Map the Block › Places › North Dakota › Ward County
Ward County, North Dakota: crime rate, income and local data
Ward County averaged 2.7 reported violent crimes per 1,000 residents a year in 2021-2025, close to the North Dakota rate (2.7). The median household earns $78,238 and the unemployment rate was 2.0% in August 2026. It is home to roughly 68,973 residents.
Last updated . Crime: FBI 2021-2025. Income and housing: Census ACS 2020-2024. Unemployment: BLS August 2026. Road work: October 11, 2026.
Also on the map: income · hazard risk · Superfund · dams
What is the crime rate in Ward County?
From 2021 through 2025, Ward County averaged 184 reported violent crimes a year, along with 733 property crimes. The violent rate, 2.7 per 1,000 people, is close to the North Dakota rate (2.7); nationally it is 3.7. For property crime the county rate is 10.6 per 1,000 (North Dakota: 18.5; U.S.: 18.1). Aggravated assaults make up 64% of the violent total. CDC death records show about 2 homicide deaths a year in the county (3.5 per 100,000), a count that includes cases police may classify differently.
| Offense (yearly average, 2021-2025) | Ward County | Per 1,000 | North Dakota per 1,000 | U.S. per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crime | 184 | 2.7 | 2.7 | 3.7 |
| Murder | 4 | 0.06 | 0.03 | 0.06 |
| Rape | 52 | 0.75 | 0.53 | 0.40 |
| Robbery | 11 | 0.16 | 0.25 | 0.62 |
| Aggravated assault | 117 | 1.7 | 1.9 | 2.6 |
| Property crime | 733 | 10.6 | 18.5 | 18.1 |
| Burglary | 135 | 2.0 | 3.1 | 2.4 |
| Larceny-theft | 459 | 6.7 | 13.2 | 13.0 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 138 | 2.0 | 2.2 | 2.6 |
Most crime never reaches the police, so these are reported crimes, a floor rather than the full count. In 2024 about half of violent crimes (48%) and about 3 in 10 property crimes (31%) were reported to police (U.S. Justice Department, National Crime Victimization Survey). Rates also depend on how completely each agency reports to the FBI. County figures add up the city police and sheriff reports in the county (6 agencies; 100% of residents covered).
What is the median household income in Ward County?
The median household in Ward County earns $78,238 a year, close to the North Dakota median ($76,657). The typical owner-occupied home is valued at $267,100 by its owners; renters pay a median $1,048. 7.1% of households received SNAP benefits in the past year (state: 6.6%). The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 2.0% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 738 people out of work and looking.
| Census ACS 2020-2024 | Ward County | North Dakota | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 68,973 | 784,841 | 334,922,499 |
| Median household income | $78,238 | $76,657 | $80,734 |
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $267,100 | $249,900 | $332,700 |
| Median gross rent | $1,048 | $954 | $1,413 |
| Unemployment rate (2020-2024 average) | 3.6% | 2.8% | 5.2% |
| People below the poverty line | 8.6% | 10.8% | 12.5% |
| Households receiving SNAP (food stamps) | 7.1% | 6.6% | 12.1% |
| Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher | 29.6% | 32.7% | 35.7% |
| Homeowner households | 60.8% | 62.9% | 65.2% |
| Median age | 33.6 | 35.9 | 38.9 |
| Households with broadband internet | 90.6% | 88.7% | 91.0% |
| People without health insurance | 6.4% | 6.5% | 8.4% |
What natural hazards and environmental sites are in Ward County?
Ward County carries a “Relatively Low” overall rating in FEMA's National Risk Index. No single hazard among floods, wildfire, tornadoes, heat waves, earthquakes and hurricanes is rated higher than “Relatively Moderate”. The index compares counties with each other and also weighs how vulnerable and resilient a community is, so it is a long-run estimate, not a forecast.
Superfund sites
No active Superfund site is listed in Ward County. 1 former site has finished cleanup and been taken off EPA's National Priorities List: Minot Landfill. A listing means EPA is managing a long-term cleanup; it does not by itself mean anyone is exposed today.
High-hazard dams
Ward County has 6 dams classed as high hazard in the National Inventory of Dams. None is rated Poor or Unsatisfactory; 1 is rated Satisfactory or Fair. The two tallest are Lake Darling Dam (39 ft) and Minot Lagoon - Cell 3 (9 ft). “High hazard” describes what lies downstream (people would probably die if the dam failed), not how likely the dam is to fail.
Industrial chemical releases
1 facility in the county filed Toxics Release Inventory reports for 2024, together reporting 2,000 pounds of listed chemicals released on site. Reported releases are legal permitted amounts in most cases.
Disasters, air and water
Ward County was covered by 1 federal major disaster declaration from 2016 through 2025 (Severe Storm 1), not counting COVID-19. In 2024, 9 of 366 monitored days had an air quality index of “unhealthy for sensitive groups” or worse (EPA). Of 14 community water systems, none had an open health-based drinking-water violation in EPA's records (September 2026). EPA puts the county in radon zone 1 (highest).
Is there road construction in Ward County?
No highway work zones were listed in Ward County in the October 11, 2026 state feed. Some states publish only part of their road work in open feeds, so check the state's 511 site before you travel. The map's layer refreshes every morning.
See today's work zones on the map →
How many schools, nursing homes and parks are in Ward County?
Federal school lists show 40 public and 3 private schools in the county. 2 nursing homes are certified by Medicare or Medicaid here; star ratings for each are on the map and on Medicare's Care Compare. USGS mapping shows 17 fire or EMS stations and 6 police or sheriff stations.
What tribal lands and sacred sites are in Ward County?
Census tribal areas that reach into Ward County: Fort Berthold Reservation.
Tribal areas are Census statistical boundaries, shown for reference; they are not legal boundaries.
See them on the map: tribal lands →
Gun shops, liquor stores and Planned Parenthood in Ward County
Gun shops
6 gun shops with a public storefront are on the map in Ward County, plus 22 more licensed dealers without a public storefront (not shown). One of them is a pawnshop licensed to sell guns. On the ATF list: Dakota Pawnbroker & 2Nd Hand INC (Minot), Minot Main Exchange (Minot Afb), Runnings (Minot), Scheels All Sports INC (Minot), The Attic INC (Minot) and Walmart #1636 (Minot).
Liquor stores
7 liquor stores are on the map in Ward County: Broadway Liquor LLC (Minot), Hampton By Hilton Minot Airport (Minot), Mp Wine & Spirits (4 in Minot) and Spicy Pie (Minot).
Planned Parenthood
There is no Planned Parenthood health center in Ward County on the map.
See them on the map: gun shops · liquor stores →
Sources: ATF licensee list (Sept 2026); state liquor licence lists, OpenStreetMap and Overture Maps (non-official); HHS Title X directory and CMS NPPES.
Common questions
What is the crime rate in Ward County?
Ward County averaged 184 reported violent crimes a year in 2021-2025, or 2.7 per 1,000 residents, close to the North Dakota rate (2.7). The property-crime rate was 10.6 per 1,000 (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting).
What is the median household income in Ward County?
$78,238 (Census American Community Survey, 2020-2024 average), compared with $76,657 for North Dakota and $80,734 nationally.
What is the unemployment rate in Ward County?
The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 2.0% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 738 people out of work and looking.
What natural hazards affect Ward County?
Ward County carries a “Relatively Low” overall rating in FEMA's National Risk Index. No single hazard among floods, wildfire, tornadoes, heat waves, earthquakes and hurricanes is rated higher than “Relatively Moderate”.
Are there Superfund sites in Ward County?
No active Superfund site is listed in Ward County. 1 former site has finished cleanup and been taken off EPA's National Priorities List: Minot Landfill.
Is there road construction in Ward County right now?
No highway work zones were listed in Ward County in the October 11, 2026 state feed. Some states publish only part of their road work in open feeds, so check the state's 511 site before you travel.
How many nursing homes are in Ward County?
2 Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing homes (CMS provider data, September 2026).
How does Ward County compare with neighboring counties?
| County | Population | Violent crimes per 1,000 (2021-25) | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burke County | 2,156 | 0.56 | $91,591 |
| McHenry County | 5,207 | 0.90 | $80,733 |
| McLean County | 9,823 | 1.1 | $83,583 |
| Mountrail County | 9,507 | 0.76 | $80,717 |
| Renville County | 2,304 | 0.97 | $74,301 |
More: North Dakota statewide numbers · Sex-offender registry search (U.S. Justice Department, NSOPW)
Where do these numbers come from?
- Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting 2021-2025 (agency level, Return A), averaged and summed by county by Map the Block; Census population; state and national rates: FBI estimated crimes 2021-2025.
- Income, housing, education: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year, table B19013 (median household income) and related tables.
- Monthly unemployment: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS), county data, not seasonally adjusted. Public domain.
- Hazards: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), county scores; disasters: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
- Superfund: U.S. EPA, Superfund site boundaries and NPL status (October 2026). Dams: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Inventory of Dams (public map service, October 2026). Chemical releases: U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory, reporting year 2024 (basic data file).
- Air and water: U.S. EPA AirData, annual AQI by county 2024; EPA Air Quality Design Values 2023-2025 (June 2026); U.S. EPA SDWIS via ECHO drinking-water download (September 30, 2026). Traffic deaths: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2024; Census population.
- Work zones: State departments of transportation, via the U.S. DOT Work Zone Data Exchange (WZDx) and state 511 feeds; refreshed every morning (snapshot October 11, 2026).
- Schools: National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE public school locations 2024-25; budgets: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, fiscal year 2024; National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE Private School geocodes (Private School Survey 2023-24). Nursing homes: U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Nursing Home Provider Information and Penalties (September 2026). Stations: U.S. Geological Survey, National Structures Dataset (Fire Stations/EMS Stations), October 2026 pull.
- Parks: USGS Protected Areas Database of the U.S. (PAD-US 4.1); state park agencies' open data (CA, NY, PA, TN, TX, FL, NJ, KY, HI, UT, MT and others); OpenStreetMap contributors for some hours, phones, fees and camping; U.S. National Park Service: unit boundaries (Land Resources Division), Acreage Report (Sept 30, 2026), park pages on nps.gov (hours, fees), Visitor Use Statistics (2025).
Map the Block shows public statistics about places, not people, and does not rate or rank neighborhoods as places to live. Figures are as published by each source; check the source before relying on a number.
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