Williams County, North Dakota Income Statistics
Williams 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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A
Williams County Above averageWealthiest county in North Dakota
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Williams County | North Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $84,931 | $76,862 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $64,393 | $59,016 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | -0.9% | 3.3% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 16.0% | 12.1% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 14.0% | 9.6% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Williams County is about 10% higher than in North Dakota. Income has been growing slower in Williams County (-0.9%/yr) than in North Dakota (3.3%/yr).
About 16% of adults in Williams 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 Williams County, North Dakota grew by 63.3% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $84,931 in 2024. That's an average of about 0.9% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Williams County
| Metric | Williams County | North Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.518 | 0.506 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $82,151 | $67,903 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $49,800 | $53,536 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 39.4% | 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 Williams County, it is 0.518, higher than North Dakota's 0.506, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 65% more than women's income in Williams County, North Dakota. Over a 35-year career, a 65% wage gap accumulates to roughly $1,132,285 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Williams County, North Dakota has narrowed from about 45% to 39% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 45% in 2014, and was narrowest at 38% in 2020. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $9,059 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Williams County | North Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.3% | 2.7% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 4.0% | 8.1% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 13 | 13 | 22 |
Approximately 910 people are unemployed in Williams County, North Dakota.
The average commute time in Williams County is 13 minutes, about the same as in North Dakota.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Williams County, North Dakota has risen from 1.4% to 4.3% in 2024. Over that period the rate fell as low as 1.0% in 2013.
Williams County, ND Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Williams County, ND is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 39,554 residents against a local median of 3,668. Williams County, ND's income growth, at -0.9%/yr, runs 122% below the 4.0%/yr typical of the counties around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Unemployment tells the same story from another angle: 4.3% against a local median of 2.1%, 112% above it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Williams County, ND reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves sit within 2.6%/yr of each other on income growth, a tighter band than the gap between any of them and Williams County, ND, which makes it a genuine outlier here rather than one end of a wide local spread. Williams County, ND has the 6th highest income growth 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Williams County, ND | 39,554 | $84,931 #4/6 | -0.9%/yr #6/6 | 4.3% #6/6 | 0.518 #4/6 |
| Divide County, ND | 2,167 | $93,120 | 5.1%/yr | 2.3% | 0.513 |
| McKenzie County, ND | 14,321 | $97,512 | 2.7%/yr | 1.3% | 0.521 |
| Burke County, ND | 2,156 | $95,923 | 5.0%/yr | 3.7% | 0.514 |
| Sheridan County, MT | 3,668 | $70,561 | 4.0%/yr | 2.1% | 0.517 |
| Mountrail County, ND | 9,507 | $81,032 | 2.5%/yr | 1.1% | 0.563 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Williams County, North Dakota has an overall wealth index grade of A, making it somewhat better than North Dakota, and notably better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Williams County, North Dakota.
How Rich Is Williams County, North Dakota?
Williams County has a wealth index grade of A. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; an A grade means residents are much better off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $84,931, about 10% higher than the North Dakota average of $76,862.
Are incomes growing in Williams County, North Dakota?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Williams County, North Dakota rose 63%, from $52,018 to $84,931. Over the same years, income here lagged behind North Dakota as a whole: +63% against +70%.
What was the median household income in Williams County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Williams County, North Dakota was $86,694, up 3% from $84,527 in 2022. The North Dakota median that year was $76,063.
What was the median household income in Williams County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Williams County, North Dakota was $81,704. By 2024 it had risen 4% to $84,931.
Do many residents of Williams County, North Dakota earn over $100,000?
Yes. 16% of adults in Williams County, North Dakota earn $100,000 or more a year (about 1 in 6), against 12% (about 1 in 8) in North Dakota. 14% of households have a combined income of $200,000 or more, compared with 10% in North Dakota.
Is it hard to find a job in Williams County, North Dakota?
Unemployment in Williams County, North Dakota is 4.3%, well above the North Dakota rate of 2.7%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Williams County, North Dakota?
The Gini coefficient in Williams County is 0.518. 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 Williams County, North Dakota?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Williams County, North Dakota has narrowed from about 45% to 39% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 45% in 2014, and was narrowest at 38% in 2020. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $9,059 since 2009.
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