HomeNorth DakotaWilliams County
Williams County, North Dakota: commercial real estate data.
Williams County, North Dakota has a population of 39,555 across 2,077 square miles, down 0.5 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $7.47 bn in 2024, 1,652 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 46 7(a) approvals worth $27.4 m.
121 sourced county values · tier FULL · 11 sections
Williams County
How many people live in Williams County
- Population39,555
- Households15,154
- Average household size2.61
- Median household income$85,595
- Median age31.8
- Median gross rent$1,123 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$284,800
- Home value to household income3.3 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income15.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher24.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree7.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over24,541
- Population under 1811,934
- Share under 1830.2 percent
- Population 65 and over3,934
- Share 65 and over9.9 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6423,687
- Civilian labor force20,870
- Unemployment rate4.4 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over75.6 percent
- Rank by population among North Dakota counties5th of 53
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents1220th
Williams County is the 5th largest of 53 North Dakota counties by population. A median home costs 3.3 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 30.2 percent against 9.9 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Williams County
Is Williams County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base-0.46 percent
- Census 2020 base population40,951
- Births, 2024667
- Deaths, 2024251
- Natural change, 2024416
- Net domestic migration, 2024794
- Net international migration, 2024251
- Total net migration, 20241,045
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-2,514
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2005th
The county has lost 0.46 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. Migration contributed more to 2024 change than births over deaths, so demand here follows people arriving rather than families forming.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Williams County
Where people moving to Williams County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving1,406
- People arriving, from those returns2,618
- Adjusted gross income arriving$80.5 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$57,280
- Largest single originWilliams County Non-migrants (13,070 households)
- Largest single destination (13,070 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Williams County Non-migrants | 13,070 | 27,962 | $1.40 bn |
| Other flows - Different State | 987 | 1,855 | $55.0 m |
| Other flows - West | 480 | 899 | $26.6 m |
| Other flows - South | 255 | 518 | $13.9 m |
| Other flows - Midwest | 223 | 386 | $13.0 m |
| Other flows - Same State | 104 | 185 | $6.4 m |
| McKenzie County | 65 | 135 | $5.5 m |
| Ward County | 46 | 72 | $2.5 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Williams County Non-migrants, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Williams County
What the Williams County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$7.47 bn
- County GDP, 2023$7.28 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20242.7 percent
- GDP change over five years67.3 percent
- Rank by GDP among North Dakota counties3rd
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents556th
- GDP per resident$188,917
Output grew 2.7 percent in the latest year and 67.3 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Williams County
Who employs people in Williams County
- Covered employment, annual average27,125
- Establishments reporting2,228
- Average annual pay$91,464
- Average weekly wage$1,759
- Sector 21, employment7,796
- Sector 21, average annual pay$140,011
- Sector 23, employment2,477
- Sector 23, average annual pay$105,367
- Sector 44-45, employment2,354
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$45,194
- Sector 72, employment2,150
- Sector 72, average annual pay$28,322
- Sector 42, employment1,736
- Sector 48-49, employment1,692
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 21 | 7,796 | 237 | $140,011 |
| Sector 23 | 2,477 | 236 | $105,367 |
| Sector 44-45 | 2,354 | 142 | $45,194 |
| Sector 72 | 2,150 | 140 | $28,322 |
| Sector 42 | 1,736 | 188 | $95,220 |
| Sector 48-49 | 1,692 | 181 | $97,646 |
| Sector 62 | 1,576 | 132 | $59,394 |
| Sector 56 | 814 | 112 | $72,542 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 7,796 jobs, 28.7 percent of covered employment. Average pay per job exceeds median household income, which usually means single earner households and a wage base that can carry rent.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Williams County
What businesses operate in Williams County
- Establishments, all industries1,652
- Employment at those establishments21,785
- Annual payroll$1.93 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents41.8
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Williams County
What is being built in Williams County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 202490
- Declared construction value permitted$31.3 m
- Single family units authorised88
- Multifamily units authorised2
- Multifamily share of units2.2 percent
- Average declared value per unit$347,446
- Units authorised per 1,000 households5.9
Multifamily is 2.2 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is predominantly for sale product.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Williams County
How much SBA lending happens in Williams County
- 7(a) approvals recorded46
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$27.4 m
- Average 7(a) approval$595,559
- Median 7(a) approval$200,000
- 10th percentile approval$25,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,856,300
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)429
- Jobs per approval9.3
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active20
- Distinct industries receiving approvals32
- Median 7(a) term96 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer10.9 percent
- Loans on real estate terms5
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter39
- Franchise loans1
- Franchise share of approvals2.2 percent
- Leading industry by approval countSupport Activities for Oil and Gas Operations (5)
- Most active lenderU.S. Bank, National Association (13)
- 504 approvals recorded86
- 504 gross approval dollars$58.9 m
- Average 504 approval$684,581
- Median 504 approval$398,000
- Distinct CDCs active6
- 504 jobs per approval11.1
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved16.2
- Most active CDCDakota Business Lending (48)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals34.8 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$86.3 m
The average approval of $595,559 sits well above the median of $200,000, so a small number of large deals is pulling the mean up. The median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here actually gets. Only 10.9 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Williams County
Do SBA loans in Williams County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded18
- Paid in full17
- Charged off1
- Charge off rate on resolved loans5.6 percent
- Status: Charged off1
- Status: Exempt from disclosure21
- Status: Paid in full17
- Status: Cancelled3
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed4
Of the 18 loans that have reached a final outcome, 5.6 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Williams County
Which parts of Williams County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending4
- WILLISTON, approvals42
- TIOGA, approvals2
- GRENORA, approvals1
- EPPING, approvals1
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| WILLISTON | 42 | $24,869,700 |
| TIOGA | 2 | $2,406,000 |
| GRENORA | 1 | $95,000 |
| EPPING | 1 | $25,000 |
WILLISTON accounts for 42 approvals against 2 in TIOGA. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Williams County
How big is Williams County
- Land area2,077 sq mi
- Rank by land area among North Dakota counties4th of 53
- Width, east to west56.1 mi
- Height, north to south46.8 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary4
- Residents per square mile of land19
- Establishments per square mile0.80
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Every item below could be filled with a plausible figure. None of them is. On a page a lender may read, a number that cannot be traced is worse than an absence, so the absences are named.
- No NFIP communities are listed for this county in the FEMA Community Status Book.
- Flood zone record counts are not held. The flood coverage export has not landed, so no count is shown rather than an estimated one.
- Traffic counts resolve in the platform, not in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here.
- Zoning is in build. Parcel level zoning is not published on this page.
Feasibility studies
When a Williams County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Williams County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population39,555
- Households15,154
- Average household size2.61
- Median household income$85,595
- Median age31.8
Common questions
Williams County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Williams County, North Dakota?
39,555, in 15,154 households, ranking 5th of 53 North Dakota counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Williams County growing?
The population has fallen 0.46 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 667 births against 251 deaths, with net migration of 1,045. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Williams County?
$85,595. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $284,800, which is 3.3 times income, and median gross rent is $1,123 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Williams County?
1,652 establishments, employing 21,785 people with an annual payroll of $1.93 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is the average wage in Williams County?
Average annual pay is $91,464, or $1,759 a week, across 27,125 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Williams County?
46 7(a) approvals totalling $27.4 m since FY2020, across 20 lenders, with a median approval of $200,000, plus 86 504 approvals worth $58.9 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Williams County get paid back?
Of the 18 loans that have reached a final outcome, 17 were paid in full and 1 charged off, a charge off rate of 5.6 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
What is being built in Williams County?
90 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $31.3 m. Multifamily was 2.2 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Williams County?
Zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Williams County come from?
The largest single origin is Williams County Non-migrants, with 13,070 households. Arriving households report an average income of $57,280 against null for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Williams County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Williams County?
Not yet. The zoning layer is in build. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame with confirm locally attached.