Williston, North Dakota
Williston is a city of 28,056 people in Williams County, North Dakota, founded in 1887.
Why visit Williston
Townapedia lists 7 museums and landmarks, 13 parks and trails, 32 places to eat, 14 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Grand Theatre, Williston State College, Creaser Building and James Memorial Library.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 84°F; January lows average 1°F, and about 48 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Williston
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Williston
Williston is a city in and the county seat of Williams County, North Dakota, United States. The 2020 census gave its population as 29,160, making Williston the sixth-most populous city in North Dakota.
From the Wikipedia article Williston, North Dakota (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Williston State College
School · 2.7 mi
Public community college in Williston, North Dakota, United States
1410 University Avenue, Williston
Museums and landmarks7
Creaser Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.3 mi
Commercial building in Williston, United States
James Memorial Library
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.0 mi
Former library in Williston, North Dakota, United States
Old Armory
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.2 mi
Military facility in North Dakota, United States of America
Old U.S. Post Office
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.1 mi
Building in North Dakota, United States
Williston High School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.5 mi
Public high school in Williston, North Dakota, USA
Sloulin Field International Airport (historic)
Monument and historic site · 1.0 mi
Parks, trails and playgrounds13
1 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes32
Cold Stone Creamery
Ice cream · Ice Cream · 1.6 mi
3210 27th Street West, Williston
Mo-Su 11:00-22:00
20 more on the map.
History
Founded in 1887, Williston was named for Daniel Willis James, a merchant and capitalist, by his friend, railroad magnate James J. Hill.
In 1907 Williston was the site of a rolling cyclone that killed two people.
From the History section of Williston, North Dakota on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay14
Days Inn & Suites by Wyndham Williston
Motel and hotel · 2.0 mi
1525 9th Avenue Northwest, Williston
Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham Williston
Motel and hotel · 1.2 mi
3701 4th Avenue West, Williston
Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham Williston
Motel and hotel · 1.1 mi
3820 4th Avenue West, Williston
The Grand Williston Hotel & Conference Center
Motel and hotel · 1.3 mi
3601 2nd Avenue, Williston
Churches and places of worship5
Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses
Place of worship · Jehovahs Witness · 1.7 mi
11 65th Street East, Williston
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Church · Latter Day Saints · 1.5 mi
1805 26th Street West, Williston
Shopping4
Gas and EV charging5
Schools, colleges and libraries21
Williston Middle School Central Campus Pk
School · 2.4 mi
501 14Th St W, Williston
Healthcare1
Map of Williston
104 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 22°F | 1°F | 0.6 in | 11.2 in |
| Feb | 27°F | 6°F | 0.5 in | 6.7 in |
| Mar | 40°F | 18°F | 0.6 in | 6.4 in |
| Apr | 56°F | 29°F | 1.1 in | 3.7 in |
| May | 67°F | 40°F | 2.1 in | 0.9 in |
| Jun | 77°F | 50°F | 2.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 84°F | 56°F | 2.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 84°F | 54°F | 1.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 73°F | 44°F | 1.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 56°F | 30°F | 0.9 in | 2.6 in |
| Nov | 38°F | 17°F | 0.7 in | 6.3 in |
| Dec | 26°F | 6°F | 0.6 in | 10.4 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Williston Sloulin Intl Ap 72767 (1 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Williams County has had 12 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-09-01: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes (Severe Storm)
- 2024-12-24: Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds (Fire)
- 2022-07-13: Severe Winter Storm And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2021-09-01: Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2020-04-01: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Williston Basin International Airport (XWA) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 7 miles away.
- Trenton 12 mi southwest, about 20 min by car
- Ray 24 mi northeast, about 39 min by car
- Bainville 27 mi west, about 43 min by car
- Fairview 30 mi southwest, about 48 min by car
- Watford City 32 mi southeast, about 52 min by car
- Grenora 33 mi northwest, about 52 min by car
- Tioga 35 mi northeast, about 57 min by car
- Culbertson 40 mi west, about 1 h by car
- Froid 40 mi west, about 1 h by car
- Sidney 41 mi southwest, about 1 h by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Williston, North Dakota 10-18-2008, Andrew Filer from Seattle (ex-Minneapolis), CC BY-SA 2.0
- OLD ARMORY, JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ MD, CC BY-SA 3.0
- JAMES MEMORIAL LIBRARY, JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ MD, CC BY-SA 3.0
- OLD U.S. POST OFFICE, JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ MD, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Creaser Building, Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
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