FreedomRankings

Ranked #4 of 50 states

Constitutional carryLow tax burdenStrong property rights

Across the hybrid multi-source index, North Dakota is above average in overall freedom, ranking #4 of 50 states with a score of 70.8/100. Its strongest areas are regulatory burden, property rights, 2nd amendment, while it scores lowest in drug policy, 4th amendment, education choice.

best
9.6
average
7.1
worst
1.5
70.8
Grade B
0255075100
FDCBA
North Dakota’s overall score on the national 0–100 scale.
Strongest categories
Regulatory Burden9.6
Property Rights9.5
2nd Amendment9.2
Weakest categories
Education Choice1.5
4th Amendment4.5
Drug Policy6.5

Score by category

How North Dakota performs in each freedom category, ranked best to worst.

Loading chart...

Category breakdown

Each score is drawn from the publisher listed on the tile. Hover the source chip for edition and methodology detail.

1st Amendment

6.5B-
Press shield lawsAnti-SLAPP protectionsPublic forum protectionsCampus speech policies+2 more

2nd Amendment

9.2A+

Guns & Ammo 2023 — rank 5/50

Constitutional/permitless carryConcealed carry shall-issue vs may-issueAssault weapon restrictionsMagazine capacity limits+3 more

4th Amendment

4.5D+

IJ Policing for Profit 2025 — forfeiture grade D-

Civil asset forfeiture protectionsWarrant requirements for digital dataSurveillance camera/drone restrictionsLicense plate reader policies+2 more

Economic Freedom

8.4A-

Fraser EFNA 2024 (Overall subn score 7.55 for 2023) — rank 9/50

State income tax ratesSales tax ratesProperty tax burdenBusiness tax climate+3 more

Criminal Justice

7.6B+

Vera People in Prison 2024 — rank 13/50 (246/100k)

Incarceration rate per capitaPolice accountability measuresBail reformMandatory minimum sentencing+3 more

Drug Policy

6.5B-

Cannabis status 2025 — Medical + Decrim (comprehensive medical program, possession decriminalized)

Recreational marijuana legalityMedical marijuana programDecriminalization of possessionDrug court availability+2 more

Property Rights

9.5A+

IJ Eminent Domain 2025 — post-Kelo protections A

Eminent domain protectionsZoning flexibilityRent control restrictionsBuilding code burden+2 more

Religious Liberty

7.5B+
State RFRA (Religious Freedom Restoration Act)Conscience protections for professionalsReligious organization exemptionsReligious land use protections+2 more

Education Choice

1.5F

EdChoice ABCs 2025 — no private-choice program, no programs

School voucher programsEducation savings accounts (ESAs)Charter school availabilityHomeschool regulation level+2 more

Regulatory Burden

9.6A+

Mercatus RegData 2024 — rank 3/48 (55,561 restrictions)

Occupational licensing requirementsBusiness licensing burdenRegulatory code volumePermit processing times+2 more

Provenance

Sources & methodology

Full methodology →

  • 1st Amendment

    FreedomRankings Editorial (no strong annual state-level source exists for 1st Amendment speech protections)

    6.5

  • 2nd Amendment

    Guns & Ammo "Best States for Gun Owners"

    9.2

  • 4th Amendment

    Institute for Justice -- "Policing for Profit" (asset forfeiture grades)

    4.5

  • Economic Freedom

    Fraser Institute -- Economic Freedom of North America (EFNA)

    8.4

  • Criminal Justice

    Vera Institute -- "People in Prison" (annual incarceration data)

    7.6

  • Drug Policy

    Per-state cannabis legality status (composite: NORML state pages, DISA legality map, NCSL medical cannabis tracker)

    6.5

  • Property Rights

    Institute for Justice -- Eminent Domain / Castle Coalition

    9.5

  • Religious Liberty

    FreedomRankings Editorial (no strong annual state-level source exists for religious liberty rankings)

    7.5

  • Education Choice

    EdChoice -- "ABCs of School Choice"

    1.5

  • Regulatory Burden

    Mercatus Center -- RegData state regulatory restrictions

    9.6

Frequently Asked

North Dakota Freedom — Common Questions

Answers are generated from North Dakota's actual category scores and rank. Toggle the source to recompute against a different dataset.

How does North Dakota rank among US states for freedom?

North Dakota ranks #4 of 50 US states with a freedom score of 70.8/100. The score is a weighted average of 10 categories — constitutional rights, economic freedom, criminal justice, drug policy, education choice, and more — drawn from the FreedomRankings Hybrid multi-source index (Fraser Institute, EdChoice, Institute for Justice, Vera Institute, NORML, Mercatus RegData, Guns & Ammo).

What are North Dakota's strongest freedoms?

North Dakota scores highest in Regulatory Burden (9.6/10), Property Rights (9.5/10), and 2nd Amendment (9.2/10). These are the categories where North Dakota is most protective of individual liberty relative to other US states.

What are North Dakota's biggest freedom restrictions?

North Dakota scores lowest in Education Choice (1.5/10), 4th Amendment (4.5/10), and Drug Policy (6.5/10). These are the categories where North Dakota is most restrictive relative to other US states.

Is North Dakota a gun-friendly state?

North Dakota scores 9.2/10 on Second Amendment / gun rights, which places it among the most gun-friendly states in the country. This score reflects carry laws, permit requirements, magazine and assault-weapon restrictions, red flag laws, and castle doctrine / stand-your-ground protections.

How does North Dakota score on economic freedom and taxes?

North Dakota scores 8.4/10 on economic freedom, placing it among the top states for economic freedom. The score reflects state income-tax rates, sales and property taxes, business tax climate, right-to-work status, and the overall regulatory burden on economic activity.

What is North Dakota's drug policy score?

North Dakota scores 6.5/10 on drug policy, which makes it relatively permissive on drug policy. The score incorporates recreational and medical marijuana legality, decriminalization of possession, harm-reduction programs, and sentencing for drug offenses.

How does North Dakota rank for school choice and education freedom?

North Dakota scores 1.5/10 on education choice, placing it among the most restrictive states for education freedom. The score reflects voucher programs, education savings accounts, charter-school access, homeschool regulations, and tax-credit scholarships.

How is North Dakota's freedom score calculated?

Each of North Dakota's 10 category scores (0–10) is a weighted average, then multiplied by 10 to produce the overall 0–100 freedom score. Categories are weighted equally by default, but visitors can adjust the weights on the rankings page to produce a personalised ranking. The default source is the FreedomRankings Hybrid multi-source index; the Cato Institute 2023 edition and an editorial assessment are also available as toggles. See the methodology page for per-category source attribution.

Elected Officials

Click any official to view their full profile, donors, and financial info.

Governor

KAR

Kelly Armstrong

Governor(Republican)

4/4 from public record

Approval: 55%(est.)

A+

100%