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Ray vs Gwinner

296 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (6.1× in Gwinner) and work in town (+38.4 pts in Gwinner).

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Ray, NDHomes around $223KNorth Dakota · 714 people
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Gwinner, NDA regional job hubNorth Dakota · 859 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

RayHomes around $223K
Housing$223K typical home24% below the ND typical home All about Ray →
GwinnerA regional job hub
Work1,749 jobsbased in Gwinner, a regional job hub SchoolsBetter than 11%of ND districts Outdoors29.1% conserved land2.0 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves All about Gwinner →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Jobs per worker6.1×
Gwinner is more of a job hub
Gwinner 3.75Ray 0.61
Work in town+38.4 pts
More of Gwinner’s workers stay in town
Gwinner 44.4%Ray 6%
Average commute18 min
Gwinner has the shorter commute
Ray 26 minGwinner 8 min
Street grid2.4×
Ray has the more walkable street grid
Ray 58.8Gwinner 24.4
Conserved land+19.9 pts
Gwinner has more conserved land
Gwinner 29.1%Ray 9.2%
Trails2.2×
Gwinner has more miles of trail
Gwinner 2.0 miRay 0.9 mi
★ What stands out · Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every North Dakota ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Schools
BRayBetter than 55% of districts in the state DGwinnerBetter than 11% of districts in the state
Monthly cost

A typical home costs $210 more a month in Ray

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Ray$1,310/mo
Typical home $223K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.78% · or rent about $988/mo · Housing →
Gwinner$1,100/mo
Typical home $172K (Census) · tax rate 1.37% · or rent about $906/mo · Housing →

The difference: $210 a month, about $2,600 a year, between Ray and Gwinner.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
RayGwinner
Snow a year44″47″
January low2°F-0°F
July high83°F82°F
Growing season (days)136d136d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)10th33rd
Outdoors & history
RayGwinner
Trails—2 mi
Conserved land—29.1%
Settled19021901
National Register places1—
Archive photos1212
Famous people born here2—
Community
RayGwinner
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

296 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

RayNDGwinnerND
Ray ↔ Gwinner296 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

RayGwinner
People
Population 714Lowest 859Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +25%Highest ND: +15.8% +22.7%Lowest ND: +15.8%
Median age 35.3±7.4Highest about the ND average 31.4±4.7Lowest 13% below ND
Ray and Gwinner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 31.4%±5.5Highest ND: 23.5% 26%±4.9Lowest ND: 23.5%
Ray and Gwinner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 17.4%±4.7Highest ND: 16.5% 13.5%±3.7Lowest ND: 16.5%
Ray and Gwinner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 15.1%Lowest ND: 32.7% 15.4%Highest ND: 32.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 0.8%±1.7Lowest ND: 7.6% 4.9%±2.5Highest ND: 7.6%
Gwinner and Ray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $72,031±$20kHighest 6% below ND $64,250±$12kLowest 16% below ND
Ray and Gwinner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $227,600±$40kHighest 9% below ND $172,100±$44kLowest 31% below ND
Ray and Gwinner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $988±$177Highest 4% above ND $906±$54Lowest 5% below ND
Ray and Gwinner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,779Lowest 28% below ND $2,350Highest 5% below ND
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 41.7%±35.8Highest ND: 38.9% 21%±11.3Lowest ND: 38.9%
Ray and Gwinner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 12.3%Highest ND: 10.8% 10.9%Lowest ND: 10.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 62.4%Highest ND: 62.9% 50.9%Lowest ND: 62.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1983Lowest 1 yr newer than ND 1996Highest 14 yrs newer than ND
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 26 minHighest 46% above ND 8 minLowest 55% below ND
Work from home 6.8%±8.3Highest ND: 8.1% 2.8%±3Lowest ND: 8.1%
Ray and Gwinner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 6%Lowest 44.4%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 25.3 miHighest 10.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.61Lowest 3.75Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Williston (39%)Fargo (7%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in GwinnerFew work in Ray
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 9.2%Lowest 29.1%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.9 miLowest 2.0 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.7 miLowest 1.0 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 2Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 58.8Highest 24.4Lowest
Schools
School district NESSON 2NORTH SARGENT 3
High school in town Ray High SchoolNorth Sargent High School
Students per teacherat that high school 11.7Highest 5.8Lowest
North Dakota average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Ray neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Ray’s Town Square.

Gwinner neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Gwinner’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Ray and Gwinner

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Towns like Ray

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New England564 people · $154K homes
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Burlington1,067 people · $244K homes
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New Salem780 people · $187K homes
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Glenburn461 people · $178K homes
Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks North Dakota towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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