Population 68,973 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Ward County
Household size in Ward County
| Period | Ward County | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.41 | 2.37 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.52 | 2.39 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.41 | 2.36 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.45 | 2.38 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.04 | +0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Ward County run small, averaging 2.45 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Household size has crept up from 2.41 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the north.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Ward County
| Period | Ward County | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.5 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 34.8 | 37.7 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 34.4 | 37.4 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 36.0 | 37.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.4 | −0.8 | +2.3 |
Ward County is young: half of its residents are under 36.0, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. Since 2006–10, the median age has edged down from 36.5, even as the national median rose.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Ward County
| Period | Ward County | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.1% | 8.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.6% | 8.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.7% | 8.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.3% | 8.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.2 pts | +0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are less common in Ward County than nationally: 9.3%, against 11.6%. North Dakota as a whole looks much the same. Compared with other North Dakota counties, though, Ward County has a higher share of single-parent households than most.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Ward County
Renters in Ward County
| Period | Ward County | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.6% | 33.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 37.9% | 34.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 40.5% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 39.2% | 37.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.6 pts | +3.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is a bit more common in Ward County than nationally: 39.2% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% for the U.S. Among homeowners, 41.8% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. Renting is most common in the north and least common in the center. The renter share has risen 3.6 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Ward County
| Period | Ward County | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.8% | 10.6% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.0% | 11.3% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 14.5% | 13.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 12.6% | 12.0% | 9.6% |
| Change | +3.8 pts | +1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy runs high in Ward County: 12.6% of homes are empty, against 9.6% nationally. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 3.8 points, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Ward County
| Period | Ward County | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1973 | 1974 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1976 | 1976 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1984 | 1981 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1987 | 1985 | 1980 |
| Change | +13 | +11 | +6 |
Homes in Ward County are newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1987, versus 1980 across the U.S. The median year built has moved up from 1973 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the north, the oldest in the east.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Ward County
| Period | Ward County | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $621 | $573 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $925 | $716 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,046 | $862 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,073 | $1,031 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$452 | +$458 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Ward County costs $1,073 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $452 a month since 2006–10, up 73%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 25.7% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. The priciest rents are in the north; the most affordable are in the center.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Ward County
Bachelor's degrees in Ward County
| Period | Ward County | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.4% | 27.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 26.1% | 28.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 29.8% | 31.1% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 30.0% | 33.9% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.6 pts | +6.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
About three in ten adults 25 and older in Ward County (30.0%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, a little below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 3.6 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Compared with other North Dakota counties, though, Ward County has a higher share of college graduates than most.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Ward County
| Period | Ward County | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 92.5% | 90.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.5% | 91.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.7% | 92.9% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.8% | 94.1% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.3 pts | +3.8 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Ward County: 94.8% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 2.3 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Ward County has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five North Dakota counties.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Ward County
| Period | Ward County | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.0% | 3.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 2.5% | 3.1% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.0% | 2.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.8% | 2.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.8 pts | −0.8 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Ward County than nationally: unemployment was 3.8%, against 5.4%. Even so, the rate is higher than in North Dakota overall (2.8%). Unemployment has edged up 0.8 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Ward County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ward County | 2.45 | 36.0 | 9.3% | 39.2% | 12.6% | 1987 | $1,073 | 30.0% | 94.8% | 3.8% |
| McHenry County | 2.33 | 44.2 | 5.3% | 18.6% | 19.9% | 1967 | $748 | 20.5% | 91.2% | 3.9% |
| Renville County | 2.32 | 43.7 | 5.3% | 21.3% | 26.2% | 1972 | $871 | 19.3% | 91.5% | 1.1% |
| Mountrail County | 2.44 | 35.4 | 13.1% | 38.5% | 23.2% | 1997 | $1,050 | 23.4% | 89.0% | 1.1% |
| Pierce County | 2.05 | 42.7 | 6.1% | 18.4% | 10.3% | 1969 | $707 | 27.8% | 93.3% | 1.1% |
| Burke County | 2.40 | 39.7 | 8.4% | 24.9% | 33.8% | 1969 | $778 | 22.7% | 93.6% | 3.9% |
| McKenzie County | 2.48 | 33.4 | 11.6% | 46.6% | 20.7% | 2005 | $1,471 | 17.9% | 89.7% | 2.4% |
| Towner County | 2.07 | 48.8 | 7.5% | 21.2% | 19.6% | 1969 | $659 | 24.1% | 91.4% | 0.7% |
| Benson County | 3.04 | 32.7 | 23.8% | 26.9% | 19.4% | 1972 | $606 | 22.7% | 85.7% | 3.0% |
| Williams County | 2.64 | 33.2 | 10.2% | 47.0% | 26.2% | 1992 | $1,083 | 23.2% | 92.9% | 4.3% |
| Eddy County | 1.95 | 48.0 | 6.3% | 28.0% | 12.0% | 1968 | $600 | 30.7% | 93.6% | 2.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Warrick County, IN · Cole County, MO · Columbia County, FL · Columbia County, NY · Columbia County, PA · Coos County, OR · Crawford County, AR · Creek County, OK · Cumberland County, TN · Darlington County, SC
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Ward County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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