Obviously there are a million reasons you should live, and/or continue to live in North Dakota, but let's start with ten. For some reason, North Dakota tends to get unfavorable mentions in TV shows and movies, so I've taken it upon myself to set the record straight and put those haters in their place. Here are ten reason North Dakota is awesome.

1. Cost of Living 

North Dakota is known for being pretty affordable. According to meric.mo.gov, North Dakota ranks at number 27 of all 51 states and territories. The state with the lowest cost of living is Mississippi, while the most expensive is Hawaii. North Dakota is right in the middle.

2. Weather 

Okay, before you go crazy, yes, we do get a lot of snow, but... the tradeoff is that we don’t get much of anything else. You’ll never hear that North Dakota’s experienced some devastating Earthquake, and we get few, if any, tornadoes. 

So yes, it snows and gets cold, but if you’re over six years old, you’re probably not spending a lot of time frolicking outside. Besides, we get plenty of sun in the summer months.

3. We’re Clean 

People are all about the environment here. We boast about our clean air, but it's not just that. You really don’t see much littering here. The same goes for vandalism. We had one guy graffitiing the town recently. It was so alarming to residents and so rare that it made news headlines. It’s definitely not the norm. 

In a literal sense of the word, we’re also clean in the way of drug use. According to WalletHub, North Dakota ranks as one of the lowest for drug problems. Of the 51 states and US territories, North Dakota comes in at number 46.

4. No Bugs 

If you’re from any other state, you immediately notice the peace and comfort that comes from North Dakota’s lack of pests. Don’t get me wrong, there are some, but I have yet to see them. It’s a non-issue here.  

I come from the South. There are mosquitos the size of your fist. The bugs scream so loud at night it will literally keep you up. June bugs will try to burrow in your hair; it’s honestly the worst thing ever. The only bugs I’ve found in North Dakota are those I’ve actively sought out. Like, I know there are critters out there.... but WHERE? They can be found with a little effort, but for the most part, they don’t make an appearance in your life. It’s wonderful. 

5. Country Music 

We get a lot of country artists, whether it be at the state fair or Country Fest, we are definitely full of musical fun. We’ve even recently gotten a few EDM and pop artists to come through. 

I mean don’t expect Coachella, but it’s certainly not an uneventful state.

6. DINOSAURS! 

Yep, we have them! To my surprise, North Dakota is known for dinosaur fossils. If you fly into Bismarck Airport, you’ll notice a triceratops head just chilling at the gate in glass case. There are dig sites throughout the state; a notable one is called “Tanis”. That dig site is actually where they recently found a dinosaur leg with the skin still on it. Paleontologists argue that findings from the Tansi dig site prove the asteroid extinction theory. It’s NUTS. 

7. Sweetest Summers 

North Dakotan’s love their summers. We do spend a lot of time indoors during the winter months, but hell hath no fury for when summer comes. We go all out to make up for lost time. We hit the river, we hike the trails, we do it all.  

Plus, Summers aren’t miserably hot. Coming from the South, I noticed the air is thinner, so if you don't feel like you’re wearing a wetsuit when you step outside. The humidity isn’t really a big thing. 

8. Allergies 

Pollen season is like nothing at all in North Dakota. Some people who grew up in the state might not agree with me on this but take a trip 17 hours south, then talk to me about the pollen. I’ve maybe had one sinus infection since I moved here. That’s it. My sniffer is ba-da-da-da-daaah, lovin’ it.  

9. People are Nice 

You may have heard the phrase “North Dakota Nice;” the people of North Dakota pride themselves on being hardworking, caring individuals. We’re always willing to lend a helping hand. It’s one of those things you have to come here and see for yourself. It’s truly something special. 

 

10. Community Outreach 

Now this kind of goes hand-in-hand with being “North Dakota Nice,” but North Dakota has so many food pantries and community programs --it's nice to know that if you fall on hard times, the community will be there to support you. You never know what life will throw at you. 

 Honorable mention to one of our cool nicknames, "NoDak."

 

That's all I've got for now! Thanks for reading and keep sharing your love for North Dakota around!


 

 

Movies That Mention North Dakota

 

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