Jobs, pay and daily life in Carrington, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Carrington is a city in North Dakota with 2,168 residents. The median household earns $77,171 a year and the median rent is $778 a month, which is 12.1% of the median household income. We could not match it to a metropolitan area in the BLS wage tables, so metro pay data is not shown.
How Carrington compares. Among the 30 largest places in North Dakota, Carrington is #25 by population, #6 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #8 for college degrees (#1 = most), #8 for homeownership (#1 = highest). Its county, Foster County, is #21 of 53 counties for average pay ($57,351).
Carrington has 2,168 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.3% of the population of North Dakota. It covers 2 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 914 people per square mile. The median age is 40.5, 13% older than the state median (40.5 against 35.9).
The median gross rent is $778 a month (rent plus utilities), 18% below the state median ($778 against $954). Over a year that is 12.1% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $150,600, which is 2.0 times the median household income ($77,171); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 71.4% of households own their home, 14% above the state average (71.4% against 62.9%).
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Foster County was 1.4%. 69.4% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Foster County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 77.9% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 1.6% walk, 6.4% work from home. 8.6% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 11% above the state average (8.6% against 7.8%).
32.2% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, about the same as the state share (32.2% against 32.7%). 2.5% of residents were born outside the United States, 46% below the state share (2.5% against 4.7%). The poverty rate is 9.7%, 10% below the state rate (9.7% against 10.8%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 72°F (22.2°C), and the coolest is Jan at 11°F (-11.6°C). About 519 mm (20 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jun is the wettest month (92 mm) and Feb the driest (12 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Jamestown (43 miles, similar rent); Devils Lake (47 miles, rent 9% lower); Valley City (64 miles, similar rent); Rugby (75 miles, rent 10% higher). Rent differences are against Carrington; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in North Dakota (255) →State guide: North DakotaCountry guideFoster CountyNorth Dakota rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 255 federal postings open in North Dakota (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
No metropolitan wage table is matched to this city. Employment shares of residents by industry (ACS):
| Industry ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 29.1% |
| Manufacturing | 14.5% |
| Retail trade | 13.4% |
| Other services | 8.8% |
| Construction | 8.8% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 5.5% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 4.8% |
| Public administration | 4.8% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 3.7% |
| Information | 2.1% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 1.9% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 1.8% |
| Wholesale trade | 0.8% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Carrington lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foster County | 3,358 | $309 million | $92,050 | 1,542 | 173 | $57,351 | +0.3% | 1.4% | 1,725 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 272 | 24.6% | $60,656 | 2.15 |
| Retail trade | 218 | 19.7% | $35,395 | 1.42 |
| Health care and social assistance | 211 | 19.1% | $54,443 | 0.95 |
| Wholesale trade | 152 | 13.7% | $81,596 | 2.50 |
| Accommodation and food services | 86 | 7.8% | $18,813 | 0.61 |
| Construction | 72 | 6.5% | $61,933 | 0.89 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 55 | 5.0% | $52,698 | 4.41 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 23 | 2.1% | $12,169 | 0.89 |
| Professional and technical services | 18 | 1.6% | $86,123 | 0.17 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 77.9% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 1.6% |
| Work from home | 6.4% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 8.6% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $77,171 |
| Income per person | $42,257 |
| Median gross rent per month | $778 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 12.1% |
| Median home value | $150,600 |
| Homeowners | 71.4% |
| Poverty rate | 9.7% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | n/a |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | n/a |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 2.50%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 40.5 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 92.4% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 32.2% |
| Born abroad | 2.5% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 69.4% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -11.6 | 11 | 14 |
| Feb | -10.1 | 14 | 12 |
| Mar | -1.8 | 29 | 24 |
| Apr | 5.6 | 42 | 36 |
| May | 12.6 | 55 | 80 |
| Jun | 18.6 | 65 | 92 |
| Jul | 22.2 | 72 | 74 |
| Aug | 20.6 | 69 | 58 |
| Sep | 15.1 | 59 | 55 |
| Oct | 6.0 | 43 | 41 |
| Nov | -1.5 | 29 | 15 |
| Dec | -8.7 | 16 | 18 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jamestown | ND | 43 mi | 15,787 | $56,554 | $773 |
| Devils Lake | ND | 47 mi | 7,308 | $43,220 | $711 |
| Valley City | ND | 64 mi | 6,541 | $60,339 | $780 |
| Rugby | ND | 75 mi | 2,481 | $50,365 | $853 |
| Mayville | ND | 84 mi | 1,976 | $55,735 | $854 |
| Lincoln | ND | 88 mi | 4,381 | $87,652 | $950 |
| Grand Forks AFB | ND | 88 mi | 1,987 | $72,782 | $1,626 |
| Bismarck | ND | 89 mi | 75,556 | $78,387 | $999 |
| Mandan | ND | 93 mi | 24,522 | $71,780 | $1,083 |
| Langdon | ND | 97 mi | 1,782 | $64,286 | $786 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
2,168 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$778 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 12.1% of the median household income.
$77,171 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
1.4% (BLS county, Foster County (latest month 2026M09)).
North Dakota. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.