North Dakota Tax Commissioner Brian Kroshus announced today that the state’s taxable sales and purchases for the first quarter of 2025 totaled $5.65 billion, reflecting a 1.53% decrease compared to the same period last year.
Despite the modest decline, Kroshus said the data show signs of underlying economic stability amid national economic uncertainty. “While we experienced a modest decline overall, results indicate that the North Dakota economy remained relatively stable despite economic headwinds at the national level,” he said.
A key highlight was retail trade, North Dakota’s largest sector, which remained flat with just a 0.04% decrease year-over-year. Meanwhile, mining and oil and gas extraction saw a 6.9% increase, offsetting broader sector downturns.
Top-performing industries for the quarter included:
- Real Estate and Rental and Leasing – up 7.7%
- Mining, Oil & Gas Extraction – up 6.9%
- Transportation and Warehousing – up 6.2%
- Health and Social Assistance – up 2.5%
- Manufacturing – up 0.1%
Sectors posting declines included:
- Construction – down 8.5%
- Wholesale Trade – down 6.1%
- Accommodation and Food Services – down 0.5%
Among the state’s largest cities, economic performance varied widely:
- Williston led with a 7.1% increase
- Dickinson and Bismarck posted gains of 2.1% and 1.8%, respectively
- Fargo, Grand Forks, Jamestown, and Minot all saw declines ranging from 4.8% to 6.7%
“Results for our larger metro areas in the state during the first quarter were mixed,” said Kroshus, “with the western half of the state largely experiencing growth compared to the prior year while their eastern counterparts posted less favorable results.”
Several smaller cities and counties posted strong gains:
- Garrison led all cities with a 49.8% increase
- Burlington saw a 39.9% gain, while Velva, Belfield, and Ellendale also posted double-digit growth
- Sioux County topped county growth with a 40.7% increase, followed by Oliver (+27.6%), McHenry (+22.7%), McLean (+21.4%), and Dunn (+17.9%)
Kroshus emphasized that upcoming national trade negotiations will likely influence the state’s economy in the coming months, particularly in the agriculture and energy sectors.
“Steady consumer spending and regional growth in the west offer reasons to remain cautiously optimistic,” Kroshus said. “We will continue monitoring developments closely.”
By: BSH staff