Foster County, North Dakota
Among the top 6% of US counties for affordability.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade A, better than 94% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 42% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B+, better than 81% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 72% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 58% of US counties
- top 1% for unemployment
- top 1% for commute time
- bottom 5% for airport distance
Foster County is a county in North Dakota with about 3,388 residents. It grades A for affordability and C for weather. Standout strengths include unemployment, commute time, and monthly owner costs. It rates lower on annual snowfall and airport distance.
- The median home value in Foster County is $160k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median household income in Foster County is $78k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median gross rent in Foster County is $710 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Foster County has a violent crime rate of 652/100k, per the FBI Uniform Crime Reports.
- The average one-way commute in Foster County is 13 min, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
Climate
Warm summers · Harsh winters · Dry · Heavy snow
freezing
v.cold
cold
comfortable
warm
comf.
cold
v.cold
freez.
79%55%clearovercast
Precipitation 3.2 in0.6 in
humid 18%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$78k86th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$46kbetter than 47% of US counties
Home Value$160k51st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$710better than 77% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 92% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.22%better than 26% of US counties
Income Tax2.50%better than 80% of US counties
Sales Tax7.04%better than 56% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden7.31%better than 81% of US counties
Unemployment0.2%better than 99% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)9°F1st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)69°F10th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation20.7 in14th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall56.3 inbetter than 9% of US counties
Sunny Days237 daysbetter than 50% of US counties
Summer Humidity58°Fbetter than 81% of US counties
Comfortable Days79 daysbetter than 49% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk7.4better than 90% of US counties
School Quality50.6better than 41% of US counties
Violent Crime652/100kbetter than 59% of US counties
Property Crime207/100kbetter than 87% of US counties
Community
Population3,3887th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age45.178th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.099th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0266th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+5774th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)94.6%93rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.5%21st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)0.6%2nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.1%12th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.3%69th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time13 minbetter than 99% of US counties
Walkability7.5/20better than 82% of US counties
Airport Distance324 mibetter than 5% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access86.5%better than 70% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.00better than 12% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 85% of US counties
Data sources
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)
Frequently asked questions
- Is Foster County an affordable place to live?
- Foster County is about average in cost. Its cost-of-living index is $46k, better than 47% of comparable areas. Median rent is $710.
- Is Foster County safe?
- Foster County is about average for safety comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 652/100k (better than 59%). Property crime is 207/100k.
- What is the weather like in Foster County?
- Foster County averages 69°F in July and 9°F in January, with 20.7 in of annual precipitation and about 237 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Foster County?
- Public-school quality in Foster County is about average, scoring better than 41% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Foster County?
- The average one-way commute in Foster County is 13 min.