Welcome North Dakota New Residents!
The Peace Garden State
Welcome to North Dakota, home of America’s geographical center (Rugby, ND) and the greatest wheat producers in the country! It is a state known for beautiful sunflowers, fresh bread and long stretches of wide road that ideal for blasting country music with the windows down. Relocate to this grand state with a small-town feel to experience all it has to offer!
Important Steps for North Dakota New Residents
The largest cities are where you’re most likely moving to. In North Dakota, these are Fargo, Bismarck, Minot, Williston, Grand Forks, Dickinson, Devils Lake, Jamestown, Watford City, West Fargo, Madan, Medora, Abercrombie, New Town, Wahpeton, Valley City, Tioga, Killdeer, Bottineau, Stanley, Rugby and Beulah.
Now, once you’ve decided on where to move to, let’s get down to the nitty gritty details. The North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT) has some important rules to follow, and we’ve outlined the most important steps for becoming a resident below.
- If you have a license issued from another state in the US, you can convert it to a North Dakota license. You can do so at the NDDOT, potentially without redoing the written and driving tests. Make sure to transfer it within 60 days of moving here!
- Make sure to get insurance, so you can have your car registered here in North Dakota. As prices may be different here compared to your old state, meet with an agent to get the best priced quotes!
- Make sure to register your vehicle soon after establishing residency. You can do this at your local North Dakota NDDOT.
- Before your car can be registered, it’ll need to have an inspection. This entails an inspection officer checking its VIN number, checking the car’s parts are in working order, and running some safety checks. It’s a great thing the state does to ensure safety of yourself & other folks on the road.
Something to be aware of if you have children: North Dakota has one of the highest drinking rates for folks under 21 in America. Make sure to look into the opportunities for your kids to get involved to and talk to them about drinking related possibilities, such as DUIs and related car accidents.
North Dakota Neighborhood Information for North Dakota Moving Quotes and Moving Companies
Weather:-The climate here is generally classified as northern continental. That means hot summers and icy, cold winters. The north part is drier, while the southern is chock-a-block with precipitation. This includes rain, hail and snow. Precipitation and humidity is generally more dominant in the east than the western part of the state.
As for severe weather, move here and be ready to prepare for blizzards and tornadoes. Make sure to research tornadoes specifically, as to have yourself and home equipped for if, and when, they come.
Population & Cost of Living:-Move here and join the 723,400 folks current residing in North Dakota!
As its the least visited state, cost of living is quite low here, mainly the wickedly low unemployment rate. The other factors include groceries (as the agricultural industry has food right near your own home!) and shorter commute time (therefore less on transportation). The housing is not as easy to come by or low as it used to be, however, given the boom in the oil industry.
North Dakota Employment Rate & Economy
Fall 2014 the unemployment rate here was incredibly low at 2.6%, the lowest in all America. What industries are these employed folks working in?
Agriculture and oil are huge here. Really huge. Due to how productive of oil fields it has, budget surplus for them is nearing $3 billion! As for agriculture, farms consume about 90% of the country, producing spring wheat, barley, oats, canola, flaxseed, lentils and beans. It produces massive amounts of sunflowers as well, the main purpose being to extract the flowers’ oil.
Fun Fact: The amount of millionaires here has tripled between 2005 and 2010. Anyone in the mood to up that number even more?
NORTH DAKOTA ATTRACTIONS YOU MUST CHECK OUT!
- Rutland, ND - Come here to see the world’s largest hamburger monument. At 3,591 pounds, this bad boy will have you feeling mighty hungry!
- Fargo-Moorhead Convention and Visitor’s Bureau - Come here to see the famous wood chipper from the film “Fargo”!
- The Village of Murals - The tiny town of Jud, home to only 76 people, is a place where all buildings are covered with beautiful murals, from the post office to individual’s homes. The residents here wanted to be famous for something special, and they succeeded in making that happen!
FUN FACTS ABOUT NORTH DAKOTA
- Two times the state legislature has rejected the idea of taking away the term “North” from the state’s title. (And if you’re wondering, no, this was not a romantic attempt to unite with it’s southern sister state!)
- ND is home to the fewest number of endangered species of any state. Proof it treats its animals right!
- This state is where the controversial documentary “Jesus Camp” was filmed. Though the film focused on a few children from Missouri, this camp outside Devils Lake was still quick to completely shut down after the documentary’s shocking release.