 2026 · FY2021–FY2026.

Counties in Wahpeton, ND-MN

Whole counties, as the U.S. Office of Management and Budget delineates the area. Federal spending below is the exact sum of these counties.

States

The share of the area's residents living in each state.

Principal cities

The cities the area is named for.

WahpetonPrincipal city8,010

Largest cities and towns

By population, for places with most of their residents in the area.

Other metro and micro areas in North Dakota

Areas based in North Dakota, best score first.

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Places that share a border, best score first.

Similar metro and micro areas

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

Mapping Injury, Overdose, and ViolenceCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2026-10-01
PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Daily county PM2.5 and ozone (EPA downscaler model)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2022
Care Compare: Hospital General Information and Timely and Effective CareCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services · release 2026-07-22
Distance to airports and intercity railFederal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census Bureau · release 2025+amtrak-2026-04-23
Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master filesFederal Bureau of Investigation · release 2025
Public Libraries SurveyInstitute of Museum and Library Services · release FY2024
U.S. Drought Monitor county statisticsNational Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAA · release 2026-09-29
Fatality Analysis Reporting SystemNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration · release 2024
nClimGrid-Daily county averagesNOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · release 2025
Regional Economic AccountsU.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · release 2024
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
Quarterly Census of Employment and WagesU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2026 Q1
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Business Formation StatisticsU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-10-01
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Alternative Fuels Data Center station locatorU.S. Department of Energy · release 2026-10
Election Administration and Voting SurveyU.S. Election Assistance Commission · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/M47420

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends

What changed in five years

Improved9

Declined6

Metro and micro areas like Wahpeton, ND-MN micropolitan area five years ago that improved

Who lives here

Age and sex

Income

Household income

Homes

Owners and renters

Getting to work

How people get to work

Jobs and pay

Local businesses

Federal contract spending

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

Federal grants & assistance

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

Counties in Wahpeton, ND-MN

States

Principal cities

Largest cities and towns

Other metro and micro areas in North Dakota

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Similar metro and micro areas

Data and sources

Improved9

Declined6

Age and sex

Household income

Owners and renters

How people get to work

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

Time to get to work

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

By type

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

What was bought