The Town FilesRay, North Dakota
City in Williams County · population 740 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $227,600
- Household income
- $72,031
- Jan low / Jul high
- 2° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 43 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 35.3
Ray is a city of 740 people in Williams County, North Dakota. The median home is worth $227,600, above the typical North Dakota town ($167,950). It ranks more upscale than 80% of North Dakota towns, better for families than 75% of North Dakota towns.
How Ray ranks
Percentile among North Dakota towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of North Dakota towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Ray is worth $227,600, above the typical North Dakota town ($167,950). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $72,031, which is more affordable than 20% of North Dakota towns. Median rent is $988 a month. 62.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ray | Typical North Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $227,600 | $167,950 |
| Median rent | $988 | $775 |
| Median household income | $72,031 | $68,195 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.2× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 62.4% | 68.6% |
| Median year built | 1983 | 1973 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 7.4% | — |
Who lives in Ray
| People | Ray | Typical North Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.3 | 39.0 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.4% | 20.1% |
| Under 18 | 31.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.1% | 23.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.3% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 8.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 6.8% | 5.5% |
| Average commute | 26.1 min | 16.8 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.8% | 87.3% |
Weather in Ray
July highs average 82.6°F and January lows 2.3°F. About 15.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 43.2 inches of snow (typical North Dakota town: 44.3 in). Expect about 16 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 196 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ray since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical North Dakota town. The strongest, an F0, struck on July 29, 1995 about 9.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 12, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 25 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on July 29, 2010.
Severe weather in Williams County since 1996
Williams County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 1, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4934: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| December 24, 2024 | Fire | DR-4852: Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds |
| July 13, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4660: Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
| September 1, 2021 | Severe Storm | DR-4613: Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| April 1, 2020 | Biological | DR-4509: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Williams County
Williams County had 27,125 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $91,464 a year. Unemployment was 1.6% in 2023; in Ray itself the ACS puts it at 0.3%.
Public schools in Ray
2 public schools with 445 students, about 17.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| RAY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-8 | 327 | 19.2 |
| RAY HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 118 | 13.1 |
Towns near Ray
- Tioga, ND11.3 mi · 2,202 people · home $199,600
- Williston, ND24.1 mi · 29,160 people · home $286,200
Ray questions
Is Ray, North Dakota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ray scores better for retirees than 34% of North Dakota towns and quieter than 56%. 17.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.3).
How much does a house cost in Ray?
The median owner-occupied home in Ray is valued at $227,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $72,031, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $988 a month.
What is the weather like in Ray?
July highs average 82.6°F and January lows 2.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 15.4 inches of precipitation a year and 43.2 inches of snow.
Does Ray get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ray since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on July 29, 1995. The typical North Dakota town has had 11.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)