Cass County vs Ward County
Cass 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 Cass County on overall objective livability (52 vs 47 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Cass County | Ward County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $73k | $78k |
| Cost of Living | $39k | $42k |
| Home Value | $270k | $250k |
| Monthly Rent | $909 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.22% | 1.07% |
| Income Tax | 2.50% | 2.50% |
| Sales Tax | 7.04% | 7.04% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.32% | 8.23% |
| Unemployment | 2.8% | 3.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 9°F | 13°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 71°F | 70°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 24.7 in | 18.2 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.0 in | 48.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 229 days | 232 days |
| Summer Humidity | 60°F | 57°F |
| Comfortable Days | 86 days | 70 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 82.4 | 64.8 |
| Air Quality | 50 AQI | 42 AQI |
| School Quality | 64.9 | 58.9 |
| Violent Crime | 2180/100k | 958/100k |
| Property Crime | 3141/100k | 894/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 186,328 | 69,532 |
| Median Age | 32.7 | 33.0 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.28 | 0.30 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.03 | 1.10 |
| Political Leaning | Even | R+47 |
| White (%) | 83.4% | 81.3% |
| Black (%) | 6.5% | 4.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 3.0% | 6.7% |
| Asian (%) | 3.2% | 1.6% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.0% | 6.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 17 min | 19 min |
| Walkability | 12.8/20 | 8.0/20 |
| Airport Distance | 239 mi | 463 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 88.4% | 88.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 0.43 | 0.00 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | 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 Cass County or Ward County more affordable?
- Cass County has the lower cost of living: its index is $39k, compared with Cass County's $39k and Ward County's $42k. Median rent is $909 in Cass County versus $1k in Ward County.
- Is Cass County or Ward County safer?
- Ward County has the lower violent crime rate. Cass County reports 2180/100k and Ward County reports 958/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Cass County or Ward County?
- The median home value is $270k in Cass County and $250k in Ward County, so homes are more affordable in Ward County.