Economic Development Welcomes New Director

In January, McKenzie County Economic Development welcomed Meghan Taunton into her new position as director. Taunton grew up in California and moved to Williston in 2012 during the height of the oil boom. She spent time working in the oil industry before attending Williston State College and the University of North Dakota to obtain a Bachelor’s degree in Geological Engineering and Economics, adding to her degrees in Mass Communications and Public Relations.

Taunton, who most recently worked as a Communications and Grant Coordinator with Tri-County Regional Development, is excited to participate firsthand in the relationship between industry and economic growth. Taunton says “I understand the need for diversified economic and workforce development, the need for energy independence, and the importance of community and environmental stewardship.” She has experienced the challenges that the region faced with housing and labor shortages from rapid growth, but also was able to experience the overwhelming opportunity and sense of community that western North Dakota has to offer.

Meghan can be reached at mtaunton@co.mckenzie.nd.us or by cell at (701) 580-3437.

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January 2026 Economy at a Glance

The January 2025 Economy at a Glance is now available. Some data of note include:

  • Watford City Sales Tax Distributions are up 17.5% for 2025 compared to 2024 distribution, with Alexander up a significant 67% from 2024 to 2025
  • While visits to Theodore Roosevelt National Park are up slightly over the past year, visits in December 2025 have dropped to an estimated 903 compared to 2,200 visits in December 2024
  • The price of West Texas Intermediate Oil averaged $60.89 in October, down from over $10 in October 2024 when it averaged $71.99

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December 2025 Economy at a Glance

The December 2025 Economy at a Glance is now available. Some data of note include:

  • Recent unemployment rates and labor force data remains unavailable due to the prior government shutdown.
  • McKenzie County had 25 births in November of 2025, up from 15 in November of 2024. Year to date births are up 9.5% from last year.
  • 2025 quarter 3 Taxable Sales and Purchase for McKenzie County are down nearly $12,000,000 from $88,073,715 in 2024 quarter 3 to $76,481,808.

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November 2025 Economy at a Glance

The November 2025 Economy at a Glance is now available. Some data of note include:

  • September employment data from the North Dakota Labor Market Information and price/cost data from the USDA is unavailable this month due to the government shutdown.
  • The City Sales Tax Distribution was up significantly (+24%) from October 2024 to October 2025 in Watford City, and was up even more substantially (+91%) across the same period in Alexander .
  • August 2025 oil production is down to 9,919,472 barrels from August of 2024 when production was 11,654,458 barrels, a nearly 15% decrease.

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October 2025 Economy at a Glance

The October 2025 Economy at a Glance is now available. Some data of note include:

  • In August, oil prices were down to $64.86 a barrel, nearly $12 lower from August 2024 when prices averaged $76.68.
  • While permit values for September were more than $6.5 million lower than last September, the YTD permit values are nearly identical.
  • The Landfill Daily Average is up 14% from September of 2024 to September 2025.

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North Dakota Badlands listed in National Geographic’s Best of the World

North Dakota Badlands
Graphic courtesy of ND Commerce

National Geographic recently unveiled its annual Best of the World list for 2026. The locations were carefully selected by National Geographic’s editors, photographers, and travel experts. Featured on the list of 25 locations from around the world is the Badlands of North Dakota.

North Dakota Director of Tourism and Marketing Sara Otte Coleman said, “We’re thrilled to see our North Dakota Badlands recognized by National Geographic as one of the Best of the World destinations for 2026. This global spotlight affirms what we’ve always known—our North Dakota Badlands are bold, breathtaking, and unforgettable.”

Alongside the Badlands were other incredible locations, including the Italian Dolomites, the Finnish city of Oulu, and Akagera National Park in Rwanda. The complete list can be found on National Geographic’s website, and you can see North Dakota Commerce’s press release here.

 

 

About National Geographic Content

Representing the largest brand on social media with over 780 million followers and 1.1 billion impressions each month, National Geographic Content’s award-winning and critically acclaimed storytelling inspires fans of all ages to connect with, explore and care about the world through factual storytelling. National Geographic Content, part of a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company and the National Geographic Society, reaches over 532 million people worldwide in 172 countries and 33 languages as a digital, social and print publisher and across the global National Geographic channels (National Geographic Channel, Nat Geo WILD, Nat Geo MUNDO), National Geographic Documentary Films, and direct-to-consumer platforms Disney+ and Hulu.

Its diverse content includes Oscar®-and BAFTA award-winning film Free Solo, Oscar-nominated films Sugarcane, Fire of Love and Bobi Wine: The People’s President, Emmy® Award-winning franchise 9/11: One Day in America and JFK: One Day in America, Emmy® Award-winning series Animals Up Close, series Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller, Life Below Zero and Secrets of the Whales, in addition to multiple National Magazine Awards, Pulitzer Prize Finalists and Webby wins. Visit nationalgeographic.com and natgeotv.com or explore Instagram, Threads, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, TikTok and Reddit.

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Watford City Events Website is One-Stop Site for Local Events

Watford City offers a great tool for residents and visitors looking to stay up to date on what’s happening in Watford City. Watford City Events is a community calendar that highlights local events, activities, and gatherings to let you see what’s happening each week. It is a go-to destination for anyone looking to plan their weekend, promote a local event, or discover something new happening in town. The website also features an option for local organizations, groups, and businesses to submit their events for free. The site is updated regularly and aims to provide a broad overview of Watford City events without requiring users to search across multiple platforms or websites.

With a strong focus on community connection, the platform continues to support local engagement and participation by making event information accessible to everyone.

To view upcoming events or submit your own, visit www.watfordcityevents.com.

Watford City Events

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September 2025 Economy at a Glance

The September 2025 Economy at a Glance is now available. Some data of note include:

  • Permit values for McKenzie County are up significantly with a YTD total of $10,420,940 compared to $3,966,599 over the same period of 2024.
  • The McKenzie County unemployment rate dropped 0.6% between June and July of 2025 from 2.8% to 2.2%.
  • The Farmers Prices Paid Index (2011 Base) for July was 150.8 while the Farmer Prices Received Index was 136.4. The difference between the indexes is 14.4, almost 2 points less than July 2024 when it was 16.3.

 

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McKenzie County Commits $5 Million to Bakken Area Skills Center Endowment

At the September 16th County Commissioners meeting, the commissioners agreed to grant $5 million to the Bakken Area Skills Center (BASC) endowment fund. The request was sent to the commissioners after the Job Development Authority (JDA) Board decided that the goals of the BASC align with the JDA goals of economic diversification and workforce development. Dr. Wayne Heckaman, Director of the BASC, presented to the commissioners on the center’s importance to the area and everything they’ve been doing for its students.

The $5 million endowment will be established through the North Dakota Community Foundation and will consist of annual disbursements to the BASC from the fund. The funds will be used for launching new high-demand programs, equipping labs with industry-grade simulators and tools, and attracting top-tier instructors with competitive packages. Dr. Heckaman believes that by developing a skilled workforce locally, McKenzie County will be able to retain more students after they begin their careers. You can watch the presentation and discussion at the county commissioner’s meeting on their Vimeo page.

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August 2025 Economy at a Glance

The August 2025 Economy at a Glance is now available. Some data of note include:

  • June oil production in McKenzie County was 9,660,056 barrels, which is down nearly 2 million barrels from 11,631,323 barrels in June of 2024.
  • City Sales Tax Distribution for July was $503,808, an increase of 43.7% from last July.
  • The North Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park received 27,800 visitors in July, which is the busiest month on average each year.

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Get in Touch

Meghan Taunton
McKenzie County Economic Development
100 2nd Ave SW, Suite A
Watford City, ND 58854
701-444-8856
mtaunton@co.mckenzie.nd.us

Stay in Touch