Golden Valley County, North Dakota Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Golden Valley 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 average
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B
Income Around average
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D
Education Well below averageBetter educated than 75% of counties in North Dakota
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Golden Valley County | North Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,653 | 784,730 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 1.6 | 11.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -1.68% | 0.80% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 47.0 | 36.3 | 37.3 |
| Households | 699 | 331,016 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Golden Valley County grew by 7.8% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 1,653 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Golden Valley County is Gen X, aged 45–60, at 23.8% of residents. That is 6.1 points above North Dakota as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 287 17.4% -6.2 pts
- Millennials 29–44 267 16.2% -5.0 pts
- Gen X 45–60 393 23.8% +6.1 pts
- Boomers 61–79 346 20.9% +5.0 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 50.9% of the people living in Golden Valley County and men 49.1%.
- Women 50.9% North Dakota 49.0%
- Men 49.1% North Dakota 51.0%
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100% of everyone living in Golden Valley County
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Economy
Golden Valley County has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | Golden Valley County | North Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $71,846 | $76,862 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 8.81% | 3.32% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 2.7% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Golden Valley County is about 7% lower than in North Dakota.
Housing
| Metric | Golden Valley County | North Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $31,666 | $125,877 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $637 | $953 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 79.5% | 62.9% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Golden Valley County is about 4.1 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $637 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Golden Valley County spend about 27 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 114 hours, about 4.7 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Golden Valley County | North Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 13.6 | 13.8 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 27.3 | 27.6 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 114 | 115 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $3,524 | $3,567 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 0.5% | 8.1% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,096 | 2,106 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 131 | 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 Golden Valley County is about the same as 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
Golden Valley County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Golden Valley County | North Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.1% | 29.0% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.33 | 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
Golden Valley County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Golden Valley County | North Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 80.9 | 79.4 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 13.9% | 14.3% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 17.1% | 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).
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Golden Valley County, North Dakota.
What is the population of Golden Valley County, North Dakota?
About 1,653 people live in Golden Valley County, North Dakota, in 699 households of 2.3 people on average. The median age is 47.0, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 10 years.
Is Golden Valley County, North Dakota mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Golden Valley 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.
Is Golden Valley County, North Dakota an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 0.4 times the median household income ($31,666 against $71,846), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $637 a month takes about 11% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in Golden Valley County, North Dakota?
Unemployment in Golden Valley County, North Dakota is only 3.4%, 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 Golden Valley County, North Dakota?
22.1% of adults in Golden Valley 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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