Ward County vs Williams County
Ward County, North Dakota versus Williams 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 Williams County on overall objective livability (52 vs 46 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Ward County | Williams County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $78k | $86k |
| Cost of Living | $42k | $48k |
| Home Value | $250k | $255k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.07% | 0.69% |
| Income Tax | 2.50% | 2.50% |
| Sales Tax | 7.04% | 7.04% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 8.23% | 6.88% |
| Unemployment | 3.7% | 2.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 13°F | 12°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 70°F | 70°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 18.2 in | 15.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 48.8 in | 47.7 in |
| Sunny Days | 232 days | 242 days |
| Summer Humidity | 57°F | 55°F |
| Comfortable Days | 70 days | 54 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 64.8 | 53.7 |
| Air Quality | 42 AQI | — |
| School Quality | 58.9 | 56.9 |
| Violent Crime | 958/100k | 1992/100k |
| Property Crime | 894/100k | 1964/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 69,532 | 39,076 |
| Median Age | 33.0 | 31.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.30 | 0.34 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.10 | 1.18 |
| Political Leaning | R+47 | R+69 |
| White (%) | 81.3% | 76.8% |
| Black (%) | 4.0% | 5.2% |
| Hispanic (%) | 6.7% | 9.5% |
| Asian (%) | 1.6% | 1.1% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 6.3% | 7.5% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 19 min | 17 min |
| Walkability | 8.0/20 | 7.7/20 |
| Airport Distance | 463 mi | 539 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 88.3% | 83.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Moderate |
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 Ward County or Williams County more affordable?
- Ward County has the lower cost of living: its index is $42k, compared with Ward County's $42k and Williams County's $48k. Median rent is $1k in Ward County versus $1k in Williams County.
- Is Ward County or Williams County safer?
- Ward County has the lower violent crime rate. Ward County reports 958/100k and Williams County reports 1992/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Ward County or Williams County?
- The median home value is $250k in Ward County and $255k in Williams County, so homes are more affordable in Ward County.