Stark County, North Dakota Income Statistics
Stark County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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B
Stark County Around averageWealthier than 79% of counties in North Dakota
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Stark County | North Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $84,797 | $76,862 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $64,282 | $59,016 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 1.4% | 3.3% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 12.3% | 12.1% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 8.1% | 9.6% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Stark County is about 10% higher than in North Dakota. Income has been growing slower in Stark County (1.4%/yr) than in North Dakota (3.3%/yr).
About 12% of adults in Stark County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, about the same as the North Dakota average of 12%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Stark County, North Dakota grew by 80.3% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $84,797 in 2024. That's an average of about 1.4% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Stark County
| Metric | Stark County | North Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.518 | 0.506 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $77,202 | $67,903 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $52,014 | $53,536 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 32.6% | 21.2% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Stark County, it is 0.518, higher than North Dakota's 0.506, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 48% more than women's income in Stark County, North Dakota. Over a 35-year career, a 48% wage gap accumulates to roughly $881,580 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Stark County, North Dakota has narrowed from about 35% to 33% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 40% in 2012, and was narrowest at 31% in 2014. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $10,214 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Stark County | North Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 3.0% | 2.7% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 7.1% | 8.1% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 12 | 13 | 22 |
Approximately 521 people are unemployed in Stark County, North Dakota.
The average commute time in Stark County is 12 minutes, shorter than the 13 minutes in North Dakota.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Stark County, North Dakota has risen from 2.8% to 3.0% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 3.3% in 2018 and fell as low as 2.3% in 2012.
Stark County, ND Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Stark County, ND is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 33,302 residents against a local median of 2,145. Where Stark County, ND breaks from the counties next to it is income growth, sitting 53% below the local median of 3.0%/yr at 1.4%/yr. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $84,797 against a local median of $72,272, 17% above it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: median household income runs ahead of the neighbourhood while income growth runs behind it, so Stark County, ND is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 2.3%/yr on income growth, so Stark County, ND sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Stark County, ND has the 6th highest income growth of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stark County, ND | 33,302 | $84,797 #3/6 | 1.4%/yr #6/6 | 3.0% #4/6 | 0.518 #3/6 |
| Hettinger County, ND | 2,432 | $67,415 | 3.0%/yr | 5.4% | 0.500 |
| Dunn County, ND | 4,040 | $97,185 | 4.2%/yr | 3.4% | 0.496 |
| Adams County, ND | 2,145 | $63,424 | 2.6%/yr | 2.2% | 0.528 |
| Billings County, ND | 1,023 | $95,376 | 4.9%/yr | 2.1% | 0.530 |
| Slope County, ND | 766 | $72,272 | 2.6%/yr | 2.7% | 0.534 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Stark County, North Dakota has an overall wealth index grade of B, making it somewhat better than North Dakota, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Stark County, North Dakota.
How Rich Is Stark County, North Dakota?
Stark County has a wealth index grade of B. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a B grade means residents are quite well off compared to the U.S. average. The median household income is $84,797, about 10% higher than the North Dakota average of $76,862.
How fast is household income rising in Stark County, North Dakota?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Stark County, North Dakota rose 80%, from $47,028 to $84,797. Over the same years, income here outpaced North Dakota as a whole: +80% against +70%.
What was the median household income in Stark County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Stark County, North Dakota was $81,286, up 1% from $80,385 in 2022. The North Dakota median that year was $76,063.
What was the median household income in Stark County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Stark County, North Dakota was $69,880. By 2024 it had risen 21% to $84,797.
What is the Gini coefficient in Stark County, North Dakota?
The Gini coefficient in Stark County is 0.518. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Stark County, North Dakota?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Stark County, North Dakota has narrowed from about 35% to 33% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 40% in 2012, and was narrowest at 31% in 2014. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $10,214 since 2009.
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