Barnes County, North Dakota Income Statistics
Barnes County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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B
Barnes County Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Barnes County | North Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $69,864 | $76,862 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $55,085 | $59,016 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 2.7% | 3.3% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 8.9% | 12.1% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 5.0% | 9.6% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Barnes County is about 9% lower than in North Dakota. Income has been growing slower in Barnes County (2.7%/yr) than in North Dakota (3.3%/yr).
About 9% of adults in Barnes County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the North Dakota average of 12%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Barnes County, North Dakota grew by 66.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $69,864 in 2024. That's an average of about 2.7% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Barnes County
| Metric | Barnes County | North Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.514 | 0.506 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $63,406 | $67,903 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $54,631 | $53,536 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 13.8% | 21.2% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Barnes County, it is 0.514, higher than North Dakota's 0.506, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 16% more than women's income in Barnes County, North Dakota. Over a 35-year career, a 16% wage gap accumulates to roughly $307,125 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Barnes County, North Dakota has narrowed from about 32% to 14% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 34% in 2015. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $5,165 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Barnes County | North Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 3.8% | 2.7% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 6.9% | 8.1% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 12 | 13 | 22 |
Approximately 210 people are unemployed in Barnes County, North Dakota.
The average commute time in Barnes County is 12 minutes, shorter than the 13 minutes in North Dakota.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Barnes County, North Dakota has risen from 1.8% to 3.8% in 2024. Over that period the rate fell as low as 1.5% in 2013.
Barnes County, ND Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Barnes County, ND is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 10,773 residents against a local median of 4,118. The measure that sets Barnes County, ND apart most is unemployment: 3.8%, 32% above the local median of 2.9%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 2.7%/yr against a local median of 3.7%/yr, 28% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Barnes County, ND reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 1.9% on unemployment, so Barnes County, ND sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Barnes County, ND has the 6th lowest unemployment of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnes County, ND | 10,773 | $69,864 #5/6 | 2.7%/yr #6/6 | 3.8% #6/6 | 0.514 #5/6 |
| Griggs County, ND | 2,245 | $62,216 | 2.8%/yr | 1.4% | 0.501 |
| Steele County, ND | 1,804 | $76,562 | 3.5%/yr | 3.3% | 0.526 |
| Ransom County, ND | 5,643 | $76,578 | 3.7%/yr | 2.9% | 0.493 |
| LaMoure County, ND | 4,118 | $77,993 | 4.1%/yr | 2.5% | 0.514 |
| Cass County, ND | 193,305 | $75,698 | 4.0%/yr | 3.0% | 0.490 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Barnes County, North Dakota has an overall wealth index grade of B, making it about on par with North Dakota, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Barnes County, North Dakota.
How Rich Is Barnes County, North Dakota?
Barnes County has a wealth index grade of B. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a B grade means residents are quite well off compared to the U.S. average. The median household income is $69,864, about 9% lower than the North Dakota average of $76,862.
Are incomes growing in Barnes County, North Dakota?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Barnes County, North Dakota rose 67%, from $41,864 to $69,864. Over the same years, income here lagged behind North Dakota as a whole: +67% against +70%.
What was the median household income in Barnes County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Barnes County, North Dakota was $67,367, up 6% from $63,308 in 2022. The North Dakota median that year was $76,063.
What was the median household income in Barnes County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Barnes County, North Dakota was $60,731. By 2024 it had risen 15% to $69,864.
Is it hard to find a job in Barnes County, North Dakota?
Unemployment in Barnes County, North Dakota is 3.8%, well above the North Dakota rate of 2.7%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Barnes County, North Dakota?
The Gini coefficient in Barnes County is 0.514. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Barnes County, North Dakota?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Barnes County, North Dakota has narrowed from about 32% to 14% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 34% in 2015. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $5,165 since 2009.
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