Mountrail County, North Dakota Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Mountrail 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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C
Health Below averageAmong the 5 least healthy counties in North Dakota
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B
Income Around average
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D
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Mountrail County | North Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 9,507 | 784,730 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 4.9 | 11.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.18% | 0.80% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 35.9 | 36.3 | 37.3 |
| Households | 3,901 | 331,016 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Mountrail County grew by 45.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 9,507 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Mountrail County is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 21.4% of residents. That is 2.2 points below North Dakota as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 2,037 21.4% -2.2 pts
- Millennials 29–44 1,987 20.9% -0.3 pts
- Gen X 45–60 1,914 20.1% +2.5 pts
- Boomers 61–79 1,260 13.3% -2.7 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 47.1% of the people living in Mountrail County and men 52.9%.
- Women 47.1% North Dakota 49.0%
- Men 52.9% North Dakota 51.0%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Mountrail County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Mountrail County has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | Mountrail County | North Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $81,032 | $76,862 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 2.49% | 3.32% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 1.1% | 2.7% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Mountrail County is about 5% higher than in North Dakota.
Housing
| Metric | Mountrail County | North Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $113,888 | $125,877 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $950 | $953 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 61.5% | 62.9% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Mountrail County is about 10.0 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $950 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Mountrail County spend about 30 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 127 hours, about 5.3 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Mountrail County | North Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 15.2 | 13.8 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 30.4 | 27.6 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 127 | 115 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $3,930 | $3,567 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 4.6% | 8.1% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,444 | 2,106 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 372 | 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 Mountrail County is 15 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
Mountrail County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Mountrail County | North Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.6% | 29.0% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.40 | 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
Mountrail County has a health index of C, which means it is somewhat healthy.
| Metric | Mountrail County | North Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 74.1 | 79.4 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 15.2% | 14.3% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 23.1% | 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).
Mountrail County, ND Compared With Nearby Counties
How Mountrail County, ND compares with the 1 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mountrail County, ND | 9,507 | $81,032 #1/2 | $113,888 #1/2 | 15.2 min #2/2 |
| Ward County, ND | 68,973 | $78,102 | $49,999 | 13.9 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Mountrail County, North Dakota.
How many people live in Mountrail County, North Dakota?
About 9,507 people live in Mountrail County, North Dakota, in 3,901 households of 2.4 people on average. The median age is 35.9, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
How densely populated is Mountrail County, North Dakota?
Averaged over its land area, Mountrail County, North Dakota has 5 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 6% of the U.S. average of 86.
Is Mountrail County, North Dakota an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 1.4 times the median household income ($113,888 against $81,032), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $950 a month takes about 14% 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 Mountrail County, North Dakota?
Unemployment in Mountrail County, North Dakota is only 1.1%, 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 Mountrail County, North Dakota?
20.6% of adults in Mountrail 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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