Grand Forks County vs Ward County
A side-by-side comparison of Grand Forks County and Ward County: population, income, housing, and more.
Grand Forks County and Ward County are counties in North Dakota. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Grand Forks County has the higher population (72,764 vs 69,232 in Ward County). Ward County has the higher median household income ($79,273 vs $68,450 in Grand Forks County). Ward County has the higher median home value ($259,100 vs $244,200 in Grand Forks County).
Population, income & housing
| Grand Forks County | Ward County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 72,764 | 69,232 |
| Median age | 30.6 yrs | 33.3 yrs |
| Median household income | $68,450 | $79,273 |
| Median home value | $244,200 | $259,100 |
| Median gross rent | $971 | $1,000 |
| Housing units | 33,736 | 32,372 |
| Homeownership rate | 52.1% | 61.9% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37.2% | 29.7% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.7% | 3.4% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Grand Forks County | Ward County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 70,224 → 72,764 (+3.6%) | 68,812 → 69,232 (+0.6%) |
| Median household income | $54,051 → $68,450 (+26.6%) | $68,871 → $79,273 (+15.1%) |
| Median home value | $206,500 → $244,200 (+18.3%) | $213,100 → $259,100 (+21.6%) |
| Median gross rent | $824 → $971 (+17.8%) | $981 → $1,000 (+1.9%) |
Grand Forks County
70,22472,764
$54,051$68,450
$206,500$244,200
$824$971
Ward County
68,81269,232
$68,871$79,273
$213,100$259,100
$981$1,000
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Grand Forks County | Ward County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 6.3% | 7.1% |
| 5 to 17 | 14.9% | 17.0% |
| 18 to 24 | 19.4% | 11.6% |
| 25 to 34 | 15.5% | 16.9% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.3% | 13.4% |
| 45 to 54 | 8.7% | 9.5% |
| 55 to 64 | 9.9% | 10.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 8.2% | 7.7% |
| 75 and over | 5.8% | 6.0% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Grand Forks County | Ward County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 82.2% | 80.9% |
| Black or African American | 3.4% | 3.9% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 1.7% | 1.2% |
| Asian | 2.7% | 1.4% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.5% | 0.1% |
| Some other race | 0.2% | 0.4% |
| Two or more races | 4.1% | 5.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 5.2% | 6.9% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Grand Forks County | Ward County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 4.3% | 4.9% |
| High school graduate | 21.3% | 28.7% |
| Some college or associate's | 37.3% | 36.7% |
| Bachelor's degree | 23.4% | 20.5% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 13.7% | 9.2% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Grand Forks County | Ward County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 80.2% | 79.2% |
| Carpooled | 8.5% | 11.7% |
| Public transit | 0.9% | 0.1% |
| Walked | 3.4% | 1.7% |
| Bicycle | 0.3% | 0.4% |
| Worked from home | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| Other means | 1.3% | 1.3% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Grand Forks County | Ward County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 44.3% | 52.9% |
| 1-unit, attached | 9.2% | 9.1% |
| 2 to 4 units | 6.4% | 8.2% |
| 5 to 19 units | 12.9% | 8.4% |
| 20 or more units | 23.0% | 13.1% |
| Mobile home & other | 4.2% | 8.2% |
Poverty & households
| Grand Forks County | Ward County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 13.9% | 7.8% |
| Average household size | 2.20 | 2.38 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 16 | 19 |
| Median year structure built | 1981 | 1983 |
Full profiles
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