Burleigh County vs Ward County
Burleigh County, North Dakota versus Ward County, North Dakota: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Ward County edges out Burleigh County on overall objective livability (52 vs 48 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Burleigh County | Ward County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $82k | $78k |
| Cost of Living | $43k | $42k |
| Home Value | $302k | $250k |
| Monthly Rent | $975 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.88% | 1.07% |
| Income Tax | 2.50% | 2.50% |
| Sales Tax | 7.04% | 7.04% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 8.07% | 8.23% |
| Unemployment | 2.7% | 3.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 12°F | 13°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 71°F | 70°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 19.6 in | 18.2 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 50.4 in | 48.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 239 days | 232 days |
| Summer Humidity | 58°F | 57°F |
| Comfortable Days | 65 days | 70 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 85.1 | 64.8 |
| Air Quality | 42 AQI | 42 AQI |
| School Quality | 63.6 | 58.9 |
| Violent Crime | 1626/100k | 958/100k |
| Property Crime | 2667/100k | 894/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 98,443 | 69,532 |
| Median Age | 37.7 | 33.0 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.23 | 0.30 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.02 | 1.10 |
| Political Leaning | R+42 | R+47 |
| White (%) | 86.4% | 81.3% |
| Black (%) | 1.9% | 4.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 2.9% | 6.7% |
| Asian (%) | 0.8% | 1.6% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 8.0% | 6.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 18 min | 19 min |
| Walkability | 7.9/20 | 8.0/20 |
| Airport Distance | 379 mi | 463 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 87.9% | 88.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Burleigh County or Ward County more affordable?
- Ward County has the lower cost of living: its index is $42k, compared with Burleigh County's $43k and Ward County's $42k. Median rent is $975 in Burleigh County versus $1k in Ward County.
- Is Burleigh County or Ward County safer?
- Ward County has the lower violent crime rate. Burleigh County reports 1626/100k and Ward County reports 958/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Burleigh County or Ward County?
- The median home value is $302k in Burleigh County and $250k in Ward County, so homes are more affordable in Ward County.