Rolette County, North Dakota Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Rolette 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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D
Health Well below averageAmong the 3 least healthy counties in North Dakota
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D
Income Well below averageAmong the 3 least wealthy counties in North Dakota
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D
Education Well below averageLess educated than 73% of counties in North Dakota
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Rolette County | North Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,924 | 784,730 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 12.7 | 11.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -2.41% | 0.80% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 30.4 | 36.3 | 37.3 |
| Households | 3,769 | 331,016 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Rolette County declined by 12.8% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 11,924 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Rolette County is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 23.5% of residents. That is 0.1 points below North Dakota as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 2,802 23.5% -0.1 pts
- Millennials 29–44 2,154 18.1% -3.1 pts
- Gen X 45–60 2,263 19.0% +1.3 pts
- Boomers 61–79 1,486 12.5% -3.4 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 51.0% of the people living in Rolette County and men 49.0%.
- Women 51.0% North Dakota 49.0%
- Men 49.0% North Dakota 51.0%
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Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Rolette County
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Economy
Rolette County has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | Rolette County | North Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $59,762 | $76,862 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 6.01% | 3.32% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% | 2.7% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Rolette County is about 22% lower than in North Dakota.
Housing
| Metric | Rolette County | North Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $58,571 | $125,877 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $505 | $953 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 62.8% | 62.9% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Rolette County is about 9.7 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $505 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Rolette 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 112 hours, about 4.7 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Rolette County | North Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 13.4 | 13.8 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 26.9 | 27.6 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 112 | 115 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $3,474 | $3,567 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 4.7% | 8.1% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | — | 2,106 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 234 | 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 Rolette County is 13 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
Rolette County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Rolette County | North Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.6% | 29.0% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 3.12 | 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
Rolette County has a health index of D, which means it is barely healthy.
| Metric | Rolette County | North Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 74.9 | 79.4 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 21.5% | 14.3% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 28.6% | 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 Rolette County, North Dakota.
What is the population of Rolette County, North Dakota?
About 11,924 people live in Rolette County, North Dakota, in 3,769 households of 3.1 people on average. The median age is 30.4, so residents are younger than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 7 years.
Is Rolette County, North Dakota urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Rolette County, North Dakota has 13 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 15% of the U.S. average of 86.
Is Rolette County, North Dakota an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 1.0 times the median household income ($58,571 against $59,762), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $505 a month takes about 10% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in Rolette County, North Dakota?
Unemployment in Rolette County, North Dakota is only 4.0%, 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 Rolette County, North Dakota have a college degree?
15.6% of adults in Rolette County, North Dakota hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 6), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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