Grand Forks County vs Ward County
Grand Forks 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.
Grand Forks County and Ward County score about the same overall (49 vs 52 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Grand Forks County | Ward County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $65k | $78k |
| Cost of Living | $41k | $42k |
| Home Value | $235k | $250k |
| Monthly Rent | $941 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.12% | 1.07% |
| Income Tax | 3.46% | 2.50% |
| Sales Tax | 7.04% | 7.04% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.85% | 8.23% |
| Unemployment | 3.4% | 3.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 6°F | 13°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 69°F | 70°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 23.5 in | 18.2 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 48.4 in | 48.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 229 days | 232 days |
| Summer Humidity | 60°F | 57°F |
| Comfortable Days | 77 days | 70 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 57.7 | 64.8 |
| Air Quality | — | 42 AQI |
| School Quality | 61.2 | 58.9 |
| Violent Crime | 1553/100k | 958/100k |
| Property Crime | 2603/100k | 894/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 72,927 | 69,532 |
| Median Age | 30.3 | 33.0 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.29 | 0.30 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.08 | 1.10 |
| Political Leaning | R+14 | R+47 |
| White (%) | 82.5% | 81.3% |
| Black (%) | 3.7% | 4.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 4.8% | 6.7% |
| Asian (%) | 2.8% | 1.6% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 6.2% | 6.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 16 min | 19 min |
| Walkability | 12.9/20 | 8.0/20 |
| Airport Distance | 290 mi | 463 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 85.9% | 88.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 1.92 | 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 Grand Forks County or Ward County more affordable?
- Grand Forks County has the lower cost of living: its index is $41k, compared with Grand Forks County's $41k and Ward County's $42k. Median rent is $941 in Grand Forks County versus $1k in Ward County.
- Is Grand Forks County or Ward County safer?
- Ward County has the lower violent crime rate. Grand Forks County reports 1553/100k and Ward County reports 958/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Grand Forks County or Ward County?
- The median home value is $235k in Grand Forks County and $250k in Ward County, so homes are more affordable in Grand Forks County.