Ward County, North Dakota
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B, better than 53% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 22% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 45% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B, better than 64% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 69% of US counties
- top 8% for park & nature access
- top 8% for cost of living
- bottom 3% for airport distance
Ward County is a county in North Dakota with about 70,000 residents. It grades B for lifestyle & connectivity and D for weather. Standout strengths include park & nature access, cost of living, and walkability. It rates lower on amenities nearby and airport distance.
Official websiteco.ward.nd.us (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm, dry summers · Harsh winters · Dry · Heavy snow
freezing
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warm
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cool
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77%56%clearovercast
Precipitation 2.8 in0.5 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$78k86th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$42kbetter than 92% of US counties
Home Value$250k80th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 23% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 13% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.07%better than 34% of US counties
Income Tax2.50%better than 80% of US counties
Sales Tax7.04%better than 56% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden8.23%better than 75% of US counties
Unemployment3.7%better than 70% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)13°F3rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)70°F13th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation18.2 in10th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall48.8 inbetter than 12% of US counties
Sunny Days232 daysbetter than 44% of US counties
Summer Humidity57°Fbetter than 84% of US counties
Comfortable Days70 daysbetter than 27% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk64.8better than 34% of US counties
Air Quality42 AQIbetter than 56% of US counties
School Quality58.9better than 58% of US counties
Violent Crime958/100kbetter than 38% of US counties
Property Crime894/100kbetter than 50% of US counties
Community
Population69,53276th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age33.05th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.3053rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.1089th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+4760th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)81.3%51st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)4.0%62nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)6.7%61st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)1.6%80th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)6.3%87th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time19 minbetter than 84% of US counties
Walkability8.0/20better than 87% of US counties
Airport Distance463 mibetter than 3% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access88.3%better than 80% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.00better than 12% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 92% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Ward County an affordable place to live?
- Ward County is relatively affordable. Its cost-of-living index is $42k, better than 92% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Ward County?
- The median home value in Ward County is $250k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Ward County?
- Median household income in Ward County is $78k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Ward County?
- Median gross rent in Ward County is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Ward County safe?
- Ward County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 958/100k (better than 38%). Property crime is 894/100k.
- What is the weather like in Ward County?
- Ward County averages 70°F in July and 13°F in January, with 18.2 in of annual precipitation and about 232 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Ward County?
- Public-school quality in Ward County is about average, scoring better than 58% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Ward County?
- The average one-way commute in Ward County is 19 min.
Other counties in North Dakota
Explore North Dakota
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)