Groundwork

Market rankings · North Dakota

Real estate businesses in North Dakota

Markets across North Dakota ranked by the Groundwork market score for real estate businesses, with competitor counts and household spending for each.

Listings
899
57 chain locations (6%)
Official establishments
671
+8.6% since 2019
Household spending a year
$4.7B
On rent and homeowner costs
Listings per 10k households
27.2
29% below the U.S.
Housing spending per listing (U.S. = 100)
120
20% above the U.S.
Rank among states
#25 of 51
Market score 52 · Upper middle

A site report maps the real estate businesses on map listings around any address in North Dakota by name and distance, and the spending within reach.

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Survey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure

What this means

As of September 2026, map listings count 899 real estate businesses in North Dakota. 57 of them (6%) are chain locations, against 6% across the U.S. Per 10,000 households, that is 27.2, 29% below the U.S. rate of 38.5.

Households in North Dakota spend about $4.7B a year on rent and homeowner costs, or $14,169 per household, 15% below the U.S. average. Housing spending per office is 20% above the U.S. figure. That figure is all rent and homeowner costs, used as a measure of housing demand; it is not money real estate businesses take in.

In 2023, official counts showed 671 businesses with payroll in North Dakota classed as real estate agents, property managers, mortgage lenders and inspectors, up 8.6% from 2019. That is one for every 493 households, against one for every 414 across the U.S. Across the U.S., the count rose 15.8% over the same years. Since fiscal 2022, 12 SBA-backed loans worth $2.6M have gone to businesses classed as real estate agents, property managers, mortgage lenders and inspectors in North Dakota.

Among the 50 states and DC, North Dakota ranks #25 for real estate businesses, with a Groundwork market score of 52 (upper middle). Of the 4 scored metro areas in or partly in North Dakota, the Grand Forks metro area scores highest (50). Of the 4 scored small-town markets in or partly in North Dakota, the Wahpeton area scores highest (68).

Every market in North Dakota for real estate businesses

Download the ranking (CSV)

Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in North Dakota, highest first; the U.S. rank compares each market with every other of its kind. A metro area that crosses a state line is listed in each state it reaches, and numbered only in the state its page is under. How the score works.

Metro areas

Metro areas reaching North Dakota, ranked for real estate businesses by Groundwork market score
MarketScoreListingsPer 10k householdsHousing spending per listing (U.S. = 100)Population growthU.S. rank
1Grand Forks, ND-MN5010624.3130+0.8%#177 of 387
2Bismarck, ND4517932.0106+4.5%#236 of 387
3Minot, ND438225.8128−2.4%#249 of 387
4Fargo, ND-MN4136933.498+7.7%#269 of 387

Small-town markets

Small-town markets reaching North Dakota, ranked for real estate businesses by Groundwork market score
MarketScoreListingsPer 10k householdsHousing spending per listing (U.S. = 100)Population growthU.S. rank
1Wahpeton, ND-MN681111.62770.0%#57 of 536
2Jamestown, ND462021.2143−0.6%#312 of 536
3Williston, ND403925.7135+1.4%#392 of 536
4Dickinson, ND394428.4117+0.7%#402 of 536

Counties

Counties in North Dakota, ranked for real estate businesses by Groundwork market score
MarketScoreListingsPer 10k householdsHousing spending per listing (U.S. = 100)Population growthU.S. rank
1Richland County, ND681014.6223+1.2%#274 of 2,229
2Morton County, ND602014.3229+3.8%#564 of 2,229
3Barnes County, ND53612.2250−2.7%#896 of 2,229
4McKenzie County, ND501830.0123+2.8%#1,098 of 2,229
5Stutsman County, ND462021.2143−0.6%#1,280 of 2,229
6Ramsey County, ND401018.5164−0.4%#1,597 of 2,229
7Williams County, ND393925.7135+1.4%#1,662 of 2,229
8Stark County, ND354331.8103+0.5%#1,871 of 2,229
9Burleigh County, ND3515938.589+4.7%#1,877 of 2,229
10Grand Forks County, ND349530.4104+1.9%#1,922 of 2,229
11Cass County, ND3433339.783+9.1%#1,935 of 2,229
12Ward County, ND308228.7115−2.4%#2,061 of 2,229
Rolette County, NDNot scored410.6279−4.1%
Walsh County, NDNot scored49.1345−3.3%
McLean County, NDNot scored24.6722−0.2%
Mountrail County, NDNot scored512.8257−4.2%
Mercer County, NDNot scored513.9235+1.1%
Traill County, NDNot scored515.0224−0.8%
Pembina County, NDNot scored13.4934−3.8%
Bottineau County, NDNot scored933.799−1.6%
Benson County, NDNot scored00.0n/a−3.0%
Ransom County, NDNot scored417.1185−1.5%
McHenry County, NDNot scored00.0n/a−3.9%
Dickey County, NDNot scored15.1623−1.5%
LaMoure County, NDNot scored00.0n/a+1.0%
Show all 53 counties
Counties in North Dakota, ranked for real estate businesses by Groundwork market score, continued
MarketScoreListingsPer 10k householdsHousing spending per listing (U.S. = 100)Population growthU.S. rank
Dunn County, NDNot scored16.4572−0.9%
Pierce County, NDNot scored210.8281−3.6%
Wells County, NDNot scored316.8185−5.9%
Sargent County, NDNot scored00.0n/a−3.4%
Sioux County, NDNot scored00.0n/a−5.4%
Cavalier County, NDNot scored16.4512−5.4%
Foster County, NDNot scored00.0n/a−5.1%
Emmons County, NDNot scored00.0n/a−2.4%
Nelson County, NDNot scored00.0n/a−1.0%
Bowman County, NDNot scored538.781−7.1%
McIntosh County, NDNot scored18.4350−2.5%
Hettinger County, NDNot scored00.0n/a+0.4%
Kidder County, NDNot scored217.1175+0.5%
Eddy County, NDNot scored217.1170+0.1%
Renville County, NDNot scored00.0n/a+2.9%
Grant County, NDNot scored19.4315−3.5%
Griggs County, NDNot scored110.1311−2.5%
Divide County, NDNot scored19.8350−4.2%
Burke County, NDNot scored00.0n/a−2.7%
Adams County, NDNot scored19.7304+3.7%
Towner County, NDNot scored110.1302−5.0%
Oliver County, NDNot scored00.0n/a+1.7%
Logan County, NDNot scored112.9229−1.3%
Steele County, NDNot scored112.4263−0.1%
Golden Valley County, NDNot scored00.0n/a+4.8%
Sheridan County, NDNot scored00.0n/a+2.7%
Billings County, NDNot scored00.0n/a+15.2%
Slope County, NDNot scored00.0n/a−9.9%

Markets with fewer than 5 real estate businesses on map listings, and counties under 10,000 people, aren’t scored; they’re listed last in each table.

Questions

How many real estate businesses are in North Dakota?

North Dakota has 899 real estate businesses on map listings as of September 2026. 57 of them (6%) are chain locations. The listings count real estate agents and brokers, property managers, mortgage brokers and lenders, and home inspectors. Official counts show 671 businesses with payroll classed as real estate agents, property managers, mortgage lenders and inspectors in 2023, up 8.6% from 2019. Official counts also show 2,729 one-person businesses without payroll.

How much do households in North Dakota spend on rent and homeowner costs?

About $4.7B a year, or $14,169 per household. That is 15% below the U.S. average (an index of 85, where 100 is the U.S. average). For the 899 real estate businesses on map listings, housing spending per office is 20% above the U.S. figure. The spending figure is all rent and homeowner costs, a measure of housing demand, not money real estate businesses take in. It is estimated from the incomes of the 331,063 households in North Dakota and national spending patterns by income.

How does North Dakota compare with the U.S. for real estate businesses?

North Dakota has 27.2 real estate businesses per 10,000 households, 29% below the U.S. rate of 38.5. The index of housing spending per office is 120, where 100 is the U.S. At the national ratio of real estate businesses to household spending, North Dakota would have about 1,083, against 899 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 493 households, against one for every 414 across the U.S. The official count rose 8.6% from 2019 to 2023, against +15.8% for the U.S.

Which market in North Dakota has the highest market score for real estate businesses?

Among 4 scored metro areas in or partly in North Dakota, the Grand Forks metro area scores highest, at 50 (upper middle). Among 4 scored small-town markets in or partly in North Dakota, the Wahpeton area scores highest, at 68 (upper middle). Among 12 scored counties in North Dakota, Richland County scores highest, at 68 (upper middle). Scores compare each market with others of its kind across the U.S.

What is the Groundwork market score?

The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. North Dakota scores 52 for real estate businesses (upper middle), #25 of the 50 states and DC.

How can I see the market around a specific site?

Run a Groundwork site report on an address in North Dakota. It maps the real estate businesses on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.

Real estate in other states

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Top markets for real estate businesses across the U.S. · All business types in North Dakota

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This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.