City profile · North Dakota · Census ACS 2023

Watford City, ND

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Watford City - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

6,016
Residents
$88,351
Median income
$385,100
Median home
$1,354
Median rent (state)

Watford City - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Watford City places in the 69th percentile for household income and the 34th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

69th
percentile, household income
76th
percentile, home value
51st
percentile, median rent
34th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Watford City, ND

North Dakota's Watford City is a small town, with 6,016 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Watford City households earn a median of $88,351 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 8.9%. Typical homes in Watford City are valued around $385,100, and the median resident age is 28.5 years. 25.8% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 78.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 17 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 32% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 1916.3 in FBI UCR data, near the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 42.1°F with 15.7 inches of precipitation per year and 50.4 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in North Dakota run below the national norm: the state registers 89.0 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,354 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in North Dakota run around $200, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 25.0 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very Low).

Population

6,016 residents

Census ACS 2023 - North Dakota

Median Household Income

$88,351 /yr

Poverty 8.9%

Cost of Living Index (state)

89.0 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, North Dakota average

How does Watford City compare to other US cities?

Where Watford City sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 69% higher than other cities
Home value 76% pricier than other cities
Median rent 51% pricier than other cities
Safety 34% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just North Dakota and the picture shifts: Watford City ranks #14 of 21 North Dakota cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Watford City's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in North Dakota, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

69thIncome percentile
34thSafety percentile

69th percentile nationally for median household income · 34th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Watford City's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Watford City's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 47 Avg. percentile National median
Watford City's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Watford City's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$385,100 24th percentile more affordable than 24% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Watford City $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Watford City, ND Watford City, ND's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Watford City, ND-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Watford City, ND median $88,351/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Watford City, ND's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Watford City, ND. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 25.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 8.9%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 78.7%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
6,016
Median Income
$88,351
Median Home Value
$385,100
Median Age
28.5
Poverty Rate
8.9%
Labor force participation
78.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
25.8%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1916.3
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
302.6
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1613.7
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
42.1°F
Annual Precipitation
15.7"
Annual Snowfall
50.4"

Schools

Total Schools
5
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
5,800 residents6,000 residents6,200 residents6,400 residents6,600 residents 202020212022202320242025 6,251 residents 6,378 residents ▲ +2.0%
Watford City's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
17
housing units authorized
Single-Family
17
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
2.8
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 25
2020 42
2021 33
2022 10
2023 3
2024 17

Permit volume decreased 32% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
78.6%
Carpool
11.6%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.9%
Work from Home
6.8%
Other
2.1%

Based on 3,512 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for North Dakota - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$90
avg/month
Natural Gas
$70
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$40
avg/month
Total Utilities
$200
estimated/month

Estimates reflect North Dakota state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a North Dakota state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Watford City sits in

Cost of Living Index
89.0
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,354/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
25.0 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in North Dakota

Valley City
6,554 people
Minot AFB
4,904 people
Devils Lake
7,170 people
Lincoln
4,309 people
Grafton
4,128 people
Wahpeton
7,996 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Watford City's 6,016 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Pine Brook, NJ
6,017 people
Tarrant, AL
6,014 people
Louisville, MS
6,018 people
Manchester, WA
6,018 people
Raton, NM
6,013 people
Dallas, NC
6,012 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Watford City's $88,351 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Grafton, OH
$88,352 median income
Santa Ana, CA
$88,354 median income
Montgomery, NY
$88,348 median income
Bethel, CT
$88,344 median income
Mills River, NC
$88,359 median income
Waldron, IN
$88,333 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Watford City, ND Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Watford City, ND - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 80.8% 8.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 22.8% White 80.8% Black or African American 2.4% Asian 0.9% American Indian 4.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 3.7% Two or more races 8.1% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Watford City compares to nearby North Dakota cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Watford City (this city) 6,016 $88,351
Valley City 6,554 $56,471
Minot AFB 4,904 $65,571
Devils Lake 7,170 $42,755
Census ACS 5-year FIPS ND FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Watford City, ND?

What is the population of Watford City, ND? +

6,016 people live in Watford City, ND according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Watford City, ND? +

The median household income in Watford City is $88,351 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Watford City? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Watford City; the closest available measure is the North Dakota state average, a cost of living index of 89.0 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within North Dakota vary by metro area.

Is Watford City, ND safe? +

Watford City has a total crime rate of 1916.3 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Watford City, ND? +

Watford City's median home value sits at $385,100, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Watford City? +

Watford City has an average annual temperature of 42.1°F, 15.7 inches of precipitation, and 50.4 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.