Housing data for Watford City, ND
Watford City, ND has an estimated 6,039 residents and 3,491 homes (US Census Bureau, 2020–2024 American Community Survey).
It is a city in McKenzie County.
70.7% of households rent.
The median gross rent is $1,336 a month.
Its population shrank measurably since 2015–2019 (−12.6%).
Figures last updated on .
- Residents
- 6,039 (±29)
- Housing units
- 3,491 (±314)
- Households that rent
- 70.7%
- Median gross rent
- $1,336
- Residents since 2015–2019
- −12.6%
What stands out in Watford City
Homes in buildings of 5 or more units: 58.1% (±8.3 points) in Watford City, higher than in McKenzie County (26.9%).
Median real estate taxes: $2,319 (±$301) in Watford City, higher than in McKenzie County ($1,491).
Households that rent: 70.7% (±7.9 points) in Watford City, higher than in McKenzie County (46.6%).
Homes built before 1980: 9.5% (±3.9 points) in Watford City, lower than in McKenzie County (21.0%).
- Types of homes in Watford City
- Property taxes in Watford City
- Renters and owners in Watford City
- Age of homes in Watford City
Housing in Watford City at a glance
- Median rent: $1,336 median gross rent a month
- Rent by bedrooms: $1,293 median gross rent, 2 bedrooms
- Rent burden: 23.0% of renters pay 30% or more of income (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Renters and owners: 70.7% of households rent
- Income and affordability: $102,260 median household income
- Home values: $408,500 median home value
- Homeowner costs: $2,369 median monthly cost with a mortgage
- Property taxes: $2,319 median real estate taxes a year
- Types of homes: 58.1% of homes are in buildings of 5 or more units
- Bedrooms: 35.4% of homes have 3 or more bedrooms
- Age of homes: 9.5% of homes were built before 1980
- Vacancy rate: 19.9% rental vacancy rate
- Heating fuel: 71.4% heat with electricity
- Commute and cars: 20.8 minutes average trip to work
- Crime reported to police: 387 violent crimes per 100,000 residents
- Growth: −12.6% residents since 2015–2019
- How long people stay: 62.5% moved in since 2020
- Crowding and facilities: 6.9% of homes have more than 1 person per room
Watford City against McKenzie County, its state and the nation
| Watford City | McKenzie County | North Dakota | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 6,039 (±29) | 14,321 (exact) | 784,841 (exact) | 334,922,499 |
| Housing units | 3,491 (±314) | 7,752 (±122) | 377,281 (±282) | 143,775,355 |
| Households that rent | 70.7% (±7.9 points) | 46.6% (±4.6 points) | 37.1% (±0.6 points) | 34.8% |
| Median gross rent | $1,336 (±$74) | $1,284 (±$81) | $954 (±$11) | $1,413 |
| Median household income | $102,260 (±$27,776) | $93,404 (±$14,393) | $76,657 (±$1,163) | $80,734 |
| Median home value | $408,500 (±$40,969) | $349,600 (±$29,514) | $249,900 (±$2,909) | $332,700 |
| Median real estate taxes (a year) | $2,319 (±$301) | $1,491 (±$355) | $2,468 (±$38) | $3,119 |
| Built before 1980 | 9.5% (±3.9 points) | 21.0% (±3.2 points) | 47.8% (±0.7 points) | 49.7% |
| Average commute | 20.8 minutes (±4.7) | 22.9 minutes (±2.8) | 17.9 minutes (±0.3) | 26.4 minutes |
| Households with broadband | 90.0% (±6.0 points) | 89.1% (±3.6 points) | 88.7% (±0.4 points) | 91.0% |
| Median age of residents | 28.8 years (±1.0) | 31.5 years (±0.7) | 35.9 years (±0.2) | 38.9 years |
Watford City covers 8.9 square miles of land, about 677 residents per square mile (Census Bureau Gazetteer).
How Watford City has changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 6,912 (±36) | 6,039 (±29) | −12.6% | Measurable decrease |
| Housing units | 4,145 (±174) | 3,491 (±314) | −15.8% | Measurable decrease |
| Median gross rent | $1,143 (±$95) | $1,336 (±$74) | +16.9% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median home value | $236,400 (±$32,920) | $408,500 (±$40,969) | +72.8% | Up after inflation |
| Median household income | $74,797 (±$11,547) | $102,260 (±$27,776) | +36.7% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median owner cost with a mortgage | $1,505 (±$277) | $2,369 (±$332) | +57.4% | Up after inflation |
| Median real estate taxes | $1,373 (±$98) | $2,319 (±$301) | +68.9% | Up after inflation |
| Households that rent | 54.7% (±6.5 points) | 70.7% (±7.9 points) | +16.0 percentage points | Measurable increase |
| Rental vacancy rate | 16.4% (±6.7 points) | 19.9% (±6.8 points) | +3.5 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.
Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.
The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.
Crime reported to police in Watford City
In 2025, the Watford City Police Department reported 387 violent and 1,951 property crimes per 100,000 residents to the FBI.
Across McKenzie County, the departments that report recorded 224 violent and 1,219 property crimes per 100,000 residents that year.
Places near Watford City
| Place | Distance | Median gross rent | Median home value | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arnegard | 8.2 mi | — | $323,800 | 29.7% |
| Arnegard Township | 10 mi | — | — | — |
| Alex Township | 15 mi | $1,173 | — | 54.5% |
| Antelope Creek Township | 17 mi | — | $571,400 | 9.1% |
| Twin Valley Township | 17 mi | — | $394,400 | 0.0% |
| Alexander | 18 mi | $1,375 | $229,200 | 15.0% |
| Randolph Township | 22 mi | — | — | 0.0% |
| Truax Township | 22 mi | — | — | 0.0% |
Places in North Dakota most like Watford City
| Place | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Williston | $1,122 | $286,200 | $79,381 | 52.9% |
| Fargo | $946 | $281,900 | $66,998 | 56.3% |
| Tioga | $1,092 | $199,600 | $66,181 | 51.5% |
| Missouri Ridge Township | $1,593 | $255,100 | $124,864 | 50.7% |
| Grand Forks | $980 | $249,900 | $63,627 | 53.6% |
| West Fargo | $1,111 | $321,900 | $90,665 | 35.6% |
Matched on rent, home value, income, the share who rent, the age of the homes, the share in apartment buildings and the commute, each measured against the spread across North Dakota.
HUD Fair Market Rent for Watford City, fiscal year 2027
| Studio | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1,199 | $1,206 | $1,577 | $2,053 | $2,636 |
HUD income limits for Watford City, fiscal year 2026
| Household size | Extremely low (30%) | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $26,850 | $44,700 | $71,550 |
| 2 people | $30,650 | $51,100 | $81,750 |
| 3 people | $34,500 | $57,500 | $91,950 |
| 4 people | $38,300 | $63,850 | $102,150 |
| 5 people | $41,400 | $69,000 | $110,350 |
| 6 people | $44,450 | $74,100 | $118,500 |
| 7 people | $50,040 | $79,200 | $126,700 |
| 8 people | $55,720 | $84,300 | $134,850 |
These are the limits HUD sets for its housing programs in the McKenzie County, ND, where HUD’s median family income for fiscal year 2026 is $127,700.
A program can use its own limits; tax-credit and local programs often do.
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
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Questions about Watford City
What is the average rent in Watford City, ND?
The Census Bureau publishes the median rather than the average: the median gross rent in Watford City is $1,336 (±$74) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey), so half of renting households pay less and half pay more.
How much is a one-bedroom apartment in Watford City?
The median gross rent for a one-bedroom home in Watford City, ND is $965 (±$163) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
How many renters are there in Watford City?
Watford City has an estimated 1,859 (±268) renting households, 70.7% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the median household income in Watford City?
The median household income in Watford City is $102,260 (±$27,776) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average home value in Watford City, ND?
The Census Bureau publishes the median: $408,500 (±$40,969) for owner-occupied homes in Watford City (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average mortgage payment in Watford City?
The Census Bureau publishes total owner costs rather than the mortgage alone: the median for owners with a mortgage in Watford City, ND is $2,369 (±$332) a month, including taxes, insurance and utilities.
Is Watford City growing?
In Watford City, the number of residents went from 6,912 in 2015–2019 to 6,039 in 2020–2024 (−12.6%), a measurable decrease.
Sources
- Demographic and Housing Estimates (DP05), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Watford City city, North Dakota
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Watford City city, North Dakota
- Selected Economic Characteristics (DP03), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Watford City city, North Dakota
- Median Real Estate Taxes Paid by Mortgage Status (B25103), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Watford City city, North Dakota
- Selected Social Characteristics (DP02), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Watford City city, North Dakota
- Total Population (B01003), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Watford City city, North Dakota
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Watford City city, North Dakota
- HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027: McKenzie County, ND
- HUD Income Limits, fiscal year 2026: McKenzie County, ND
- FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Crime Data Explorer: Watford City Police Department (ORI ND0270100)
- FBI: Uniform Crime Reporting statistics and their proper use
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
- US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files
To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Watford City city, North Dakota (place:83860, in state:38).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are B01003_001E, B01003_001M, B25064_001E, B25064_001M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP05_0001E, DP05_0001M, DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M, DP03_0062E, DP03_0062M, DP04_0089E, DP04_0089M
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.
Figures last updated on .