As one of thirteen states sharing a border with Canada, North Dakota gets its name from the American Souix name for “ally ” or “friend.” The “Peace Garden State” might be best known for its colder climate and wide-open landscapes, but in recent times, it has emerged as a surprising haven for retirees seeking a place to spend their golden years. For senior adults looking for close-knit communities, affordable living costs, and a rich historical heritage with numerous outdoor activities to explore, North Dakota delivers. The following eight communities are hidden gems perfect for retirees looking to find a tranquil and peaceful lifestyle far from the rigors and congestion of daily urban life.

Jamestown

Jamestown sits in Stutsman County in the south-central part of the state, with a population of over 15,000 residents. The town was formed in the 1870s and has a rich heritage as a railroad stop, supplying local ranchers with a place for commerce and community to help support their homesteads. The town boasts the North American Bison Discovery Center (formerly the National Buffalo Museum). This fantastic museum is dedicated to restoring the Buffalo through educational and preservation initiatives. The grandkids will love exploring the Frontier Village, with its original pioneer buildings filled with antiques and artifacts. In addition, the world’s largest buffalo sculpture makes for a memorable photo opp. History lovers will enjoy exploring the Stutsman County Memorial Museum, a free historical venue with several floors of interesting displays and stories about local culture.

The median home price is $229,000, and with very reasonable fuel and food costs, seniors will not have to worry about making ends meet. Residents enjoy a cost of living that is about 11% less than the national average and is about average compared to other areas of the state. Healthcare is supplied by Jamestown Regional Medical Center, a 25-bed critical care facility serving a nine-county area. When you visit, be sure to eat at the Buffalo Grill, an excellent dining establishment committed to offering affordable meals to locals and visitors alike. If you can stay during the summer, don’t miss the Buffalo Jam, North Dakota’s premier music festival.

Devil’s Lake

Devils Lake is aptly named for the large mineral-rich lake it borders in the northeastern part of the state. The region has plenty of stunning natural beauty and boasts an extensive list of outdoor activities to enjoy. Retirees can enjoy fishing, boating, and birdwatching around the lake, and Graham’s Island State Park has extra-large camping spots that are perfect for RVs. This community of just over 7,100 residents is close-knit, with very little traffic and a priceless small-town charm.

History enthusiasts will love exploring the Lake Region Heritage Center, housed in the 1910 old Post Office/Federal building. The downtown area features many local businesses, shops, and boutiques. If you visit, the best place for a meal is Old Main Street Cafe, with its eclectic array of old photos, weird collectibles, and delicious meals.

The average home price in Devil’s Lake is a reasonable $240,000, and the living cost is 17% less than the national average. Alexius Health, a 25-bed facility that can handle most medical situations, offers medical care. With nearly 22% of the town’s residents aged 65 and over, it is easy to see why this tranquil place might be the perfect retirement destination.

Minot

Minot is a city in Ward County in the north-central part of the state. With 47,000 residents, it is one of the largest cities in North Dakota and is known primarily for the Air Force Base, which sits fifteen miles north of town. The town began as a railroad hub supplying settlers who ventured across the northern Plains in search of their fortunes. Today, the community is home to Minot State University, serving about 2,500 students every academic year.

Retirees can explore the Scandinavian Heritage Park with its many artifacts and buildings or enjoy strolls along the Souris Valley Trail. The downtown area has many historic buildings and shops that lend to its small-town charm. The Roosevelt Park Zoo, with over 65 species of animals, is a nice way to spend a day with the grandkids when they visit. After visiting the menagerie, try the Starving Rooster downtown for great pizza or homemade sandwiches.

Owning a home in Minot will cost about $289,900, and living costs are just under the national average. One of the best things going for Minot is Trinity Health Regional Healthcare, which just opened a 167-bed medical campus in 2023.

Valley City

Valley City is known as the City of Bridges due to the eight historical bridges surrounding it. This historic town charms retirees with its picturesque landscapes and historic downtown. Residents will enjoy the Sheyenne River Valley Scenic Byway, which offers scenic drives, while Medicine Wheel Park provides a serene setting for relaxation overlooking the town. If you like hiking, the North Country National Scenic Hiking Trail is a must-see. The 4,800-mile trail stretches across eight states, offering several memorable once-in-a-lifetime excursions.

The median value for a home in Valley City is $292,000, with a living cost 14% less than the national average. Healthcare is provided by CHI Mercy Health, which operates a 25-bed hospital, with more specialized care offered in Fargo, which is about an hour away. When you visit, be sure to eat at the Bridges Bar and Grill, which has an excellent beer selection and tasty burgers.

Williston

Known for its robust economy fueled by the oil industry, Williston thrives in the northwest corner of the state, offering retirees a unique blend of urban amenities and small-town charm. This community has numerous outdoor recreational opportunities, from fishing on Lake Sakakawea to exploring the Maah Daah Hey Trail. History buffs will love exploring the Fort Union Trading Post, which operated as an important site for the fur trade between 1828 and 1867.

The downtown area has many boutiques, antique stores, and delicious dining establishments to choose from. Every Mother’s Day weekend, the town celebrates band day, where marching bands show their skills in a large parade and competition. The Williston Basin Air Show is one of the town’s premier events, happening every August.

The average price for a home is a stout $429,000, with home prices being driven up by the oil revenues brought into the community. (The town’s population nearly doubled during 2010 – 2020). Still, the living costs are about 6% less than the national average. Medical care is supplied by the Williston Medical Center and CHI-St. Alexius Healthcare.

Wahpeton

Wahpeton is a hidden gem for retirees seeking a serene and fulfilling lifestyle. Nestled along the Red River’s scenic banks in the state’s southeast corner, this charming town offers good schools, safe streets, and a caring community. Retirees can immerse themselves in the town’s rich history at the Chahinkapa Zoo and explore the fascinating exhibits at the Red Door Art Gallery. For nature enthusiasts, the nearby Chahinkapa Park provides picturesque walking trails and tranquil picnic spots. The town also boasts the Wahpeton Wahper, the world’s largest catfish. This unique work of art is a great photo op.

The median price for a home in Wahpeton is $296,000, with a living cost factor 22% less than the national average. In addition, healthcare options include the St Francis Medical Center, a critical care facility that can handle almost any medical situation. With its blend of local attractions, affordable housing, and access to quality medical care, Wahpeton, North Dakota, stands out as a prime destination for retirees seeking a fulfilling and comfortable retirement lifestyle.

Watford City

Watford City is located in McKenzie County on the western edge of North Dakota. It owes much of its recent development to the state’s oil boom, which has brought significant growth to the town over the last couple of decades. Watford City has seen a remarkable transformation in recent years, but with a solid infrastructure, a warm community spirit, and abundant recreational activities, this small town of 6,000 residents strives to be a great place to live.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park is a great destination for outdoor enthusiasts who enjoy hiking and wildlife viewing. The park is home to bison and wild horses, so keep your eyes peeled as you explore the park’s many hiking trails. It’s not uncommon to spot these majestic animals during your visit. The best place for a steak is Outlaws Bar and Grill, located on South Main.

The median home price is $375,000, and the living cost is slightly higher than the national average. With excellent access to medical care through McKenzie Healthcare System. Nearly 7.4% of the resident population is over 65, but more retirees are flocking to the area every year.

Mandan

Mandan is a small town sitting on the western side of the Upper Missouri River across from Bismarck. The community has a population of just under 25,000 residents and has a rich Native American heritage. History buffs will enjoy the Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park, where visitors can explore reconstructed military buildings and the iconic On-A-Slant Indian Village. Additionally, Mandan boasts an array of outdoor recreational opportunities, from fishing and boating on the river to hiking and camping in the nearby hills. With its picturesque landscapes and vibrant community spirit, Mandan provides residents with a tranquil retreat amidst the rugged beauty of the North Dakota plains.

With its close access to Bismark, there are ample healthcare options, including the Vibra Hospital of the Central Dakotas, a 41-bed critical care facility. The median home price is $370,000, with a living cost of 11% less than the national average. The downtown area has plenty of quaint shops and boutiques to venture through. If you need a place to eat, try Friends Family Restaurant, a local eatery serving home-cooked food and drinks.

In conclusion, North Dakota’s small towns offer retirees a tranquil haven to embrace a slower pace of life, connect with nature, and foster meaningful community ties. Whether you’re drawn to outdoor adventures, cultural attractions, or simply seeking a close-knit community, these eight towns provide the perfect backdrop for a fulfilling retirement lifestyle.

This article was featured in the IAM Summer 2024 Journal and written by IAM Communications Representative Angela Colaizzi.

Pembina is a rural town of 500 people in North Dakota just three miles south of the Canadian border. It is home to only one major employer in the region, the Motor Coach Industries (MCI) bus plant.

MCI has been operating in Pembina since 1963 and has provided family-supporting IAM union jobs to residents of its surrounding areas for decades. So when MCI’s parent company, New Flyer Inc., announced in May 2022 that it would be shuttering the Pembina plant and moving its work to their Crookston, Minn. and Winnipeg, Manitoba facilities, workers and community members were shocked, heartbroken and in disbelief.

“One or two of us left the same day they announced the closure,” said Jennifer Winkler, president of IAM Local W384, which represents the 175 members who work at MCI.

“It was shocking. We thought they were just reviewing the process here or making sure we were meeting our goals,” said Winkler. “We didn’t know the stand-up meeting was over a closure. So when they announced it, everybody was shocked. A few people were swearing, and others were crying.”

Local W384 members, who decided to continue working up until the last day in hopes that New Flyer would change its mind, asked the company what they could do to keep work in Pembina. 

IAM District 5 Directing Business Representative Jeremy Pearson and Assistant Directing Business Representative Joe Schwartz were on the phone immediately with Winkler. The union had suspected the year prior that MCI was taking steps toward closing the plant and was prepared to fight it in every way possible, and at minimum, make sure that Local W384 members were taken care of up until the end.

IAM BRINGS THE FIGHT

The plant was set to close on June 8, 2023, a year after the announcement, and the union entered into effects bargaining with the company, but also jumped into action to try to change the company’s decision and keep jobs in Pembina.

“That was just the attitude most of us had, to continue to do our work well, and do what we needed to do,” said Winkler.

“These members have worked hard. They’ve never given up,” said Schwartz. “In every labor-management meeting we went into, we talked to about keeping the plant open. We asked them what the Machinists Union can do to keep the plant open.”

The plant manager gave hope to those who stayed that the company could reverse its decision.

“[The plant manager] always had that enthusiasm at our labor-management meetings that we could keep the plant open,” said Winkler. “He kept saying ‘I plan to retire from here. We have to do what it takes. You guys keep doing what you’re doing, and we can turn this around.’ I think that kept people working hard, hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst,” said Winkler.

Just a few days after the closure announcement, the IAM penned a letter to North Dakota’s congressional delegation asking for their assistance in saving MCI’s 175 IAM jobs.

The IAM Political and Legislative Department also raised the union’s concerns to North Dakota’s congressional delegation about the effect this plant closure would have on the area’s economy and surrounding communities.

Schwartz met with all of North Dakota’s legislators while at the IAM’s Legislative Conference. He had conversations with them about what could be done to give MCI incentives to stay in Pembina.

“One of the costs associated with this plant is that its energy comes from oil fuel that is very expensive,” said Schwartz. “They do have a natural gas line that is close by them,
and that’s one of the things that we’ve been pushing on legislators and local officials: to get that natural pipeline brought into Pembina so that the company could cut their costs as far as running the plant goes.”

The IAM Communications Department made sure the union’s efforts to fight the company’s plans were publicized in the press. The IAM launched a letter-writing campaign to North Dakota’s congressional delegation, asking for the legislators to push back against MCI’s decision and rethink devastating these North Dakotans and their families.

U.S. Sens. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) and John Hoeven (R-N.D.), along with U.S. Rep. Kelly Armstrong (R-N.D.) joined the IAM’s fight and expressed their desire to work with MCI, IAM members in Pembina, and state and local officials to preserve these jobs and ensure the continued success of the Pembina facility, which MCI said is one of the company’s two facilities that “made goals” and “were profitable” during the first quarter of 2022.

HOPE FROM HARD WORK

The continued strong work ethic from Local W384 members, combined with pressure from the union and North Dakota’s legislators, held off closure in the short term. In April 2023, MCI announced the Pembina plant would operate until at least 2025.

Local W394 members kept up hope, and the IAM kept pushing for solutions that would keep the plant alive. The Midwest Territory offered to assist MCI in initiating a training program for Local W384 members, who have always worked on building diesel buses but would need to learn how to produce a new line of electric-powered coaches that were intended to be built in Crookston.

The company had invested millions in expanding its Crookston facility for the electric coach line, but that facility was proving to be incapable of fulfilling orders.

While IAM members in Pembina were continuing to exceed goals performing the highly specialized work to build custom coaches, the Crookston facility was failing to meet customer orders. MCI was having to move unfinished and incorrectly manufactured coaches from Crookston to Pembina for Local W384 members to fix and complete.

“At one point this facility that was going to close was the only facility that had met its production goals among all of MCI’s facilities,” said IAM District 5 Directing Business Representative Jeremy Pearson. “Even throughout all that turmoil, they were dedicated up here. They were going to continue to get their work done, produce high-quality buses, and show the company essentially what they’d be missing.”

Pearson contacted MCI’s largest customer, New Jersey Transit, to question if MCI would be capable of supplying the high-quality, custom motorcoaches they were accustomed to without the Pembina plant.

At last, in November 2023, MCI told the union that the plant would remain open indefinitely and that it was because of Local W384 members’ deep dedication and unmatched work ethic.

“It finally came across to the company that this is the plant we need to keep open,” said Schwartz. “This is our bottom line here. These folks know how to build a bus, and they continue with it to this day.”

The pride that Local W384 members take in building a valued and respectable product is what saved their jobs.

“In the end, that was one of the reasons the company gave for staying here,” said Pearson. “Because of the workforce and their dedication, MCI couldn’t leave here. They’d be losing too big of an asset.”

MAKING AMENDS

While the union had been garnering external pressure to keep the plant open in 2022, Schwartz and IAM Midwest Territory Grand Lodge Representative William LePinske had been negotiating with MCI about the implications of its decision to shut down in Pembina, a process called effects bargaining.

MCI had orders to meet before the impending shutdown and agreed to a retention bonus for Local W384 members who would stay long enough to complete the buses.

“The company had been adamant that the plant would be shut down,” said LePinske. “Our priority was ensuring that whether the plant stayed open a month longer or forever, these members were going to be paid for completing its final production orders and not just leaving, despite being told their jobs would be gone in June.”

LePinske negotiated a severance package with a definite payout on June 8, 2023, and even though MCI did reverse course, the company held up its end of the deal, and every employee got their retention bonus and severance pay on the agreed-upon day.

“This is an incredible story with a rare ending,” said IAM Midwest Territory General Vice President Sam Cicinelli. “All levels of our union were deployed in force and worked together. From the Local to the District, the Midwest Territory, and the International, this was a results-driven group of Fighting Machinists who never backed down. With the collective efforts of all involved, we were able to save 175 Machinists Union livelihoods.”

(WDAY Radio) — Bobcat is using innovative clean energy technology to help power both of its North Dakota plants.

Fuel cells convert natural gas into electricity and heat.  The cells were produced by HyAxiom, and have supplied facilities across the country with similar energy options. While the plants don’t run entirely on the fuel cells, each one puts out around 460 kilowatt-hours of power, which makes a big difference and allow for the plants to largely supply for their own energy needs.

“We are proud to be at the forefront of sustainable energy solutions with the installation of these new stationary fuel cells,” said Mike Ballweber, president, Doosan Bobcat North America, in a statement to WDAY Radio. “This is just one example of our commitment to advancing our facilities today for a better tomorrow.” 

The Bismarck plant has three cells, while the Gwinner plant has eleven.