Ward County, North Dakota Income Statistics
Ward County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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B
Ward County Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Ward County | North Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $78,102 | $76,862 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $57,922 | $59,016 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 2.7% | 3.3% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 12.7% | 12.1% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 10.3% | 9.6% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Ward County is about 2% higher than in North Dakota. Income has been growing slower in Ward County (2.7%/yr) than in North Dakota (3.3%/yr).
About 13% of adults in Ward County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, higher than the North Dakota average of 12%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Ward County, North Dakota grew by 64.1% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $78,102 in 2024. That's an average of about 2.7% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Ward County
| Metric | Ward County | North Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.504 | 0.506 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $65,377 | $67,903 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $53,856 | $53,536 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 17.6% | 21.2% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Ward County, it is 0.504, about the same as North Dakota's 0.506, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 21% more than women's income in Ward County, North Dakota. Over a 35-year career, a 21% wage gap accumulates to roughly $403,235 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Ward County, North Dakota has narrowed from about 26% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 26% in 2010, and was narrowest at 15% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,374 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Ward County | North Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 3.2% | 2.7% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 5.7% | 8.1% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 13 | 13 | 22 |
Approximately 1,201 people are unemployed in Ward County, North Dakota.
The average commute time in Ward County is 13 minutes, about the same as in North Dakota.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Ward County, North Dakota has risen from 2.6% to 3.2% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 3.9% in 2021 and fell as low as 2.2% in 2016.
Ward County, ND Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Ward County, ND is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 68,973 residents against a local median of 6,378. The measure that sets Ward County, ND apart most is unemployment: 3.2%, 134% above the local median of 1.4%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 2.7%/yr against a local median of 3.3%/yr, 17% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Ward County, ND reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 3.1% on unemployment, so Ward County, ND sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Ward County, ND has the 5th lowest unemployment of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ward County, ND | 68,973 | $78,102 #5/6 | 2.7%/yr #4/6 | 3.2% #5/6 | 0.504 #2/6 |
| Renville County, ND | 2,304 | $74,009 | 1.4%/yr | 1.0% | 0.505 |
| McLean County, ND | 9,823 | $82,764 | 4.2%/yr | 1.4% | 0.509 |
| Mountrail County, ND | 9,507 | $81,032 | 2.5%/yr | 1.1% | 0.563 |
| McHenry County, ND | 5,207 | $78,692 | 3.3%/yr | 4.1% | 0.503 |
| Bottineau County, ND | 6,378 | $79,822 | 4.5%/yr | 1.6% | 0.512 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Ward County, North Dakota has an overall wealth index grade of B, making it somewhat better than North Dakota, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Ward County, North Dakota.
How Rich Is Ward County, North Dakota?
Ward County has a wealth index grade of B. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a B grade means residents are quite well off compared to the U.S. average. The median household income is $78,102, about 2% higher than the North Dakota average of $76,862.
How fast is household income rising in Ward County, North Dakota?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Ward County, North Dakota rose 64%, from $47,597 to $78,102. Over the same years, income here lagged behind North Dakota as a whole: +64% against +70%.
What was the median household income in Ward County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Ward County, North Dakota was $80,273, up 1% from $79,471 in 2022. The North Dakota median that year was $76,063.
What was the median household income in Ward County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Ward County, North Dakota was $67,683. By 2024 it had risen 15% to $78,102.
What is the Gini coefficient in Ward County, North Dakota?
The Gini coefficient in Ward County is 0.504. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Ward County, North Dakota?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Ward County, North Dakota has narrowed from about 26% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 26% in 2010, and was narrowest at 15% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,374 since 2009.
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