County

Burleigh County, North Dakota Retirement Score

Burleigh County is a stronger fit for retirees who prioritize lower hazard exposure and practical costs, but it is less appealing for those who want milder weather or a stronger retiree-oriented setting. Use this page to understand why it scores the way it does before moving into side-by-side comparisons.

Overall Retirement Score
58
Around average

Quick takeaway

Best for: lower-risk profile, practical costs, cleaner air

Think twice if: milder weather is a top priority, a retiree-heavy feel matters most

Score breakdown

Affordability
59
Less affordable than average
Healthcare Access
81
Strong
Climate Comfort
35
Below average
Disaster Risk
82
Strong
Air Quality
54
Around average
Retiree Fit
40
Below average

At a glance

Median rent
$998
Median home value
$324,000
Age 65+
17%
Climate
Cold winters, dry climate
Healthcare
Around-average access
Risk
Low hazard exposure
Air quality
Above average

Good fit for

Retirees who want a lower-risk, practical Midwestern base and can tolerate a colder climate.

Less ideal for

Retirees who are highly climate-sensitive or want a more established retirement destination.

Biggest strengths

  • Risk is one of the strongest parts of the profile.
  • Affordability is supportive.
  • Air quality is better than average.

Biggest tradeoffs

  • Climate comfort is the main weakness.
  • Retiree fit is more neutral than strong.

Affordability

Burleigh County scores above average for affordability and offers a relatively practical housing profile.

Healthcare Access

Healthcare access is around average and more workable than exceptional.

Climate Comfort

Climate comfort is weak for many retirees because winter severity is a major factor.

Disaster Risk

Disaster risk is one of the county’s clearest strengths because hazard exposure is relatively low.

Air Quality

Air quality is above average and helps offset some of the climate tradeoff.

Retiree Fit

Retiree fit is around average and less of a selling point than cost or lower hazard exposure.

Similar places to consider

Cass County, North Dakota

Similar for key retirement tradeoffs, but with a different mix of cost, climate, risk, or healthcare.

Minnehaha County, South Dakota

Similar for key retirement tradeoffs, but with a different mix of cost, climate, risk, or healthcare.

Kanawha County, West Virginia

Similar for key retirement tradeoffs, but with a different mix of cost, climate, risk, or healthcare.

How to interpret this retirement score

Use the overall score as a quick summary, then look at the category scores to see whether affordability, healthcare, climate, air quality, disaster risk, or retiree fit is driving the result. A place can still be a good fit for you even if one category is a clear tradeoff.

Best next step after this page

Use compare pages when you have two realistic finalists. If you are still building the shortlist, use the related rankings and the broader state page to find nearby or similarly ranked alternatives.

Frequently asked questions

Is Burleigh County, North Dakota affordable for retirees?

Burleigh County scores above average for affordability and offers a relatively practical housing profile.

What is the biggest retirement tradeoff here?

Climate comfort is the main weakness.

What to do next

Use this page as a narrowing step, then compare it directly against nearby or similarly ranked counties and metros. The overall score is the summary; the category scores explain the tradeoffs.