Why does water hardness vary across North Dakota?

Water hardness varies across North Dakota because utilities can use different groundwater wells, reservoirs, treatment plants, blends, and distribution zones. Private wells can also differ from nearby municipal water.

What city in North Dakota has the hardest water?

New Hradec has the hardest water among higher-confidence North Dakota city pages at 632 PPM. Check the city page for local systems and ZIP codes before making treatment decisions.

Does this include municipal water, well water, or both?

The state report combines public water system records, utility reports, and USGS monitoring where available. Municipal treated-water records are preferred when present. Private well hardness can vary at the address level and should be confirmed with a local test.

How many water systems are in North Dakota?

North Dakota has 305 active community water systems serving 370 cities.

Water Hardness in North Dakota

Average: 364 PPMVery Hard370 cities305 water systems

State report

Is North Dakota Water Hard or Soft?

North Dakota water is very hard on average at 364 PPM (21.3 GPG). Local readings can vary by utility, aquifer, treatment plant, and private well use.

State average

364 PPM

Very Hard

Local coverage

370 cities

305 water systems

Source profile

288 ZIPs

direct or USGS-backed

77% of covered ZIPs use treated-water records or USGS monitoring, so the state report has relatively strong source support.

Methodology Data sources Search by ZIP code

State data profile

How to read the North Dakota results

State pages are screening and comparison hubs. They summarize ZIP, city, and water-system patterns so you can find the local page that best matches your home or utility.

Direct or USGS-backed ZIPs

288 of 374

77% use treated-water records or USGS monitoring.

Estimated ZIP values

86 ZIPs

23% use nearby, county, or state-level fallback values.

Dataset update

March 9, 2026

Source coverage and rollups are rebuilt from the public dataset.

Use the source coverage below to judge how much local confirmation a specific city or ZIP needs. The methodology page explains the source hierarchy, weighting, and limitations.

State Average

364 PPM

Very Hard

Coverage

370 cities

305 water systems in the state rollup.

Data Source Coverage

ZIP-level source mix for North Dakota; higher direct and USGS coverage means less reliance on regional estimates.

374 ZIPs covered

Verified treated water

Utility, CCR, or state treated-water records

30%

114 ZIPs

High-confidence USGS

Environmental monitoring matched to local systems

47%

174 ZIPs

Estimated

Nearby, county, or state-level fallback values

23%

86 ZIPs

In North Dakota, 30% of ZIPs use verified treated-water records, 47% use high-confidence USGS monitoring, and 23% use estimates that should be confirmed locally for treatment decisions.

What the Data Shows in North Dakota

Hard or very hard water is widespread in North Dakota, covering 98% of classified ZIPs.

North Dakota uses a mixed data profile across treated-water records, USGS monitoring, and estimated fallback values.

Use the city table below to compare local results. For estimated locations or unusually high readings, confirm with your utility or a home hardness test before sizing treatment equipment.

ZIP Hardness Distribution

Soft2% (7)

Slightly Hard0% (0)

Moderately Hard0% (1)

Hard23% (87)

Very Hard75% (279)

Treatment Takeaway

For many homes in North Dakota, hardness is high enough that scale buildup, fixture spotting, and appliance wear are realistic concerns. A local test is the best starting point before sizing a softener.

How to Use This Data

The source coverage is relatively strong in North Dakota, so these pages are useful for comparing local patterns before confirming your home's exact hardness.

Source-Backed Water Systems in North Dakota

Large systems with treated-water reports or USGS monitoring behind the state rollup.

Review source labels

Water system	Hardness	Source label	Population
Fargo City Of ND0900336 - Cass County	250 PPM Very Hard	Annual Water Quality Report Verified - Annual Water Quality Report	120,762
Bismarck City Of ND0800080 - Burleigh County	200 PPM Hard	Annual Water Quality Report Verified - Annual Water Quality Report	72,417
Grand Forks Regional Wtp ND1800410 - Grand Forks County	200 PPM Hard	Annual Water Quality Report Verified - Annual Water Quality Report	57,339
Minot City Of ND5100660 - Ward County	250 PPM Very Hard	Annual Water Quality Report Verified - Annual Water Quality Report	48,743
West Fargo City Of ND0900999 - Cass County	250 PPM Very Hard	Annual Water Quality Report Verified - Annual Water Quality Report	34,858
South Central Rwd North Burleigh ND0801502 - Burleigh County	200 PPM Hard	Annual Water Quality Report Verified - Annual Water Quality Report	10,400
North Prairie Rwd-System 1&2 ND5101125 - Ward County	250 PPM Very Hard	Annual Water Quality Report Verified - Annual Water Quality Report	7,748
South Central Regional Water District ND0801154 - Burleigh County	200 PPM Hard	Annual Water Quality Report Verified - Annual Water Quality Report	3,700

Useful North Dakota City Pages

Shortcuts to city pages backed by more ZIP-code or water-system data.

Cities With More Local Data

Prioritize cities with multiple ZIPs and systems, then use the local source badges to compare high-confidence USGS readings against estimated areas.

Top 10 Hardest Water Cities

#	City	Hardness
1	New Hradec	Very Hard (632 PPM)
2	Valley City	Very Hard (419 PPM)
3	Bottineau	Very Hard (333 PPM)
4	Mandan	Very Hard (297 PPM)
5	Kindred	Very Hard (266 PPM)
6	Hickson	Very Hard (251 PPM)
7	Fargo	Very Hard (250 PPM)
8	Minot	Very Hard (250 PPM)
9	Devils Lake	Hard (217 PPM)
10	Bismarck	Hard (200 PPM)

Top 10 Softest Water Cities

#	City	Hardness
1	Colfax	Hard (187 PPM)
2	Bismarck	Hard (200 PPM)
3	Devils Lake	Hard (217 PPM)
4	Fargo	Very Hard (250 PPM)
5	Minot	Very Hard (250 PPM)
6	Hickson	Very Hard (251 PPM)
7	Kindred	Very Hard (266 PPM)
8	Mandan	Very Hard (297 PPM)
9	Bottineau	Very Hard (333 PPM)
10	Valley City	Very Hard (419 PPM)

All Cities in North Dakota

City pages marked Estimated use fallback values and should be confirmed with local testing or utility data.

AbercrombieVery Hard AdamsHard AdrianVery Hard AgateHard AlkaboVery Hard AlmontVery Hard AmbroseVery Hard AmeniaVery Hard AmidonVery Hard AnamooseVery Hard AnetaVery Hard AntlerVery Hard AppamVery Hard ArgusvilleHard ArnegardVery Hard ArthurVery Hard ArvillaHard AshleyVery Hard AyrVery Hard BackooVery Hard BakerHard BaldwinHard BalfourVery Hard BaltaVery Hard BantryVery Hard BarneyVery Hard BathgateHard BattleviewVery Hard BeachVery Hard BelcourtHard BeldenVery Hard BenedictVery Hard BentleyVery Hard BergenVery Hard BerlinVery Hard BerwickVery Hard BeulahVery Hard BinfordHard BisbeeEstimatedVery Hard BismarckHard BlaisdellVery Hard BlanchardVery Hard BonetraillVery Hard BordulacVery Hard BottineauVery Hard BowdonVery Hard BowesmontVery Hard BowmanSoft BraddockVery Hard BramptonVery Hard BrantfordVery Hard BreienVery Hard BriarwoodVery Hard BrocketHard BuchananVery Hard BucyrusVery Hard BuffaloVery Hard BurlingtonVery Hard BurnstadVery Hard BurtVery Hard ButteVery Hard BuxtonVery Hard CaledoniaVery Hard CalioHard CalvinHard Cannon BallVery Hard CarburyVery Hard CarpioVery Hard CarsonVery Hard CartwrightVery Hard CasseltonVery Hard CayugaVery Hard CharlsonVery Hard ChaseleyVery Hard ChristineHard Churchs FerryVery Hard CliffordVery Hard ColeharborVery Hard ColfaxHard ColganVery Hard ColgateVery Hard ConcreteHard CooperstownVery Hard CoteauSoft CouleeHard CourtenayVery Hard CreteVery Hard CrosbyVery Hard CrystalHard CummingsVery Hard DahlenHard DavenportVery Hard DawsonVery Hard DeeringVery Hard DelamereVery Hard DenhoffVery Hard Des LacsVery Hard Devils LakeHard DickeyVery Hard DodgeVery Hard DonnybrookVery Hard DouglasVery Hard DrakeVery Hard DriscollHard Dunn CenterVery Hard DurbinHard DwightVery Hard EdmoreVery Hard EdmundsVery Hard EgelandHard EldridgeVery Hard EllendaleVery Hard ElliottVery Hard EmbdenVery Hard EmeradoHard EmmetVery Hard EmrickVery Hard EnderlinVery Hard EnglevaleVery Hard ErieVery Hard FairdaleHard FairmountEstimatedVery Hard FargoVery Hard FessendenVery Hard FillmoreHard FingalVery Hard FinleyVery Hard FloraVery Hard ForbesVery Hard FordvilleVery Hard Forest RiverHard FormanVery Hard Fort ClarkVery Hard Fort TottenVery Hard Fort YatesVery Hard FredoniaVery Hard FryburgVery Hard FullertonVery Hard GackleVery Hard GalesburgVery Hard GardarHard GardnerVery Hard GascoyneVery Hard GeneseoEstimatedVery Hard GladstoneVery Hard GlasstonHard Glen UllinVery Hard Golden ValleyVery Hard GolvaHard GoodrichHard GorhamVery Hard Grace CityVery Hard Grand ForksHard Grand Forks AfbHard Grand RapidsVery Hard GrandinHard GranvilleVery Hard Grassy ButteVery Hard GuelphVery Hard HagueVery Hard HamarHard HamiltonHard HamletVery Hard HampdenHard HankinsonVery Hard HannahHard HannoverVery Hard HarlowVery Hard HastingsVery Hard HattonVery Hard HavanaVery Hard HazeltonVery Hard HazenVery Hard HebronVery Hard HeilVery Hard HenselHard HicksonVery Hard HoneyfordHard HoopleHard HunterVery Hard HurdsfieldVery Hard JolietteVery Hard JuanitaVery Hard KarlsruheVery Hard KeeneVery Hard KelsoVery Hard KemptonHard KensalVery Hard KilldeerVery Hard KindredVery Hard KintyreVery Hard KlotenVery Hard KnoxHard KramerVery Hard KulmVery Hard Lake WilliamsVery Hard LangdonVery Hard LankinHard LansfordVery Hard LarkVery Hard LarsonSoft LawtonHard LealVery Hard LeforVery Hard LehrVery Hard LeonardVery Hard LigniteVery Hard LincolnHard LitchvilleVery Hard LomaHard LoraineVery Hard LuverneVery Hard MaidaHard MakotiVery Hard MandanVery Hard MandareeVery Hard ManfredHard ManningVery Hard MantadorEstimatedVery Hard ManvelHard MapesSoft MarionVery Hard MarmarthHard MartinVery Hard MaxVery Hard MaxbassVery Hard MayvilleVery Hard MazaVery Hard MccannaHard MccluskyVery Hard McgregorVery Hard MchenryHard McleodVery Hard MedinaVery Hard MedoraHard MekinockHard MenokenHard MercerVery Hard MerricourtVery Hard MiltonHard MinnewaukanVery Hard MinotVery Hard Minot AfbVery Hard MoffitHard MooretonHard MountainVery Hard MyloHard NansonVery Hard NapoleonVery Hard NashVery Hard NecheVery Hard NekomaHard New EnglandVery Hard New HradecVery Hard NewburgVery Hard NiagaraHard NomeVery Hard NoonanVery Hard North RiverVery Hard NorthgateEstimatedVery Hard NortonvilleVery Hard NorwichVery Hard OberonVery Hard OriskaVery Hard OrrHard OsnabrockHard PageVery Hard PalermoVery Hard Park RiverVery Hard ParshallVery Hard PekinHard PennVery Hard PerthHard PetersburgSoft PettiboneVery Hard PisekHard PlazaVery Hard Pleasant LakeVery Hard PortalVery Hard PortlandVery Hard ProsperHard RaleighVery Hard RaubVery Hard RawsonVery Hard ReederSoft ReganHard RegentVery Hard ReynoldsHard RhameHard RichardtonVery Hard RiverdaleVery Hard RiversideVery Hard RocklakeVery Hard RollaVery Hard RoseglenVery Hard RossVery Hard RusoVery Hard RutlandVery Hard Saint AnthonyVery Hard Saint JohnVery Hard Saint MichaelVery Hard Saint ThomasVery Hard San HavenVery Hard SanbornModerately Hard SarlesHard SawyerVery Hard SelfridgeVery Hard Sentinel ButteHard SharonVery Hard SheldonVery Hard SherwoodVery Hard SheyenneVery Hard ShieldsVery Hard SibleyVery Hard South HeartVery Hard SouthamHard SpiritwoodVery Hard SpringbrookVery Hard StantonVery Hard StarkweatherHard SteeleVery Hard SterlingHard StirumVery Hard StrasburgVery Hard StreeterVery Hard SurreyVery Hard SuttonHard SykestonVery Hard TappenVery Hard TaylorVery Hard TempleVery Hard TemvikVery Hard ThompsonHard TokioVery Hard TolleyVery Hard Tower CityVery Hard TrentonVery Hard Turtle LakeVery Hard TuttleVery Hard UnderwoodVery Hard UphamVery Hard Valley CityVery Hard VelvaVery Hard VeronaVery Hard VossVery Hard WalcottHard WalesHard WalumVery Hard WarwickVery Hard WashburnVery Hard Watford CityVery Hard WebsterVery Hard WernerVery Hard WesthopeVery Hard WheelockVery Hard White EarthVery Hard WhitmanSoft Willow CityVery Hard WiltonVery Hard WimbledonHard WindsorVery Hard WingHard WolfordHard WolsethVery Hard WoodworthVery Hard WyndmereVery Hard YpsilantiVery Hard ZahlVery Hard ZapVery Hard ZeelandHard