Ward County, North Dakota

County Distress Index: Normal · 35.8 | 68,332 people · 8th most distressed in North Dakota
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Ward County, ND falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 35.8 — 2600th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where housing costs consume a moderate share of household income. Within North Dakota, it ranks 8th of 53 counties. It scores higher than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Ward County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 55.8 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 55.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 41
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 42
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 73
Homeownership Rate 90
Rent-to-Income Ratio 33
Employment & Wages 37.0
Unemployment Rate 8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 32
Business Formation Rate 71
Debt & Delinquency 35.0
Debt in Collections 24
Medical Debt 24
Student Loan Delinquency 34
Auto Loan Delinquency 47
Credit Card Delinquency 43
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 38
Community Vulnerability 28.7
Uninsured Rate 30
Disability Rate 28
Income & Poverty 22.4
Poverty Rate 5
Income vs. State Median 53
Child Poverty Rate 9

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed. The median line is shown on each bar.

Neighbors and Peers

How Ward County compares to its 5 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Ward County
Ward County, ND 35.8 Normal —
Mountrail County, ND 35.0 Healthy -0.8
McHenry County, ND 28.0 Healthy -7.8
Renville County, ND 24.2 Healthy -11.6
Burke County, ND 20.8 Healthy -15.0
McLean County, ND 19.6 Healthy -16.2

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Ward County
Grundy County, IL 35.8 Normal +0.0
Iredell County, NC 35.8 Normal -0.0
York County, ME 35.7 Normal -0.0
Jefferson County, MO 35.7 Normal -0.1
Lewis and Clark County, MT 35.9 Normal +0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Ward County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Ward County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Ward County.

COMMUNITY ACTION PARTNERSHIP - MINOT REGION
Minot
701-839-7221 Website
Financial CounselingHomeless/DisplacementRental Help

See all counselors in North Dakota →

Find an Attorney

State Bar Association of North Dakota Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

State Bar Association of North Dakota Lawyer Referral Service 701-255-1404

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Ward County residents at no cost.

Legal Services of North Dakota 1-800-634-5263

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in North Dakota →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Ward County, North Dakota?

    Ward County has a County Distress Index score of 35.8 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,600th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 8th in North Dakota out of 53 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Ward County?

    The primary driver of distress in Ward County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 55.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Ward County compare to neighboring counties?

    Ward County (35.8) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Mountrail County, ND (35.0); McHenry County, ND (28.0); Renville County, ND (24.2).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses percentile-rank averaging across five domains: Debt & Delinquency, Income & Poverty, Housing Cost Burden, Employment & Wages, and Community Vulnerability. Each county's indicators are ranked against all 3,144 U.S. counties. A score of 50 means the county is at the national median; higher scores indicate greater distress.

  • What is the population of Ward County?

    Ward County, North Dakota has a population of approximately 68,332 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.