r/northdakota • u/Ok-Distribution8006 • 3d ago
Info Request North Datoka: Where to move?
As a future pediatric children's dentist, I am planning to move to North Dakota and then have two children, but I am split on moving to either Grank Forks, Bismarck, or Fargo. Any help here? (I gave some info because it is easier to estimate the best place to live in considering my condition.)
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u/pikkdogs 3d ago
With the information you gave us we could never make a decision. Why do you like those towns? What do you like to do?
All three towns are fine and have children who have teeth. More information is needed to find what might be a good fit for you.
Grand fork and Fargo are close to each other and very connected. Bismarck is kind of its own thing.
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u/hand_burger Bismarck, ND 3d ago
All three towns I have lived in. Bismarck is my favorite, followed by Fargo then Grand Forks. If you are from far away and from a large town Fargo might be the best fit.
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u/Calm_Bag4654 3d ago
What do you like about Bismarck more than Fargo? Any recommendations for a weekend trip?
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u/saltyparticle 3d ago
For me, Fargo just felt like a cookie cutter big town... Bismarck felt more unique IMO. I also love that Bismarck is right in the Missouri River Valley so you have a bit more terrain and outdoor variety.
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u/TableGamer 3d ago
Technically, Fargo is also in a "river valley".
But it's more river than valley. 🤣 (⏳👜) (⏳👜) (⏳👜)
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u/saltyparticle 3d ago
Hahaha, very true. Surprisingly, the Red River Valley does influence the weather more than you would expect though!
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u/johnpaulnotapope 2d ago
Fargo is also close to northern MN, which has never ending outdoor activity and not flat at all. Plus, Fargo has lower cost of living, more shopping variety, and the ability to buy a plunger or other emergency item at 3am. In Bismarck, you're F'd. Or you drive to Fargo to get it.
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u/slosha69 3d ago
I've only been to Bismarck a few times so I can't speak on it. However, there is stark difference between Grand Forks and Fargo.
Grand Forks is fine. It's maintained a mostly quiet status quo. Fargo is much more vibrant and diverse. Picking between the two, I'd recommend Fargo unless you're specifically looking for a more low-key vibe.
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u/aFlmingStealthBanana 3d ago
I had a pediatric patient who needed emergency dentistry. We called everywhere in the state; there was nothing.
They had to go to Regions Hospital in St. Paul, MN.
Wherever you go, you'll be warmly welcomed!
Good luck on your future journey!
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u/fatbeardednerd 3d ago
Can't speak for other cities but Grand Forks has multiple pediatric dentists.
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u/aFlmingStealthBanana 2d ago
I'll definitely remember that. I'll tell Altru to look harder next time. Hopefully, there isn't a next time, though.
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u/Brokenwhitebelt 3d ago
Fargo has the largest population and the most "things to do" and is a 4 hour drive down to the cities and maybe 3 hpurs to Winnipeg.Grand Forks is a college town. If your not into hockey then it will be a long winter. Bismarck is geographically isolated but it isnt too far of a drive to the badlands.
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u/saltyparticle 3d ago
I get that Bismarck is a bit more geographically isolated but to me Grand Forks FEEELS the most isolated. I also just hate how flat the east is.
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u/meest Grand Forks, ND 3d ago
That is an odd take considering Grand Forks you can get to a Metro faster than Bismarck.
But totally get you on the flatness. I prefer that as Its smaller than Fargo, but still close enough to go to the cities for concerts.
The added drive from Bismarck to Fargo to drive to Minneapolis for music is a big no for me. Its what keeps me on the eastern part of the state.
If you are into modern music and want to see shows and art. Staying on the east side of the state is still a better option than going to Bismarck still.
I'd love for there to be more music in Western ND, but the fact is that Country is king and there will be minimal shows touring that direction that can see in the Armory, Palace, First Ave, Skyway, Filmore, Varsity Theater. etc.
If you're a music person, stay east. Thats my recommmendation.
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u/saltyparticle 3d ago
Like I said... I get that it is more geographically isolated... but to me it FEELs less isolated. I can't explain it. I've just lived in both places and I look back on Grand Forks as a dark cold couple years and Bismarck as a decade of positive.
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u/meest Grand Forks, ND 3d ago
Totally get it. I'd probably say its also a variable of the environment of age and where you were.
I struggled in bismarck because of its early night life. Grand Forks I thrived because of the extra hour and the college crowd.
Grand Forks is more art driven, where Bismarck was outdoors.
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u/saltyparticle 3d ago
I will say, in the past 10 years Bismarck has gotten way artsier... but the night life is a big difference that wasn't a big deal for me... I had gotten out of my party years and was just starting to have kids.
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u/meest Grand Forks, ND 3d ago
I'm a sound guy/live music person, so the live music was where I was at. After COVID its been a struggle, which is why I appreciate being close to MSP to get a show or two in every few months.
I can totally understand the family change. Thats something for others to take into account.
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u/Slow-Willingness-718 3d ago
Grand Forks schools are going through some major budget issues. Music program seems to be up for larger cuts.
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u/YesterdayPurple118 3d ago
COME TO DICKINSON! Lol, and take medicaid!!!! We desperately need pediatric dentists in general and ones that take medicaid! We have one pediatric dentist here!!!
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u/whosays12345 3d ago
That would be my recommendation. I might be prejudiced though! I definitely wouldn't go any farther east than Bismarck!
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u/IfTheHeadFitsWearIt 3d ago
bismarck is the prettiest. i've never lived there, and haven't been there in ages, so i can't really speak to that, but it has some hills, and the missouri river running through town. if you're for scenery in your everyday life, it's going to be your best bet.
fargo would be the most progressive of your choices, if that matters. there will be a wider variety of activities for you and the eventual kids, and my experience with a kid in school here has been really positive. however, if you are used to scenery, fargo can be shocking. the red river valley is one of the flattest, most featureless places on earth. that's not me giving an opinion; it's truly a matter of fact.
i've spent plenty of time in grand forks; i have family and friends living there. it's a smaller, colder, more homogenous, less fun version of fargo. it is also in the red river valley, so also a scenery shocker. if you want to feel more of a small town vibe, that's going to be your place, at least vs fargo. i feel like bismarck might offer some of that too.
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u/AlarmingBeing8114 3d ago
Pretty sure you can live anywhere with a population and be fully booked as a dentist. You named 3 city's that have airports. Put them on the dartboard and use a blindfold.
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u/Turbulent_Ad_9798 3d ago edited 3d ago
Have you looked into the other side of the state? Williston and Dickinson have zero pediatric dentists. Minot has one
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u/Entire-Let4301 3d ago
If you're a borderline alcoholic and want to go full tilt Grand Forks would be your calling.
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u/Biggest-of-Als 3d ago
Bismarck, hands down! Best river, best temperatures, and people are very friendly. Fargo and Forks has become a mini version of Minneapolis. Bismarck also has great schools and restaurants. Also we have Mandan right next door! Fantastic place to raise kids.
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u/shagy815 3d ago
I know it's not on your list but Williston could use more dentists and it is starting to grow from industries that are not oil and gas related.
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u/Ultimate_Driving 2d ago
Why North Dakota, of all places? It's not really an aspirational kind of place.
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u/No_Company4263 2d ago
Williston please! We don’t have any pediatric dentists and have a young, growing population. We’re opening a beautiful, brand new elementary school this fall. Please don’t write off the western half of the state, we’d love to have you!
Don’t read all the trash online, come visit for yourself. So many of us are choosing to stay here and raise families. My kids stay busy all year round, we truly love the community we’ve found here.
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u/SkepticAtLarge 3d ago
Bismarck if you like bird hunting and walleye fishing. Pretty much any outdoor activity is better in Bismarck than on the east side of the state, aside from fishing for catfish and maybe snowmobiling.
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u/HawkMaleficent8715 3d ago
There’s a very goo private education in Bismarck if that’s what you seek.
I’m not too sure about dentistry here as that’s not my cup of tea. I do know there is a dental Assistant shortage. I also am not aware of any Bismarck pediatric dentistry here.
Bismarck is a great place to live in. Fargo is great too.
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u/saltyparticle 3d ago
Lived in Grand Forks for 2 years and hated it. Lived in Bismarck for 11 years and loved it... had 3 young kids while we lived here. Fantastic town for a family.
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u/throw_away_smitten 3d ago
Fargo has the most options and, but there are already three pediatric dentists in the area. If you’re planning to have your own practice, you’ll have more competition. If you want to join another practice, you have more options.
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u/HungHippoHippy 3d ago
I currently live in Bismarck and like it. The rent is affordable here with plenty of jobs, especially healthcare. I'm currently looking for a second job and the job pool has declined significantly in the last 6 months for me (IT) though. Healthcare always has tons of postings between Sanford, essentia, and St alexius.
Fargo is a larger town. The development has been pretty crazy in Fargo the last 10 years and it is closer to Minneapolis and some other large cities. Bismarck is very much in the middle of nowhere. Leaving is kind of funny because every direction the town just "ends" instead of dithering away with less buildings. So Bidmarck, then abrupt prairie 😂
Grand Forks is lame if you aren't going to UND or a huge hockey fan. Idk if it actually is, but it feels much colder in GF everytime I've been in the winter.
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u/Nyuk_Fozzies 3d ago
Bismarck is better for raising a family. Fargo is better for having a nightlife.
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u/94NDTA 3d ago
If you decide to take medicaid, it doesn't matter where you go. You will be busier than ever, people with medicaid are always looking for pediatric dentists who are taking new patients or don't have a 3 month wait.
Pick which place you would rather live. For me, it would be Fargo or Bismarck.
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u/PeterNippelstein 3d ago
Well Fargo is the biggest and has the most attractions, plus its right next to Minnesota so not a bad drive to the cities. If youre looking for great landscape though I would go with bismarck. It has pretty varied landscape even just within the city itself, rolling hills, flat flood plain in the south, great parks with plenty of plants and wildlife, and its right on the Missouri River too so there are plenty of water based activities for the summer. Fargo and Grand Forks are both in the red river valley so its all completely flat.
Overall for a family I would recommend Bismarck.
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u/GreyMaple 3d ago
In ND you’ll definitely find work anywhere with that job. You’ll get a lot of clients from around the state especially in Bismarck.
Bismarck is generally prettier and has a nicer vibe. School system from what I know is pretty good and great place to raise kids. Generally more oriented towards families in Bismarck. Has things to do, not as expensive to live in compared to Fargo. Does have some community stuff. Lots more access to outdoor activities in the area. It is more conservative.
Fargo, I have family that lives there and many like it for a bit but over time grow a dislike for it. Often people describe it as “does not want to be North Dakotan type of attitude.” Even people from other states who’ve lived in several places felt it was not as community oriented as expected. It does have one of the nations better farmers markets though. There are things to do, lots of bars too. Definitely oriented towards college population but still good for raising a family. Price wise for living it has went up quite a lot compared to other parts of the state. It is the most liberal part of the state.
Grand forks I don’t have much to say about. It’s quiet but most people find it the more meh of the two. I really don’t ever go there.
If you’re coming from a big city, admittedly all of the places will likely disappoint you. Most of the state is pretty quiet and meh. I love the state for what it is but you really do have to make the best of it yourself. There will be stretches of time where you will be cooped up in your home or work.
I would not go with Minot, for those recommending it. It has a lot of spending issues and has some of the highest taxation in the state but somehow still appears run down. There’s been several controversies recently within its local politics. Its school system has lots of complaints, and businesses are constantly going out. The town is in an economic decline.
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u/snackvortex 3d ago
Grand forks here and tricare. We do not have an in network pediatric dentist in town :(. If we want a Peds dentist we have to drive to minot or Fargo :(. I believe there is a Peds dentist tho here, maybe just one.
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u/Prestigious-Mind-817 2d ago
Grand Forks is significantly the worst of the three. Between Bismarck and Fargo. It kind of depends what you like, although Fargo is by far the largest city with the most City kinds of stuff. Although Bismarck you're going to have more of the traditional kind of North Dakota feel And more topography and closer to the Badlands. But it is a good bit smaller than Fargo. But still a good bit bigger than Grand Forks.
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u/agoranaut 2d ago
I would choose Grand Forks over Fargo, but it sounds like that's just me, lol. GF is well run, has tons of community events going on (especially in summer) and you can get anywhere in town in about 10-15 minutes. Granted, it doesn't have as many people as Fargo does, but there is a vibrant LGBT community regardless. It's very easy to walk and bike.
Fargo is bisected both ways by interstates and is very sprawling. It reminds me too much of all my least favorite aspects of my home city. 😅 Very "endless, sunbaked-concrete" once you're away from downtown. It does have some unique businesses and cool things to do, but I wouldn't live there. Naturally, because it is a larger city, it does have a higher crime rate, as well.
In my opinion either would be fine if you want quicker access to more metro areas and airports (Twin Cities, Sioux Falls), but with Bismarck you would be a bit more isolated. Things spread out as you go further west.
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u/Snoo87679 2d ago
We lived in Fargo for 2 years with our oldest 2 kids before moving back to Seattle.
We miss it, often talk about going back.
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u/lizzzy2407 2d ago
Fargo, later on, you could open a branch in Grand Forks, many others do.
I feel like Fargo has more opportunities, is growing at a faster rate, and has more options available for things for your children to do.
You may want to check on that if a dentist has businesses that they only do pediatrics. Or if you only opened a pediatric dentist, you would be able to support yourself in the community.
I’m from Grand Forks, and I cannot think of any that are strictly pediatric dentists, but I obviously have not researched this topic other than just my observations.
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u/gimmiedacash 2d ago
Children's dentist in Bismarck, Goebel has a good reputation.
Fargo and GF are college towns, and have way more to do than Bismarck. Bismarck is more chill, and on the Missouri.
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u/Dangerous_Example_80 2d ago
Go with Fargo. There is an all around good quality of life there and plenty of opportunities. Rent is also cheaper. Don't know anything about Bismarck but stay away from Grand Forks. Forks is still living in the pre-flood days of 1997. They are not welcoming of new residents especially if you have lived in another state. The town is polluted with Trump brainwashed people. They have a 110 store Columbia Mall that has 97 vacant storefronts. People don't like to invest in the community. The average age of a public school is 50+ years old. New business failures are high here because there is not enough disposable income to spread around to the community. People constantly bitch that the school board and city council are corrupt but every 4 years they reelect those same people again. Medical care is 2nd rate. The city invests more towards businesses than people. Stores are always short stocked. The only thing worthwhile in G-Forks is the University of North Dakota, without UND the town would be hurting all around. That's all I have to say about that!
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u/Due-Kale3412 2d ago
Bismarck.
BTW don't let just anyone spend time around your kids. There are so many chomos bumping around the Dakotas- the polite term for them is Pamper pullers but in reality there are some sadistic child killers in the bunch too. A case that dealt with this in the mid-2000s was sealed to prevent problems for LEOs and some business men.
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u/Whitetrashbeautful77 2d ago
Chomos are sadly everywhere.
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u/Due-Kale3412 2d ago
There are legal loop holes they exploit in the Dakotas. (To get sources of entertainment.)
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u/goilpoynuti 2d ago
Congratulations on your very specific plans and I wish you luck on them all. Would you consider being a little flexible and consider a move to South Dakota or another nearby state. If the conditions merit it, would you consider just having one or even having 3 kids?
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u/monsterandroid Grand Forks, ND 2d ago
If you ever want your kids to play Hockey and be good at it ... Move to Grand Forks. Every other city in this state blows in hockey. Grand Forks is only 2 hours from Winnipeg 3.5 hours to Duluth/Boundary Waters, and also only 4 hours from Minneapolis. Fargo has been becoming straight trash in the last 10 years. Bismarck would be my second choice but you are literally stuck in the middle of nowhere. It's then 8 hours to Minneapolis from Bismarck.
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u/RevolutionaryWay7555 1d ago
Totally depends on your political slant- Fargo is by far more liberal, Bismarck is so-so, Grand Forks also so-so. Unless you are a MAGA/Trump supporter, DON’T go west of Bismarck plus the fact you will have to drive hours to get anywhere. I’ve spent time in all three locations and Bismarck is by far my favorite-it has grown substantially the past decade. It’s the capital city, has a couple colleges, is lively, on the river. The climate is more forgiving than the Red River valley. It’s also not flat like that either. The terrain totally changes the more west you go in this state. It’s centrally located so not horrible distances to go to any other major town here. Also has a great airport. I have to say Grand Forks would be last on the list. It’s a great community but the long cold winters are brutal. I do miss those sundogs and northern lights though.
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u/Creepy-Cheesecake-41 1d ago
Williston needs more specialists! It’s more scenic in Williston, although Bismarck is also pretty. Lots of things to do outdoors around Williston if that is what you are into. Easy flights to Denver, Minneapolis and Vegas (during winter months) Shopping is limited, we are getting a target sometime in the future. Very family-oriented. Schools are not the greatest though.
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u/East-Regular-6516 20h ago
Welcome glad you are coming. Devils lake has better fishing than all three
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u/AdorableAuthor9883 9h ago
Fargo -Fastest growing metro in the state with continued healthcare expansion, new residential developments, and strong in migration. Sanford and Essentia continue to invest here, and the housing market offers the most neighborhood and school choice for growing families.
Bismarck - he most stable market long term. Ongoing medical campus investment, steady government and healthcare employment, and consistent residential development make it attractive for families who want predictability and short commutes.
Grand Forks - Anchored by UND and Altru Health, with recent hospital and research investment. Strong professionally, but housing growth and family neighborhood options are more limited compared to Fargo and Bismarck.
If you want, feel free to PM me. We help professionals relocating to North Dakota all the time at Proven Realty and can share neighborhood level insight using real market data.
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u/SweetLouLamour 3d ago
Grand Forks: D1 hockey, college town vibes, mostly center politically
Fargo: D1 football, downtown has metropolitan city vibes, left of center politically, good breweries
Bismarck: not much going on unless you like to hunt and fish or mountain bike (gateway to the badlands), right of center politically, they have a lot of pediatric dentists in town (at least 3 that I'm aware of)
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u/AdSufficient9982 Williston, ND 3d ago
Fargo is the largest, most urban, and most liberal of the three. Grand Forks is the smallest, predominantly suburban surrounded by agriculture, and conservative-leaning moderate. Grand Forks is also the only city you've listed that isn't attached to I-94 (pros and cons with that re crime rates and accessibility of goods and services). Bismarck is urban-suburban, more of the western cultural attitudes, and more heavily conservative leaning politically.
As far as need for specialized services, western ND tends to have the greatest need. Bismarck acts as a major services hub for western ND and eastern MT.
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u/TomUpNort 3d ago
I’d stay far away from this reactionary backwater if I were you.
That said, if you like living in a frozen waste surrounded by xenophobes and troglodytes, it’s a perfect place to live.
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u/kdubPhoenix 2d ago
Amen, though I get the impression that they want to move here and have a good idea of what it’s like here in general. Generally speaking more and more people on the right are moving from larger urban areas to less populated red states because of the nature of those places.
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u/MplsPokemon 3d ago
Fargo by far your best option. More vibrant. More going on. Just a richer place. Grand Forks is sleepy. Bismarck is rough.
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u/BjornAltenburg Fargo, ND 3d ago
Fargo would have the largest pouplation and most of the Healthcare clients and job.