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McKenzie County’s largest employers in 2022

Job Service North Dakota’s Labor Market Information (NDLMI) Department has released the top 25 list of the largest employers in North Dakota and North Dakota counties in 2022. McKenzie County’s top 5 largest employers in 2022 include: McKenzie County School District McKenzie Health ONEOK, Inc. McKenzie County government Kinder Morgan Read more on McKenzie County […]

Portion of HWY 73 closed

A portion of HWY 73, between Johnsons Corner and HWY 22, is temporary closed due to road work. The closure is from about five miles east of Johnsons Corner to the intersection of HWY 22, and a detour is in place for east and westbound traffic. The road work and closure are due to a […]

Watford City student featured in Northern Lights Pulse podcast

Northern Lights Pulse, a podcast that helps teens and young adults better understand themselves, others, and the world in which they live, talked with their first ever youth guest, Aidan, a teenager from Watford City. You can listen to this episode, titled “Talking with Teens Series 1: Aidan (Ep. 36), on Spotify or other podcast […]

August 2023 Economy at a Glance

The August Economy at a Glance is now available. Some data of note include: McKenzie County’s June 2023 unemployment rate was 1.7%; in that same period, North Dakota’s was 2.3%. The landfill daily average for McKenzie County in July 2023 was 103 tons; in July 2022 it was 76.6 tons. The city sales tax distribution […]

ND Petroleum Council Annual Meeting

The North Dakota Petroleum Council Annual Meeting will be held back in the heart of the Bakken of Watford City, September 19-21. The annual meeting will include a stellar lineup of speakers from the Bakken’s industry leaders, networking with more than 400 industry professionals, and learning about the latest trends in oil and gas. Click […]

McKenzie Health’s economic contribution to McKenzie County

Over the past decade, McKenzie County has witnessed significant socioeconomic and demographic shifts, including a boom in population and diversity, increased birth rates, and rising personal incomes, largely driven by a rapidly expanding oil and gas industry. This growth has spurred an increased demand for healthcare services. Due to the increased demand, McKenzie Health has […]

Opening of new lumberyard in Watford City

A new lumberyard, Elite Cabinets & Building Supplies, held its grand opening in Watford City on August 7. Located at the same location as the former Ace Hardware, Elite Cabinets & Building Supplies now has its second store, with the first in Killdeer. Being experts in flooring, building materials, and home remodeling, this new store […]

Keynote speaker announced for Main Street ND Summit

The State of North Dakota has announced Eric Termuende as a keynote speaker for the Main Street ND Summit. Termuende is a best-selling author, internationally recognized thought leader, and keynote speaker on all things future of work, leadership, workplace culture, and workplace management. His work has inspired category-leading companies like Amazon, Coca-Cola, Nationwide, IBM, and […]

July 2023 Economy at a Glance

The July Economy at a Glance is now available. Some data of note include: McKenzie County’s May 2023 labor force was 9,780; in May 2022 it was 8,839. Alexander’s city sales tax distributions for June 2023 was $51,164; in June 2022 it was $24,460. The landfill daily average for McKenzie County in June 2023 was […]

North Dakota leads nation in growth of earnings and real GDP

Recent data taken from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) shows North Dakota’s exceptional performance in terms of earnings and gross domestic product (GDP) growth. According to the BEA estimates, North Dakota achieved the highest growth in real GDP among all 50 states in the first quarter of 2023, experiencing a surge of 12.4% […]