Jobs, pay and daily life in Watford City, 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 08/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Watford City is a city in North Dakota with 6,039 residents. The median household earns $102,260 a year and the median rent is $1,336 a month, which is 15.7% 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 Watford City compares. Among the 30 largest places in North Dakota, Watford City is #13 by population, #29 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #3 for household income (#1 = highest), #28 for college degrees (#1 = most). Its county, McKenzie County, is #3 of 53 counties for average pay ($90,997).
Watford City has 6,039 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.8% of the population of North Dakota. It covers 9 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 677 people per square mile. The median age is 28.8, 20% younger than the state median (28.8 against 35.9).
The median gross rent is $1,336 a month (rent plus utilities), 40% above the state median ($1,336 against $954). Over a year that is 15.7% 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 $408,500, which is 4.0 times the median household income ($102,260); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 29.3% of households own their home, 53% below the state average (29.3% against 62.9%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of McKenzie County was 1.9%. 80.1% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in McKenzie County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 77.1% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 1.1% walk, 7.9% work from home. 15.0% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 94% above the state average (15.0% against 7.8%).
18.9% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 42% below the state share (18.9% against 32.7%). 9.7% of residents were born outside the United States, 106% above the state share (9.7% against 4.7%). The poverty rate is 7.8%, 28% below the state rate (7.8% against 10.8%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 73°F (22.8°C), and the coolest is Jan at 15°F (-9.4°C). About 438 mm (17 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jun is the wettest month (82 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: Williston (32 miles, rent 16% lower); New Town (38 miles, rent 36% lower); Sidney (42 miles, rent 30% lower); Stanley (54 miles, rent 14% lower). Rent differences are against Watford City; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in North Dakota (255) →State guide: North DakotaCountry guideMcKenzie 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 26.4% |
| Construction | 16.7% |
| Education and health care | 15.0% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 8.8% |
| Retail trade | 6.9% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 6.9% |
| Other services | 5.7% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 3.7% |
| Manufacturing | 3.2% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 3.1% |
| Public administration | 2.4% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.2% |
| Information | 0.0% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Watford City 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McKenzie County | 14,321 | $4,355 million | $304,090 | 11,484 | 819 | $90,997 | +4.0% | 1.9% | 8,075 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mining, oil and gas | 2,031 | 34.9% | $129,141 | 46.76 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 1,352 | 23.2% | $128,388 | 2.78 |
| Retail trade | 649 | 11.1% | $38,379 | 0.57 |
| Wholesale trade | 561 | 9.6% | $116,124 | 1.24 |
| Professional and technical services | 365 | 6.3% | $100,013 | 0.46 |
| Real estate and rental | 338 | 5.8% | $116,828 | 1.90 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 232 | 4.0% | $75,726 | 0.67 |
| Finance and insurance | 116 | 2.0% | $104,830 | 0.25 |
| Utilities | 86 | 1.5% | $123,277 | 1.97 |
| Information | 55 | 0.9% | $75,795 | 0.26 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 39 | 0.7% | $46,988 | 0.42 |
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 | 77.1% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 1.1% |
| Work from home | 7.9% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 15.0% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $102,260 |
| Income per person | $48,675 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,336 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 15.7% |
| Median home value | $408,500 |
| Homeowners | 29.3% |
| Poverty rate | 7.8% |
| 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 | 28.8 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 86.8% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 18.9% |
| Born abroad | 9.7% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 80.1% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -9.4 | 15 | 14 |
| Feb | -8.3 | 17 | 12 |
| Mar | -0.8 | 31 | 20 |
| Apr | 5.9 | 43 | 33 |
| May | 12.7 | 55 | 69 |
| Jun | 18.6 | 65 | 82 |
| Jul | 22.8 | 73 | 56 |
| Aug | 21.1 | 70 | 45 |
| Sep | 15.0 | 59 | 46 |
| Oct | 6.1 | 43 | 30 |
| Nov | -1.0 | 30 | 15 |
| Dec | -7.5 | 18 | 16 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Williston | ND | 32 mi | 28,056 | $79,381 | $1,122 |
| New Town | ND | 38 mi | 2,721 | $52,500 | $851 |
| Sidney | MT | 42 mi | 6,171 | $62,538 | $931 |
| Stanley | ND | 54 mi | 2,097 | $109,573 | $1,144 |
| Dickinson | ND | 67 mi | 25,357 | $82,696 | $957 |
| Beulah | ND | 79 mi | 3,040 | $76,848 | $1,075 |
| Glendive | MT | 83 mi | 4,810 | $72,670 | $842 |
| Hazen | ND | 84 mi | 2,453 | $79,609 | $918 |
| Minot | ND | 97 mi | 47,791 | $73,219 | $973 |
| Minot AFB | ND | 99 mi | 4,878 | $62,500 | $1,431 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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6,039 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,336 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 15.7% of the median household income.
$102,260 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
1.9% (BLS county, McKenzie County (latest month 2026M09)).
North Dakota. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.