Nelson County, ND

County

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2021 Population

3,035

5.97% 1-year growth

US Senator

John Hoeven

Republican Party

US Senator

Kevin Cramer

Republican Party

US Representative

Kelly Armstrong

Republican Party

2021 Median Age

49.6

4.98% 1-year decrease

2021 Poverty Rate

10.4%

0.556% 1-year decrease

2021 Median Household Income

$56,724

6.9% 1-year growth

2021 Median Property Value

$99,300

3.33% 1-year growth

About

In 2021, Nelson County, ND had a population of 3.04k people with a median age of 49.6 and a median household income of $56,724. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Nelson County, ND grew from 2,864 to 3,035, a 5.97% increase and its median household income grew from $53,063 to $56,724, a 6.9% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Nelson County, ND are White (Non-Hispanic) (91.7%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (2.7%), White (Hispanic) (1.65%), Two+ (Hispanic) (1.29%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (1.09%).

None of the households in Nelson County, ND reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

96.8% of the residents in Nelson County, ND are U.S. citizens.

In 2021, the median property value in Nelson County, ND was $99,300, and the homeownership rate was 75.6%.

Most people in Nelson County, ND drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 18.2 minutes. The average car ownership in Nelson County, ND was 2 cars per household.

Nelson County, ND borders Benson County, ND, Eddy County, ND, Grand Forks County, ND, Griggs County, ND, Ramsey County, ND, Steele County, ND, and Walsh County, ND.

United States North Dakota

Population & Diversity

Nelson County, ND is home to a population of 3.04k people, from which 96.8% are citizens. As of 2021, 3.86% of Nelson County, ND residents were born outside of the country (117 people).

In 2021, there were 34 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (2.78k people) in Nelson County, ND than any other race or ethnicity. There were 82 Two+ (Non-Hispanic) and 50 White (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Citizenship

96.8%

2021 Citizenship

96.4%

2020 Citizenship

As of 2021, 96.8% of Nelson County, ND residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2020, the percentage of US citizens in Nelson County, ND was 96.4%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Nelson County, ND compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Nelson County, ND

White (Non-Hispanic)
2.78k ± 8
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
82 ± 26.9
White (Hispanic)
50 ± 35

3.89%

Hispanic Population

118 people

3.89% of the people in Nelson County, ND are hispanic (118 people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Nelson County, ND as a share of the total population.

Foreign-Born Population

3.86%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

117 people

4.33%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

124 people

As of 2021, 3.86% of Nelson County, ND residents (117 people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2020, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Nelson County, ND was 4.33%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Nelson County, ND compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
69 ± 34
Gulf War (2001-)
38 ± 30
Korea
23 ± 15

Nelson County, ND has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.82 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Nelson County, ND employs 1.45k people. The largest industries in Nelson County, ND are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (271 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (198 people), and Retail Trade (187 people), and the highest paying industries are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($76,250), Information ($53,125), and Utilities ($48,125).

Employment

Occupations

1.45k

2021 Value

± 139

1.4%

1 Year growth

± 13%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Nelson County, ND grew at a rate of 1.4%, from 1.43k employees to 1.45k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Nelson County, ND, are Management Occupations (289 people), Sales & Related Occupations (149 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (132 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Nelson County, ND.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in North Dakota (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

1.45k

2021 Value

± 139

1.4%

1 Year growth

± 13%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Nelson County, ND grew at a rate of 1.4%, from 1.43k employees to 1.45k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Nelson County, ND, are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (271 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (198 people), and Retail Trade (187 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Nelson County, ND, though some of these residents may live in Nelson County, ND and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$46,964

Median earning men ± $5,088

$32,119

Median earning women ± $2,517

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($133,750), Public Administration ($77,946), and Manufacturing ($55,313).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Wholesale Trade ($48,438), Manufacturing ($43,750), and Other Services Except Public Administration ($41,250).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

Y-Axis

2.75%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in North Dakota. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in North Dakota.

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

65
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
33
Wholesale Trade
28
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from North Dakota to other states, or from other states to North Dakota.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound North Dakota product (by dollars) was Crude petroleum with $70.8B, followed by Coal-n.e.c. ($9.25B) and Other ag prods. ($8.64B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound North Dakota products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for North Dakota.

$154B

2020 Value in North Dakota

$278B

Projected 2050 Value in North Dakota

81.1% growth

In 2020, total outbound North Dakota trade was $154B. This is expected to increase 81.1% to $278B by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound North Dakota trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from North Dakota to other states, or from other states to North Dakota.

Most Common Trade Partners

Illinois
$27.1B
Texas
$17.1B
Minnesota
$15.8B

In 2020, the top outbound North Dakota domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Illinois with $27.1B, followed by Texas with $17.1B and Minnesota and $15.8B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that North Dakota shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Nelson County, ND went to Donald J. Trump with 64.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (33%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (2.42%).

John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer are the senators currently representing the state of North Dakota. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Nelson County, ND is currently represented by Kelly Armstrong in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (64.2%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (33%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (2.42%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Nelson County, ND went to Donald J. Trump with 64.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (33%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (2.42%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Nelson County, ND for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from North Dakota

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for North Dakota.

John Hoeven

Senator from North Dakota

Assumed office on January 3, 2011

Kevin Cramer

Senator from North Dakota

Assumed office on January 3, 2019

John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer are the senators currently representing North Dakota.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in North Dakota over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Nelson County, ND

Kelly Armstrong

North Dakota at-large Representative

Republican Party

Nelson County, ND is currently represented by Kelly Armstrong (Republican Party).

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the member for Nelson County, ND have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

Completions

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Dakota.

Measure

In 2021, 0.295% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.458% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Dakota.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2021 were High School or Equivalent (158k), Some college (147k), and Bachelors Degree (120k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Nelson County, ND was $99,300 in 2021, which is 0.405 times smaller than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $96,100 to $99,300, a 3.33% increase. The homeownership rate in Nelson County, ND is 75.6%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in Nelson County, ND have an average commute time of 18.2 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Nelson County, ND is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Property

$99,300

Median Property Value 2021

±$8,485

$996

Median Property Taxes

±$121

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Nelson County, ND the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Nelson County, ND compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

75.6%

Homeownership

2021

62.1%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2021

In 2021, 75.6% of the housing units in Nelson County, ND were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 75.1%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Nelson County, ND compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Census Tract 9590

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

The following map shows all of the tracts in Nelson County, ND colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$56,724

Median Household Income

± $7,160

1.32k

Number of Households

± 132

In 2021, the median household income of the 1.32k households in Nelson County, ND grew to $56,724 from the previous year's value of $53,063.

The following chart displays the households in Nelson County, ND distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Nelson County, ND is from North Dakota.

0.433

2021 Wage GINI in North Dakota

0.432

2020 Wage GINI in North Dakota

In 2021, the income inequality in North Dakota was 0.433 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.244% growth from 2020 to 2021, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for North Dakota was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in North Dakota in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in North Dakota across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2021

Drove Alone (68.2%)
Walked (11.5%)
Carpooled (9.99%)

In 2021, 68.2% of workers in Nelson County, ND drove alone to work, followed by those who walked to work (11.5%) and those who carpooled to work (9.99%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

18.2 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Nelson County, ND have a shorter commute time (18.2 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 1.2% of the workforce in Nelson County, ND have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Nelson County, ND compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Nelson County, ND distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Nelson County, ND have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

10.4% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Nelson County, ND (306 out of 2.95k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.6%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Males 25 - 34 and then Females 75+.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Nelson County, ND is White, followed by Two Or More and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

92.7% of the population of Nelson County, ND has health coverage, with 44.2% on employee plans, 5.77% on Medicaid, 19.8% on Medicare, 20.8% on non-group plans, and 2.09% on military or VA plans.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.7% were men and 50.3% were women.

Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 22.4% under 18 years, 15.1% between 18 and 34 years, 37.9% between 35 and 64 years, and 24.6% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.7% were men and 50.3% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

7.32%

Uninsured

44.2%

Employer Coverage

5.77%

Medicaid

19.8%

Medicare

20.8%

Non-Group

2.09%

Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in Nelson County, ND grew by 24.4% from 5.88% to 7.32%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Nelson County, ND changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Nelson County, ND.

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2022, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 38% in Nelson County, ND.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Nelson County, ND.

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