Americans Are Flocking to These 6 Fastest-Growing Counties in North Dakota

North Dakota is the 19^th largest state in the United States. The population in North Dakota was 779,091 in 2020, and it slowly grew to 779,261 over the next two years. Even though the state only saw a growth of 270 residents in two years, some counties are growing at a rate that exceeds those numbers, suggesting an internal population shift. Today, we’re going to look at the fastest-growing counties in North Dakota.

Discover where most people have settled between 2020 and 2022 based on estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau. Find out where these counties are located and why people are moving there.

6. Golden Valley County

Golden Valley County is in western North Dakota, along the border with Montana. This is one of the least populous counties in the entire state. The largest town in this area is Beach, and its population is just about 1,000 people.

The population in Golden Valley County was 1,730 people in 2020. The July 2022 estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau claim that 1,744 people now live in this area, an increase of 0.8%. Some people may wonder how this county made the list of the fastest-growing counties in North Dakota.

Simply put, most places in this state lost population over the last two years. As a result, the only 6 counties that gained population made this list. Including this county shows just how slow the growth is in the parts of North Dakota that are still growing.  

5. McLean County

McLean County is in central North Dakota. The Missouri River forms the western border of this county. The Audubon National Wildlife Refuge and the Lake Nettle National Wildlife Refuge are both inside of this county.

The 2020 population in McLean County was 9,770 people. That number rose to 9,824 people between 2020 and 2022. That means this area gained 54 new residents, equal to a 0.6% growth in population.

4. Billings County    

Billings County is in western North Dakota, and it is known for having large swaths of prairie grasslands as well as a portion of the Theodore Roosevelt National Park. The largest town is Medora, and it only has 120 people living there.

Billings County has a very low population. In 2020, the U.S. Census Bureau revealed this area was home to 945 people. That number only rose to an estimated 1,018 people in 2022. The area gained 73 new residents. Although the number of people that moved to this area was small, the percentage gain was very large. The county saw a 7.7% population growth over two years.

3. Morton County

Morton County is in the southern part of North Dakota. Interstate 94 runs through the northern part of the county, and the Missouri River forms the eastern border of this county.

The population in Morton County grew at a faster pace than the counties listed above. This part of the state had 33,287 residents in 2022. By 2022, the estimated population in the region hit 33,710. The area grew by 423 people. That means the population grew by a total of 1.3% over that period.

2. Burleigh County

Burleigh County is also in the southern part of the state, and I-94 runs through the middle of the county. The Missouri River flows to the west of this county and forms the border in the area. Bismarck, the state capital, is in this county. Bismarck was home to about 74,000 people in 2020.

Burleigh County had a population of 98,466 people in 2020, and the population rose to 99,280 residents in 2022. The population grew by a total of 814 people or 0.8% over those two years.

1. Cass County

Cass County is in eastern North Dakota, and it has a border with Minnesota. Fargo, the biggest city, is in this region. Cass County is also the leader among the fastest-growing counties in North Dakota.

The interesting thing about this growth is that Cass County is also the most populous one in the state. Many other states are seeing people flee from their densely populated areas, but that is not the case here.

Instead, 184,528 people lived in this county during the 2020 Census. By 2022, that number had skyrocketed to 192,734 people. That means an additional 8,206 people moved to this area over two years. That is a 4.4% growth.

So, why are people moving to Cass County? The area’s economy is growing, so the job market could be attracting people. Also, the cost of living in the largest urban area of North Dakota is lower than most other cities in the country. That factor could also be crucial to bringing people to this area.

The next census will identify the factors that impact the county’s growth. Overall, though, Cass County was the only one that saw significant growth in the state, so it should not be too hard to identify the factors that are drawing people to the region.  

Summary of the Fastest-Growing Counties in North Dakota

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