Living and Nursing in North and South Dakota

Not everyone is enamored by the bright lights and the big cities. Some of us like a little “breathing room.” Lucky for you, you’ve chosen a career that allows you to go wherever you want. You’re always in demand and the salary is always competitive.

If you like wide open spaces (with friendly people in between) North or South Dakota could be the perfect new home for you. There are cities large enough to give you the excitement you may occasionally want and still allow you to be in the open countryside in just a matter of minutes. Fishing and hunting are among the nation’s best, June and July bring rodeos to many towns and ice skating, skiing, ice hockey, sledding, even curling and snowmobile racing occupy the wintertime activity list. Winter is just a great time to be outdoors in North Dakota at any of the ski resorts or snowmobile trails. You might even see the Northern Lights!

July is the warmest month in North Dakota, with average temperatures ranging from 67 degrees to 73 degrees. January average temperatures range from two degrees to 17 degrees.

North Dakota, with a statewide population of 634,110 in the last census, is widely known as the most rural of the United States. Over 90 percent of the almost 69,000 square miles encompassed by its boundaries is covered by farmland. Sharing its northern border with Canada, North Dakota experiences the extremes of a sub humid continental climate. The western half of the state is semiarid, while the eastern half receives abundant rainfall for the crops grown in the rich soils so prevalent there. Some of the larger cities include Fargo, with a population of 90,599; the capital is Bismarck, with a population of 55,532, Grand Forks, 49,321, and Minot, with a population of 36,567.

The state’s largest city by far is Fargo. Fargo and Moorhead, Minnesota, are separated by the Red River. The two cities, with a combined population of approximately 175,000, make up the largest metropolitan area between Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, and Spokane, Washington. Fargo-Moorhead has been rated one of the most stress free metropolitan areas in America and is enjoying ever-increasing popularity. Known for their friendly people, the water and the air are clean, crime and unemployment rates are some of the lowest anywhere, and they have a very active economy. Those are all signs of a great place to live. As if that weren’t enough, the overall cost of living in North Dakota is 31 percent below the national average.

Offering some of the same advantages, South Dakota has its own distinct appeal. More populous than North Dakota by slightly over 100,000, South Dakota is known as “the Mount Rushmore state.” The state’s economy is based on agriculture and industry such as food processing, machinery, lumber and wood products and tourism.

South Dakota’s largest city is Sioux Falls, with a population of 131,000. The community is a regional and national leader in economic development, retail sales, health care, manufacturing, financial and business services and quality of life. It’s a great place to live and to raise a family. There’s no personal income tax, no personal property tax as well as no corporate or business inventory tax. Obviously that attracts new business.

Rapid City offers some of the most well-known, intriguing and beautiful attractions in America. Here you’ll find the famous Mt. Rushmore National Memorial, the Crazy Horse Memorial and the Black Hills National Forest. Nestled into the foothills of the mountains, Rapid City is surrounded by beautiful scenery and crystal blue lakes. Herds of buffalo still roam Custer State Park and the Badlands.

From the beautiful Black Hills in the west to the sweeping plains in the east, South Dakota offers up great times for everyone. Skiing, snow-mobiling, water sports, rock climbing, hiking, camping, gambling and endless sightseeing with 39 State Parks and Recreation Areas—South Dakota is a great place to call home for the adventurous types among you. And it offers small town values, friendliness, and peacefulness for those who don’t care for all that adventure. The state is literally filled with natural beauty, unique wildlife, and western hospitality! Temperatures in January average from 10 degrees to 25 degrees. July averages 69 degrees to 75 degrees.

The number of community hospitals per patient is 6.5-that’s the best in the nation. Major hospitals in South Dakota include Sanford Health, Avera McKennan, Avera Heart Hospital of South Dakota and the South Dakota Veterans Hospital, just to name a few. MeritCare Health System is the largest employer in North Dakota. Other major hospitals include Altru Health Systems, St. Alexius Medical Center and Trinity Health.

Consider the Dakotas as you decide on a place to start your career. You’ll be glad you did.