Ray is a small town of 768 in North Dakota, with a median household income of $65,208
and a 0.3% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 92 (US average = 100), which is
8% below the national average.
Strengths:
Ray stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices.
Trade-offs:
No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Ray is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Ray city data on this page comes from official government sources —
the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 92.5
Ray's overall cost of living index is 92.5,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Ray costs roughly 8% less than the average American city.
Metric
Ray, ND
National Avg
Median Home Value
$172,500
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$871
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
60.9%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$65,208
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Near National Average
Ray's violent crime rate is 385.8 per 100,000 residents
— 2% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
385.8 /100k
Property Crime
2085.7 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Ray is served primarily by NESSON 2.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 16.0:1
.
Metric
Ray, ND
National Avg
School District
NESSON 2
—
Elementary Schools
1
—
Middle Schools
N/A
—
High Schools
1
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.0:1
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
17.4%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
91.3%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Ray sees average highs of 20.2°F in January
and 82.6°F in July,
with 15.4 inches of annual precipitation
and 43.7 inches of snow per year.
Ray's cost of living index is 92, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Ray roughly 8% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $172,500 and median rent is $871/month.
Ray's violent crime rate is 385.8 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2085.7 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Ray are operated by NESSON 2.
The district has 1 elementary, several middle, and 1 high schools.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 16.0:1. 17.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Ray, ND has a population of 768, a median household income of $65,208, and an unemployment rate of 0.3%.
It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Ray averages 20.2°F in January and 82.6°F in July. Annual rainfall is 15.4 inches
with about 43.7 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Ray, ND is covered by 1 ZIP code: 58849.
The population of Ray, North Dakota is 768 with a median age of 32.4. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Ray: cost of living index 92 (100 = US average), median home $172,500, median household income $65,208, crime index 101 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Ray side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
