Ward County, North Dakota
Located in North Dakota, Ward County has a population of 68,973 residents and a median age of 33.6 years, making it the #795 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 8.6%. The median home value is $267,100, and the median household income is $78,238, which is 4% above the national median.
Demographics
Ward County has a population of 68,973, making it the #795 most populous county in the US. The median age is 33.6 years, which is 13.6% below the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Ward County is $78,238, ranking #658 out of 3,222 counties — 4.1% above the national median. The poverty rate is 8.6% and unemployment stands at 3.2%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Ward County is $267,100 (-5.3% vs national). Renters pay a median of $1,048/mo and the homeownership rate is 60.8%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Ward County, 29.6% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 12.2% below the national average, ranking #796 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Ward County is 77.5 years. 15.2% of adults report poor or fair health and 6.5% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
16.6% of adults in Ward County smoke , 37.4% are obese , and 24.3% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 22.3 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Ward County is 3.5 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 18.7 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 11.4 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
9.4% of children in Ward County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 5.0 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 18.1 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Ward County is 55.5%. The mean commute time is 21.1 min, which is 23.7% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Ward County voted Republican with a margin of 47.3%. The vote was 25.5% Dem / 72.8% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 2.4 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Ward County, North Dakota
Ward County, North Dakota has a total population of 68,973, making it the 795th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Ward County is 33.6 years, which is 13.6% below the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Ward County is $78,238, which ranks #658 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 4.1% above the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 8.6%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 3.2%.
The median home value in Ward County is $267,100, 5.3% below the national median. Renters in Ward County pay a median gross rent of $1,048 per month. The homeownership rate is 60.8%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Ward County, 29.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 12.2% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 93.6% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 21.1 min.
Ward County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 80.4% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (7.2%) and Two or More Races (5.0%).
All data for Ward County, North Dakota comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.