Life as a young person in North Dakota's oil boom economy

This summer, Fusion traveled to Williston, North Dakota, the town at the center of a modern-day Gold Rush. An oil boom has brought thousands of job seekers to the area hoping to strike it rich. The rush has created an environment unlike any other – men now far outnumber women, the average age is actually declining, and it’s one of the few places in the country where having a college degree doesn’t really matter.

Welcome to Frack City, USA. Click on the images below to find out what it’s like to be a young person in Williston, North Dakota.

Emily DeRuy is a Washington, D.C.-based associate editor, covering education, reproductive rights, and inequality. A San Francisco native, she enjoys Giants baseball and misses Philz terribly.

Geneva Sands is a Washington, D.C.-based producer/editor focused on national affairs and politics. Egg creams, Raleigh and pie are three of her favorite things.