Emmons County, North Dakota Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Emmons County, ND Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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B
Health Around averageLess healthy than 71% of counties in North Dakota
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B
Income Around averageLess wealthy than 71% of counties in North Dakota
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D
Education Well below averageLess educated than 81% of counties in North Dakota
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Emmons County | North Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 3,254 | 784,730 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 2.1 | 11.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.64% | 0.80% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 51.9 | 36.3 | 37.3 |
| Households | 1,528 | 331,016 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Emmons County declined by 8.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 3,254 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Emmons County is Boomers, aged 61–79, at 25.8% of residents. That is 9.8 points above North Dakota as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 467 14.3% -9.2 pts
- Millennials 29–44 446 13.7% -7.5 pts
- Gen X 45–60 731 22.5% +4.8 pts
- Boomers 61–79 838 25.8% +9.8 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below North Dakota, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 49.2% of the people living in Emmons County and men 50.8%.
- Women 49.2% North Dakota 49.0%
- Men 50.8% North Dakota 51.0%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Emmons County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Emmons County has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | Emmons County | North Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $67,173 | $76,862 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 5.14% | 3.32% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.2% | 2.7% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Emmons County is about 13% lower than in North Dakota.
Housing
| Metric | Emmons County | North Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $50,714 | $125,877 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $567 | $953 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 79.8% | 62.9% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Emmons County is about 7.4 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $567 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Emmons County spend about 24 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 102 hours, about 4.2 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Emmons County | North Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 12.2 | 13.8 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 24.4 | 27.6 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 102 | 115 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $3,150 | $3,567 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 15.1% | 8.1% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 638 | 2,106 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 125 | 360 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
North Dakota:
McIntosh County (6.9 min), Foster County (7.7 min), Pierce County (7.7 min).
Slowest:
McHenry County (28.9 min), Renville County (23.5 min), Oliver County (22.8 min).
The average commute time in Emmons County is 12 minutes, shorter than the 14 minutes in North Dakota.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Emmons County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Emmons County | North Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.4% | 29.0% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.08 | 2.29 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
North Dakota:
Cass County (0.3), Burleigh County (0.3), Grand Forks County (0.3).
Lowest:
Sioux County (0.2), Sheridan County (0.2), Hettinger County (0.2).
Health
Emmons County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Emmons County | North Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 79.6 | 79.4 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 15.8% | 14.3% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 17.4% | 18.7% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
North Dakota:
Burleigh County (0.8), Steele County (0.8), Cass County (0.8).
Lowest:
Sioux County (0.7), Rolette County (0.7), Benson County (0.8).
Emmons County, ND Compared With Nearby Counties
How Emmons County, ND compares with the 1 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emmons County, ND | 3,254 | $67,173 #2/2 | $50,714 #1/2 | 12.2 min #1/2 |
| Burleigh County, ND | 100,591 | $86,745 | $27,777 | 15.3 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Emmons County, North Dakota.
How big is Emmons County, North Dakota by population?
About 3,254 people live in Emmons County, North Dakota, in 1,528 households of 2.1 people on average. The median age is 51.9, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 15 years.
Is Emmons County, North Dakota mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Emmons County, North Dakota has 2 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 2% of the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Emmons County, North Dakota?
The median home costs 0.8 times the median household income ($50,714 against $67,173), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $567 a month takes about 10% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is it hard to find a job in Emmons County, North Dakota?
Unemployment in Emmons County, North Dakota is only 2.2%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
How common is a college degree in Emmons County, North Dakota?
19.4% of adults in Emmons County, North Dakota hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 5), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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