North Dakota Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
North Dakota Population Density Map and Area Scores
State 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 80% of states in the US
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C
Education Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | North Dakota | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 784,730 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 11.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.80% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 36.3 | 37.3 |
| Households | 331,016 | 130,235,071 |
Population in North Dakota grew by 22.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 784,730 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in North Dakota is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 23.6% of residents. That is 2.2 points above the US as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 185,180 23.6% +2.2 pts
- Millennials 29–44 166,217 21.2% -1.0 pts
- Gen X 45–60 138,492 17.6% -2.2 pts
- Boomers 61–79 124,829 15.9% -1.0 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 the US, 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 49.0% of the people living in North Dakota and men 51.0%.
- Women 49.0% the US 50.5%
- Men 51.0% the US 49.5%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in North Dakota
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
North Dakota has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | North Dakota | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $76,862 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 3.32% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.7% | 5.2% |
The median household income in North Dakota is about 4% lower than in US.
Housing
| Metric | North Dakota | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $125,877 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $953 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 62.9% | 65.2% |
The median home price in North Dakota is about 11.0 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $953 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in North Dakota spend about 28 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 115 hours, about 4.8 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | North Dakota | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 13.8 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 27.6 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 115 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $3,567 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 8.1% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 2,106 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 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 North Dakota is 14 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in US.
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
North Dakota has a education index of C, which means it is somewhat educated.
| Metric | North Dakota | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.0% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 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
North Dakota has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | North Dakota | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 79.4 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 14.3% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 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).
North Dakota Compared With Nearby States
North Dakota is the 5th largest of the 6 states compared here, 784,730 residents against a local median of 1,978,686. The measure that sets North Dakota apart most is median home price: $125,877, 28% below the local median of $175,282.
Commute tells the same story from another angle: 13.8 min against a local median of 17.0 min, 19% below it. The one measure here that carries a verdict is commute, and at 19% below the local median it puts North Dakota at the better end of the local range. The states themselves spread $169,942 on median home price, so North Dakota sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. North Dakota has the 5th highest median home price of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota | 784,730 | $76,862 #2/6 | $125,877 #5/6 | 13.8 min #2/6 |
| South Dakota | 907,403 | $75,087 | $92,142 | 15.3 min |
| Nebraska | 1,978,686 | $76,615 | $175,282 | 17.0 min |
| Minnesota | 5,724,000 | $89,852 | $236,718 | 20.3 min |
| Wyoming | 582,314 | $76,390 | $262,084 | 13.2 min |
| Iowa | 3,204,793 | $75,133 | $153,425 | 17.0 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about North Dakota.
What is the population of North Dakota?
About 784,730 people live in North Dakota, in 331,016 households of 2.3 people on average. The median age is 36.3, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
Is North Dakota mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, North Dakota has 11 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 13% of the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in North Dakota?
The median home costs 1.6 times the median household income ($125,877 against $76,862), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $953 a month takes about 15% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in North Dakota?
Unemployment in North Dakota is only 2.7%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
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