Walsh County, North Dakota Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Walsh 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 averageLess healthy than 73% of counties in North Dakota
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B
Income Around average
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D
Education Well below averageLess educated than 90% of counties in North Dakota
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Walsh County | North Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,396 | 784,730 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 8.0 | 11.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.70% | 0.80% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 43.8 | 36.3 | 37.3 |
| Households | 4,400 | 331,016 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Walsh County declined by 5.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 10,396 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Walsh County is Gen X, aged 45–60, at 22.7% of residents. That is 5.1 points above North Dakota as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 1,809 17.4% -6.2 pts
- Millennials 29–44 1,758 16.9% -4.3 pts
- Gen X 45–60 2,362 22.7% +5.1 pts
- Boomers 61–79 1,983 19.1% +3.2 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 49.8% of the people living in Walsh County and men 50.2%.
- Women 49.8% North Dakota 49.0%
- Men 50.2% North Dakota 51.0%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Walsh County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Walsh County has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | Walsh County | North Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $72,514 | $76,862 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.40% | 3.32% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 1.9% | 2.7% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Walsh County is about 6% lower than in North Dakota.
Housing
| Metric | Walsh County | North Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $95,238 | $125,877 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $747 | $953 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 76.0% | 62.9% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Walsh County is about 10.6 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $747 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Walsh County spend about 25 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 105 hours, about 4.4 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Walsh County | North Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 12.6 | 13.8 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 25.3 | 27.6 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 105 | 115 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $3,263 | $3,567 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 4.2% | 8.1% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 934 | 2,106 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 262 | 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 Walsh 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
Walsh County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Walsh County | North Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.2% | 29.0% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.27 | 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
Walsh County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Walsh County | North Dakota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 78.2 | 79.4 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 15.6% | 14.3% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 19.6% | 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).
Walsh County, ND Compared With Nearby Counties
How Walsh County, ND compares with the 1 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walsh County, ND | 10,396 | $72,514 #1/2 | $95,238 #2/2 | 12.6 min #2/2 |
| Grand Forks County, ND | 72,923 | $69,503 | $125,000 | 12.5 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Walsh County, North Dakota.
What is the population of Walsh County, North Dakota?
About 10,396 people live in Walsh County, North Dakota, in 4,400 households of 2.3 people on average. The median age is 43.8, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 6 years.
How densely populated is Walsh County, North Dakota?
Averaged over its land area, Walsh County, North Dakota has 8 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 9% of the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Walsh County, North Dakota?
The median home costs 1.3 times the median household income ($95,238 against $72,514), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $747 a month takes about 12% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is unemployment high in Walsh County, North Dakota?
Unemployment in Walsh County, North Dakota is only 1.9%, 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 Walsh County, North Dakota have a college degree?
17.2% of adults in Walsh 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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