McKenzie County, North Dakota
Among the top 20% of US counties for affordability.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B+, better than 80% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 26% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 57% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B, better than 52% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 58% of US counties
- top 5% for school quality
- top 5% for unemployment
- bottom 3% for airport distance
McKenzie County is a county in North Dakota with about 14,000 residents. It grades B+ for affordability and C for weather. Standout strengths include school quality, unemployment, and property tax rate. It rates lower on park & nature access and airport distance.
- The median home value in McKenzie County is $330k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median household income in McKenzie County is $84k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median gross rent in McKenzie County is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- McKenzie County has a violent crime rate of 1658/100k, per the FBI Uniform Crime Reports.
- The average one-way commute in McKenzie County is 20 min, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
Climate
Warm, dry summers · Harsh winters · Dry · Heavy snow
freezing
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82%57%clearovercast
Precipitation 2.5 in0.5 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$84k91st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$52kbetter than 16% of US counties
Home Value$330k90th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 12% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$3kbetter than 76% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.42%better than 93% of US counties
Income Tax2.50%better than 80% of US counties
Sales Tax7.04%better than 56% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden6.48%better than 84% of US counties
Unemployment1.7%better than 95% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)14°F4th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)70°F13th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation15.8 in7th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall49.3 inbetter than 12% of US counties
Sunny Days242 daysbetter than 57% of US counties
Summer Humidity55°Fbetter than 86% of US counties
Comfortable Days61 daysbetter than 17% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk25.0better than 73% of US counties
Air Quality39 AQIbetter than 70% of US counties
School Quality100.0better than 96% of US counties
Violent Crime1658/100kbetter than 12% of US counties
Property Crime1605/100kbetter than 23% of US counties
Community
Population14,08131st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age30.52nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.3560th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.2095th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+6991st percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)75.3%41st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)2.1%52nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)10.6%73rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.6%47th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)11.4%95th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time20 minbetter than 78% of US counties
Walkability6.9/20better than 73% of US counties
Airport Distance519 mibetter than 3% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access88.9%better than 82% of US counties
Amenities Nearby6.39better than 74% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessLimitedbetter than 12% of US counties
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- 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 McKenzie County an affordable place to live?
- McKenzie County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $52k, better than 16% of comparable areas. Median rent is $1k.
- Is McKenzie County safe?
- McKenzie County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1658/100k (better than 12%). Property crime is 1605/100k.
- What is the weather like in McKenzie County?
- McKenzie County averages 70°F in July and 14°F in January, with 15.8 in of annual precipitation and about 242 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in McKenzie County?
- Public-school quality in McKenzie County is above average, scoring better than 96% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in McKenzie County?
- The average one-way commute in McKenzie County is 20 min.