<ARTICLE> UT
<CIK> 0000067716
<NAME> MDU RESOURCES GROUP INC
<MULTIPLIER> 1000
<CURRENCY> US
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1994
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1994
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1994
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                      1
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
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<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                    190,751
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         158,670
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                        65,950
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                  70,913
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               1,004,718
<COMMON>                                        63,219
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                       95,914
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                            168,050
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                 327,183
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                            2,000
<PREFERRED>                                     15,000
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                           306,097
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                 680
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                       0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                   20,350
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                          100
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                          0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                     0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                 333,308
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                1,004,718
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                      449,528
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                            18,833
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     371,353
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     390,186
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                         59,342
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                              10,480
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                  69,822
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                        29,977
<NET-INCOME>                                    39,845
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                        797
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                   39,048
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                        29,996
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                       29,977
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                          97,813
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     2.06
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0