McLean County, North Dakota Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
McLean 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 averageWealthier than 75% of counties in North Dakota
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D
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | McLean County | North Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 9,823 | 784,730 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 4.2 | 11.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.32% | 0.80% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 48.3 | 36.3 | 37.3 |
| Households | 4,377 | 331,016 | 130,235,071 |
Population in McLean County grew by 17.5% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 9,823 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in McLean County is Boomers, aged 61–79, at 26.0% of residents. That is 10.1 points above North Dakota as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 1,445 14.7% -8.9 pts
- Millennials 29–44 1,676 17.1% -4.1 pts
- Gen X 45–60 2,129 21.7% +4.0 pts
- Boomers 61–79 2,552 26.0% +10.1 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 48.2% of the people living in McLean County and men 51.8%.
- Women 48.2% North Dakota 49.0%
- Men 51.8% North Dakota 51.0%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in McLean County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
McLean County has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | McLean County | North Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $82,764 | $76,862 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.15% | 3.32% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 1.4% | 2.7% | 5.2% |
The median household income in McLean County is about 8% higher than in North Dakota.
Housing
| Metric | McLean County | North Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $164,843 | $125,877 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $784 | $953 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 84.2% | 62.9% | 65.2% |
The median home price in McLean County is about 17.5 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $784 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in McLean County spend about 35 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 145 hours, about 6.1 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | McLean County | North Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 17.5 | 13.8 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 34.9 | 27.6 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 145 | 115 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,510 | $3,567 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 8.2% | 8.1% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,421 | 2,106 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 192 | 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 McLean County is 17 minutes, longer 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
McLean County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | McLean County | North Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.4% | 29.0% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.20 | 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
McLean County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | McLean County | North Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 79.3 | 79.4 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 13.3% | 14.3% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 18.1% | 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).
McLean County, ND Compared With Nearby Counties
How McLean County, ND compares with the 2 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McLean County, ND | 9,823 | $82,764 #1/3 | $164,843 #1/3 | 17.5 min #3/3 |
| Ward County, ND | 68,973 | $78,102 | $49,999 | 13.9 min |
| Morton County, ND | 33,777 | $79,602 | $22,250 | 17.0 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about McLean County, North Dakota.
How many people live in McLean County, North Dakota?
About 9,823 people live in McLean County, North Dakota, in 4,377 households of 2.2 people on average. The median age is 48.3, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 11 years.
Is McLean County, North Dakota mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, McLean County, North Dakota has 4 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 5% of the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in McLean County, North Dakota?
The median home costs 2.0 times the median household income ($164,843 against $82,764), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $784 a month takes about 11% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is unemployment high in McLean County, North Dakota?
Unemployment in McLean County, North Dakota is only 1.4%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What share of adults in McLean County, North Dakota have a college degree?
21.4% of adults in McLean 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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