Tioga, North Dakota

Tioga is a city in Williams County, North Dakota, United States. The population was 2,202 at the 2020 census.

Tioga was founded in 1902 and named by settlers from Tioga, New York. The population of the city increased dramatically in the 1950s following the discovery of oil nearby in the Williston Basin.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.39 sqmi, of which 1.31 sqmi is land and 0.08 sqmi is water.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 1,230 people, 542 households, and 323 families living in the city. The population density was 938.9 PD/sqmi. There were 619 housing units at an average density of 472.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 96.9% White, 0.1% African American, 0.5% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.2% from other races, and 1.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.7% of the population.

There were 542 households, of which 24.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.2% were married couples living together, 6.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.4% were non-families. 34.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.16 and the average family size was 2.72.

The median age in the city was 47.4 years. 18.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21.5% were from 25 to 44; 27.6% were from 45 to 64; and 25.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 50.8% male and 49.2% female.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,125 people, 490 households, and 311 families living in the city. The population density was 856.1 PD/sqmi. There were 569 housing units at an average density of 433.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 97.42% White, 0.18% black, 0.89% Indigenous American, 0.18% from other races, and 1.33% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.09% of the population.

There were 490 households, out of which 25.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.5% were married couples living together, 6.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.5% were non-families. 34.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 23.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.86.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.5% under the age of 18, 4.2% from 18 to 24, 23.4% from 25 to 44, 23.5% from 45 to 64, and 26.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $29,740, and the median income for a family was $36,635. Males had a median income of $31,500 versus $21,181 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,910. About 3.5% of families and 7.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.0% of those under age 18 and 11.5% of those age 65 or over.

Education
The city is served by the Tioga School District, which hosts Central Elementary School and Tioga High School within its borders.

Petroleum industry
Tioga is located eight miles north of the Clarence Iverson farm, where Hess Corporation discovered oil and sparked a statewide oil boom. The company presently operates and owns oil producing facilities with numerous local businesses supporting the oil industry, and Tioga is located nine miles north of North Dakota's sole oil refinery, which is presently owned by Tesoro after it was sold to it by BP in 2001.

Transport
Tioga's center is just to the southwest of Williams County Road 10 with North Dakota Highway 40, and is just north of ND 40's southern terminus at U.S. Route 2. Tioga is located along freight railroad tracks which presently belong to BNSF Railway.

Amtrak's Empire Builder, which operates between Seattle/Portland and Chicago, passes through the town on BNSF tracks, but makes no stop. The nearest station is located in Stanley, 30 mi to the east.

A general aviation airport, Tioga Municipal Airport (FAA code D60) is located two miles southeast of the city, with a main paved runway (12/30) just under one mile long and 75 feet wide (1555 meters long and 23 meters wide) and a secondary turf runway (3/21) which is 3200 feet (975 meters) long and 120 feet (37 meters) wide. Commercial air travel to the city, though, is limited beyond charter flights and private aviation, and the closest commercial airports are Williston Basin International Airport and Minot International Airport for domestic service, and Regina International Airport in Saskatchewan, Canada, for international service.