America at 250: North Dakota Uncovered — 20 Facts About the Peace Garden State, an Oil-and-Wheat Powerhouse With the Only State-Owned Bank

America at 250: North Dakota Uncovered — 20 Facts About the Peace Garden State, an Oil-and-Wheat Powerhouse With the Only State-Owned Bank

As the United States celebrates 250 years of independence, a state-by-state journey — from the Bakken oil fields and endless wheat to Theodore Roosevelt’s badlands, the Peace Garden and the nation’s only state-owned bank — through the numbers, the history and the emergency lifelines every traveler should carry.

As the United States marks the landmark 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026 — its semiquincentennial — our state-by-state journey reaches North Dakota: the “Peace Garden State,” a Northern Plains state of vast wheat fields, booming oil country and wide-open spaces. Sparsely populated but economically mighty, North Dakota is a place of quiet superlatives — including some genuinely one-of-a-kind institutions.

Home to the Bakken oil boom, the badlands that shaped a young Theodore Roosevelt, and the nation’s only state-owned bank, North Dakota blends prairie tradition with surprising distinction. What follows is a fact-checked portrait drawn from official sources — the U.S. Census Bureau, the Bureau of Economic Analysis, state agencies and federal registries — followed by the safety information every visitor to the Peace Garden State should keep close at hand.

How Big Is North Dakota? A Record 796,568 People Across 70,698 Square Miles

North Dakota is one of the least-populated states, but it is growing. The state’s own leaders celebrated a record population estimate of 796,568 in 2024 — the U.S. Census Bureau’s count — driven by the oil economy. It ranks around 4th-smallest in population, yet covers roughly 70,698 square miles, the 19th-largest state by area, giving it one of the lowest population densities in the country.

The largest city is Fargo, on the Red River border with Minnesota, followed by Bismarck (the capital), Grand Forks and Minot. The oil boomtowns of the west, such as Williston and Dickinson, have grown rapidly. Most of the state is farmland and prairie, thinning toward the rugged badlands of the west.

North Dakota’s landscape runs from the fertile Red River Valley in the east — some of the richest farmland in the world — across the rolling Great Plains to the colorful, eroded badlands along the Little Missouri River, protected in Theodore Roosevelt National Park. The geographic center of North America is often placed near the town of Rugby.

A Northern Plains History: The 39th State, Admitted in 1889

Home to the Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara, Lakota and other peoples — the Mandan villages hosted Lewis and Clark through the winter of 1804–05 — the North Dakota region became U.S. territory through the Louisiana Purchase. Railroads and the Homestead Act drew waves of farmers, many of them Norwegian and German-Russian immigrants, to break the prairie.

North Dakota was admitted as the 39th state on November 2, 1889 — the same day as South Dakota, with President Benjamin Harrison famously shuffling the papers so no one could say which was signed first. In the 20th century, a populist farmer movement, the Nonpartisan League, created a set of state-owned enterprises unique in America. And in the 21st century, the Bakken shale oil boom transformed the state’s economy and population.

The Economy: About $75 Billion GDP From Oil and Wheat

North Dakota’s economy, with a GDP of roughly $75 billion (about $60 billion in inflation-adjusted terms), is remarkably productive for its small population, thanks to energy and agriculture. The Bakken formation made North Dakota one of the top oil-producing states in the nation — behind only Texas and New Mexico — and oil and gas revenues have reshaped the state’s finances.

Agriculture remains foundational and dominant: North Dakota leads the nation in the production of spring wheat, durum wheat, canola, honey, dry edible beans, flaxseed and several other crops, and its enormous farms feed the country and the world. The state consistently posts one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation, and its economy is buoyed by a sovereign-wealth fund built from oil taxes, the Legacy Fund.

That oil-and-farm foundation has given North Dakota an outsized fiscal cushion: the Legacy Fund has grown into a multibillion-dollar nest egg, and the state has repeatedly cut taxes and invested in infrastructure while maintaining budget surpluses. Energy has also driven a wave of construction, population growth and rising incomes in the west, transforming small prairie towns into busy boom communities almost overnight.

Schools and Universities: About 120,000 Pupils and Two Flagships

North Dakota’s public schools enroll roughly 120,000 K-12 students, many in small rural districts spread across the plains, though the oil boom has swelled schools in the west.

In higher education, the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks — the state’s oldest university, known for its aerospace and aviation programs — and North Dakota State University in Fargo, a land-grant research university and agricultural powerhouse (and a college-football dynasty at the FCS level), anchor the system, alongside a network of state and tribal colleges.

Hospitals and Health Care: About 40 Hospitals

North Dakota has roughly 40 hospitals, the majority of them small critical-access hospitals serving rural communities across the plains. Larger regional systems such as Sanford Health (which has major operations in Fargo) and Essentia Health and Altru provide advanced care and referrals.

Delivering health care across North Dakota’s vast rural distances is a defining challenge, met through critical-access hospitals, regional referral centers and telemedicine. The North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services coordinates statewide public-health services.

Getting Around: Regional Airports and Wide-Open Highways

North Dakota is served by regional airports in Fargo (the busiest), Bismarck, Grand Forks, Minot and Williston, connecting the state to hubs like Minneapolis and Denver. Grand Forks is also a major center for aviation training and unmanned-aircraft (drone) research.

On the ground, Interstate 94 crosses the state east–west and Interstate 29 runs north–south along the eastern edge, but much travel is on long, straight two-lane highways through open country. Freight rail is vital for moving the state’s grain and oil to market.

Culture: Theodore Roosevelt, the Peace Garden and Prairie Heritage

North Dakota’s culture is rooted in the land, its immigrant heritage and its wide skies. Theodore Roosevelt National Park preserves the badlands where the future president ranched as a young man — an experience he credited with shaping his conservation ethic. The International Peace Garden, straddling the border with Canada, gives the state its “Peace Garden State” nickname and symbolizes the long friendship between the two nations.

The state celebrates its Scandinavian and German-Russian roots (the Norsk Høstfest in Minot is one of North America’s largest Scandinavian festivals), its Native American cultures at sites like the Knife River villages, and its frontier and cowboy heritage. Author Louis L’Amour, the great chronicler of the American West, hailed from Jamestown.

Sport and the Outdoors: 1 College-Football Dynasty and the Badlands

North Dakota has no major professional franchise, so college sports rule — above all North Dakota State University football, whose Bison have won a remarkable string of national championships at the FCS level, and University of North Dakota hockey, a traditional power. The rivalry and success of these programs unite the state.

Outdoors, North Dakota offers the scenic badlands of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, excellent hunting (pheasant, waterfowl and deer) and fishing, the vast waters of Lake Sakakawea behind the Garrison Dam, and endless prairie for hiking and wildlife-watching under some of the darkest skies in the country.

Faith and Places of Worship: Hundreds of Congregations

North Dakota’s religious landscape reflects its immigrant farming heritage. It has one of the highest shares of Lutherans of any state (brought by Scandinavian settlers), along with a large Roman Catholic population (reflecting German-Russian and other Catholic immigrants) and other Protestant traditions, plus Native American spiritual traditions on the state’s reservations.

Because no single official registry counts every congregation, the closest reliable measures come from religious censuses and the U.S. Census Bureau’s County Business Patterns data on religious organizations, which together point to hundreds of congregations across the state’s cities, small towns and rural communities.

The Justice System: About 1,800 People Incarcerated

North Dakota has one of the lowest incarceration rates in the United States. The state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation holds roughly 1,800 people — a small system that has drawn national attention for reforms inspired by Norway’s rehabilitative model, emphasizing humane conditions and reentry.

The state’s low incarceration numbers reflect both its small population and low crime rates and a deliberate policy focus on rehabilitation, treatment and preparing people to return successfully to their communities.

5 North Dakota Laws and Distinctions That Set It Apart

North Dakota is genuinely one of a kind in several ways:

1. The only state-owned bank: The Bank of North Dakota, founded in 1919, is the only state-owned bank in the United States — a legacy of the populist Nonpartisan League.

2. The only state-owned mill: The North Dakota Mill and Elevator is the only state-owned flour mill in the nation, another Nonpartisan League creation.

3. No voter registration: North Dakota is the only U.S. state that does not require voters to register — eligible residents simply show up and vote.

4. The Legacy Fund: North Dakota banks a share of its oil-and-gas tax revenue in a multibillion-dollar sovereign-wealth fund for future generations.

5. Abortion and firearms: North Dakota enforces a near-total abortion ban enacted after the 2022 reversal of Roe v. Wade and allows permitless concealed carry for residents.

Famous North Dakotans: Notable Talent From the Peace Garden State

North Dakota has produced a notable roster of figures. Bandleader Lawrence Welk, of long-running television fame, was born in the German-Russian community of Strasburg; jazz and pop singer Peggy Lee hailed from Jamestown; and actress Angie Dickinson from Kulm. Best-selling Western author Louis L’Amour was also a Jamestown native.

In more recent times, actor Josh Duhamel of “Transformers” fame comes from Minot, and NBA champion coach Phil Jackson grew up in Williston. Though few in number, the Peace Garden State’s famous sons and daughters have made a lasting mark on American entertainment and letters.

Who Runs North Dakota? Governor Kelly Armstrong and State Leadership

North Dakota’s executive branch is led by Governor Kelly Armstrong, a Republican who became the 34th governor in December 2024. A lawyer and former U.S. congressman from the oil-producing west of the state, Armstrong has focused on energy, tax relief, property taxes and workforce.

North Dakota’s government features several independently elected statewide officials alongside the Governor, plus appointed department heads. Key members of state leadership include:

As listed by the State of North Dakota and the Office of the Governor (governor.nd.gov), key members of state leadership include:

Source: State of North Dakota and the Office of the Governor (governor.nd.gov). Several statewide officials are independently elected; department heads are appointed. Officeholders change over time.

Traveling to North Dakota? 1 App for Every Emergency Number

Whether you are exploring North Dakota during this 250th-anniversary year, following its history, or simply passing through, one piece of preparation matters more than any other: knowing who to call in an emergency. The free InfoCons app puts that information in your pocket. Its dedicated SOS section gathers the essential emergency and consumer-protection numbers for the United States and for the individual states, so travelers and residents alike can reach the right service instantly — without searching, without roaming confusion, and without wasting the precious minutes that matter most in a crisis.

Nationwide Emergency Numbers (as listed in the InfoCons app)

Across the United States, the single universal emergency number is 911, which connects callers to police, firefighters, and ambulance services alike. For non-emergency municipal services and information in many cities, 311 is available. The app also lists 1-800-342-3377 for telecommunications complaints and 202-326-2180 for consumer-protection matters at the federal level.

North Dakota Emergency and Assistance Numbers (as listed in the InfoCons app)

For North Dakota specifically, the InfoCons SOS section provides a detailed directory. The core lifelines are:

Police, Ambulance, and Firefighters: 911. Highway Patrol: 800-773-3259. Road conditions: 701-328-7623. Electricity emergency: 800-638-3278. Gas emergency: 701-328-8100.

Consumer protection: Office of the Attorney General — Consumer Protection: 1-800-472-2600 and 701-328-3404. Identity theft: 1-877-438-4338. Department of Financial Institutions (Banking): 701-328-9933. Insurance Department: 1-800-247-0560. Public Service Commission: 1-877-245-6685.

Support: Child abuse reporting: 1-833-958-3500. Domestic violence and sexual assault hotline: 800-656-4673. Animal protection: 701-223-1212. (The nationwide Suicide & Crisis Lifeline can be reached at any time by dialing 988.)

These numbers are provided for convenience and may change over time; in any life-threatening situation, always dial 911 first.

The InfoCons Travel Passport: 1 App, 33 Languages, Every Destination

The InfoCons app is more than an emergency directory — it is designed to function as a genuine “travel passport” for the modern consumer. Available free of charge and offered in 33 internationally spoken languages, it gives users access to accurate, transparent, and independent information wherever they go. For a traveler moving between states — or between countries — that means the emergency numbers, consumer-protection contacts, and practical guidance for each destination are all gathered in a single place, ready before you even land.

The idea is simple but powerful: your safety information should travel with you as reliably as your passport does. Whether you are exploring North Dakota during this 250th-anniversary year or planning a trip abroad next month, the InfoCons app aims to be the first thing you check when you arrive somewhere new — helping you make informed decisions, protect your rights as a consumer, and know exactly whom to call if something goes wrong. Download the free InfoCons app and let your phone become your travel passport for a safer, smarter 250th-anniversary year and beyond.

A Fitting Way to Celebrate 250 Years of Independence

North Dakota’s story — of Mandan villages and Lewis and Clark, of homesteaders breaking the prairie, of Theodore Roosevelt in the badlands, of the Bakken oil boom and the only state-owned bank in America — is a distinctive Northern Plains chapter of the American story. As the nation marks 250 years of independence, the Peace Garden State stands for quiet productivity, self-reliance and wide-open space.

To visit North Dakota is to roam the badlands and the endless wheat under a vast sky. And to visit it prepared — with the InfoCons app and its emergency lifelines close at hand, valuable in a state of long distances and fierce winters — is simply to travel wisely. Here is to the next 250 years — happy semiquincentennial, America.

InfoCons Communication Department