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Watford City, ND

Census place 3883860 · pop 6,039

D60/ 100
😐 Meh
D−
in ND
📍 North Dakota ranks #2 of 50 states →
🏆 Jobs2.3% · top 2%
🚽 Own29.3% · bottom 1%
Taxes
0.57% property · US 0.99%7.09% sales · US 7.00%up to 2.50% income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

Google Maps ↗Zillow ↗Wikipedia ↗

The breakdown — worst first

Homeownership29.3%1

U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities

29.3% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Population growth (5yr)-12.6%1

U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities

-12.6% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Bachelor's degree or higher18.9%19

U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities

18.9% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Adult obesity39.4%23

U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities

39.4% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level8 days27

U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities

8 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Housing cost$408,50029

U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities

$408,500 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Broadband access90.0%38

U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities

90.0% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Uninsured adults10.3%43

U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities

10.3% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Adult smoking13.5%48

U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities

13.5% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Physical inactivity21.7%69

U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities

21.7% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Poverty rate7.8%70

U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities

7.8% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Poor mental health15.7%70

U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities

15.7% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Commute time21 min70

U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities

21 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Air quality (AQI)County-level39 AQI73

U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities

39 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Median household income$102,26077

U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities

$102,260 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Rent$1,288/mo83

U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities

$1,288/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Property-tax burden0.57%86

U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities

0.57% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Natural disaster riskCounty-level52/10088

U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities

52/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Income inequality0.3888

U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities

Gini 0.38 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Unemployment rateCounty-level2.3%98

U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities

2.3% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Not measured for Watford City: Crime, Property crime. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.

Frequently asked

Is Watford City, ND a good place to live?
By the numbers, Watford City scores 60/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 20 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is unemployment rate and its weakest is homeownership. North Dakota overall ranks #2 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
Is Watford City, ND expensive to live in?
Watford City has a median home value of $408,500 and typical rent around $1,288/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Watford City, ND?
Its weakest measured area is homeownership (29.3%) — 1/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Watford City, ND best at?
Its strongest measured area is unemployment rate (2.3%) — 98/100, better than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.)

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.