About Williams County

Williams County is located in northwestern North Dakota, bordering Montana to the west and the mighty Missouri River to the south. Our endless horizon means sunrises and sunsets that are guaranteed to take your breath away! With a lake that has more shoreline than California, vibrant communities, and interesting weather that will always give you something to talk about, we think Williams County has it all.

If you are at all familiar with our area, the first thing you probably think about is oil – and the oil boom of the mid-2000s. It’s true that the oil and gas industry fueled enormous growth in the region since 2008. What you might not know is the energy industry has been continuously active in this area since the 1950s. So, while 2008 was a major turning point in our history, it wasn’t completely unprecedented.

Over the past 20 years, Williams County has grown from less than 20,000 to more than 40,000 people! We’d be lying if we said there weren’t some growing pains – but believe us when we say we have come out of the boom better than before.

Williams County has welcomed new businesses, housing developments, restaurants, and industries over the past decade and our agricultural sector continues to thrive. There are brand new schools, roads, an international airport, water and sewer infrastructure, and expanded broadband access. Our economy is on its way to be more diversified than ever before. All the amenities you need are here, plus some amazing bonus features that take life in Williams County to the next level.

And while you may have heard stories from the heyday of the oil boom – that’s not who we are anymore. The oil industry has settled into a steady production phase, and many of the people working in the industry today (who, by the way, are still making a really good living here) have established roots, brought their families and made a home.

Let’s address the other elephant in the room - YES, our winters are cold, windy, and snowy – but there are plenty of ways to stay busy and warm! Or even get out and enjoy the snow if that’s your thing.  If winter scares you a bit, don’t worry – it’s not that bad, for real. And a few months of cold makes our summers even more enjoyable.  Check out our Winter resources to help you warm up to the thought!

Where in Williams County? was created from a simple idea of wanting to provide potential residents, folks who have recently relocated, and current residents alike with more information about all that Williams County has to offer.

This guide was developed by Williams County along with AE2S; contributions and input were provided by numerous individuals and organizations including:

Ashley Sevre Photography | City of Epping | City of Grenora | City of Ray | City of Tioga & Economic Development | City of Williston & Economic Development | Williston Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) | Williston Area Chamber of Commerce

Images are provided in-kind by area organizations or community members and are attributed accordingly. Unattributed images were provided by Williams County. Have a picture to submit? Let us know!

Ope! Any errors or omissions made are entirely unintentional. Want to submit a correction? Submit one here.