North Dakota homes are mostly single-family, wood-frame houses built for severe winters, with full basements and heavily insulated exterior walls. Apartments are concentrated in Fargo, Bismarck, Grand Forks and Minot, and the oil-patch towns have a notable number of manufactured homes.

median year homes were built: 1985; median year homes were built
built in 2000 or later: 34.9%; built in 2000 or later
built before 1960: 21.4%; built before 1960
single-family homes: 62.7%; single-family homes
in buildings with 5+ units: 26.1%; in buildings with 5+ units
mobile homes: 5.7%; mobile homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year (tables B25035, B25034, B25024)

Common wall types

Wood-frame walls with drywall

Where: Most houses statewide, including newer subdivisions in Fargo, Bismarck and West Fargo.

Mounting: Studs are typically 16 inches on center. Lag into studs; thicker, well-insulated exterior walls can make cable runs and box depth different from interior walls.

Poured concrete or block basement walls

Where: Full-basement homes across the state.

Mounting: Basement walls are often framed and insulated, but where drywall is on furring or the concrete is bare, use a hammer drill with 1/4" concrete screws or sleeve anchors. Anchors need to reach solid concrete.

Manufactured homes

Where: Oil-patch communities such as Williston and Dickinson and rural areas.

Mounting: Walls are thin and studs may be spaced wider. The mount must hit framing, and heavy mounts may need added blocking.

Apartment walls: metal studs and concrete

Where: Mid-size apartment buildings in Fargo, Grand Forks, Bismarck and Minot.

Mounting: Metal studs need snap toggles or blocking; concrete or block corridors and demising walls need masonry anchors. Many complexes require approval before drilling.

Plaster on lath

Where: Older homes built before 1960, for example in historic neighborhoods of Fargo, Grand Forks and Bismarck.

Mounting: Plaster can crack if drilled carelessly; locate framing and pre-drill slowly.

Tips before you mount

Lag the mount into at least two studs (usually 16" on center) with 5/16" lag bolts about 2.5" to 3" long; a full-motion arm multiplies leverage on the wall, so it must never hang on drywall anchors alone.
Exterior walls: cold-climate code requires thick insulation, and vapor barriers or air sealing may be present. Prefer interior walls for TVs and cable runs, and avoid drilling through exterior walls without sealing the hole to prevent drafts and moisture.
Basement concrete or block: use 1/4" concrete screws or 3/8" sleeve anchors into solid concrete or block face shells with a hammer drill. If the wall is furred or framed, check for blocking before relying on the framing alone.
Metal studs in apartments: use snap toggles rated for the TV and mount weight, or have wood blocking added behind the drywall.
Hiding wires: NEC 400.12 does not allow a regular TV power cord to be concealed inside a wall. Use an in-wall rated recessed power kit, and run CL2- or CL3-rated low-voltage cable for in-wall HDMI and speaker lines.
Manufactured homes: locate framing carefully, and add blocking behind thin paneling for heavy TVs or articulating arms.
Garages, porches and outdoor spaces: freeze-thaw cycles and deep cold stress electronics. Use an outdoor-rated TV with a stated operating temperature range, stainless-steel hardware, and do not leave a standard indoor TV in an unheated space.
Before work starts, tell the installer the wall type, the TV size and weight, the mount type and whether the building has rules for contractors. These change the anchors, labor time and price.

Sources: Census Reporter, ACS 2024 1-year: North Dakota (B25035, B25034, B25024) · NDSU Extension: Energy code training (North Dakota wall and basement insulation) · Insulation Institute: North Dakota energy code (2024 IECC adopted with amendments). General guidance only — your installer will confirm the right method for your wall.