Income and Poverty in the State of North Dakota

According to the 2000 Census, the counties in the State of North Dakota range, in terms of total household income, from a high of $49,455 in Mercer County to a low of $26,305 in Sioux County.

Top ten counties in highest household income in the State of North Dakota
Total Annual Household Income (Adjusted to 2005 Dollars)

1. Mercer County ($49,455)
2. Burleigh County ($48,332 )
3. Cass County ($44,632)
4. Ransom County ($44,076)
5. Traill County ($43,811)
6. Sargent County ($43,539)
7. Morton County ($43,323)
8. Oliver County ($42,881)
9. Pembina County ($42,623)
10. Richland County ($42,235)


The poverty rate in the State of North Dakota has declined by 0.7 percent since the amount published in 2000, moving from 11.9 percent to 11.2 percent.

Evaluated with other States across the nation, the State of North Dakota can be understood to have a medium-high rate of poverty among the people, accounting a rate of 11.9 percent of people living in a family with an income below the poverty level in 1999. The American Indian and Alaska Native race/ethnicity population cohort, has the uppermost poverty rate with 39 percent of the 2000 population living in poverty. People that are of the age Under 5 years are witness to the most percent living in poverty in North Dakota, having 17.6 percent of this age cohort living in poverty.

The median household income has increased a small amount from the values (adjusted for inflation) in 2000. The median has increased to $41,030, which represents a 1.3 percent growth. The State of North Dakota ranks 4 of 5 states when analyzing the growth in median household income in the United States.

Compared to States across the United States, the State of North Dakota was reported to have a relatively low median income for all households of $40,487 (2005 Dollars). This median is 21.4 percent lower than the median for the rest of the nation, which is a reported $49,133.

According to the 2000 Census, the counties in the State of North Dakota range, in terms of rate a poverty, from a high of 39.2 percent in Sioux County to a low of 7.1 percent in Steele County.

Top ten counties in terms of poverty rate in the State of North Dakota
Total Percent of Population Living Below Poverty

1. Sioux County (39.2 percent)
2. Rolette County (31 )
3. Benson County (29.1 percent)
4. Sheridan County (21 percent)
5. Grant County (20.3 percent)
6. Emmons County (20.1 percent)
7. Kidder County (19.8 percent)
8. Mountrail County (19.3 percent)
9. Dunn County (17.5 percent)
10. McKenzie County (17.2 percent)


While the median household income saw a growth from 2000 to 2005 in the State of North Dakota, the Race/Ethnicity group that experienced the largest growth in household income was the Hispanic category. This category saw an increase of 57.9 percent from 2000 to 2005. The American Indian and Alaska Native population group was least impacted by the household income growth in North Dakota, seeing a 34 percent decline in median income, since the values reporting the 2000 Decennial Census.

The Asian householders in the area have reported their median household incomes at $41,466. This median income level is 2.4 percent greater than the reported median household income, in the state, for all households. Hispanic headed households in North Dakotareported a median household income of $34,062, this income level is 15.9 percent less than reported value of the areas total household median income for all households. The American Indian and Alaska Native householders in North Dakota had a median income of $25,734, which was 36.4 percent less than the areas median level for all households. In the State of North Dakota, White householders had a median household income (in 2005 Dollars) of $41,203 as reported in 2000 by the census, which was 1.8 percent greater than the median in the year 2000. Black or African American headed households had median income levels that were 14.3 percent less than the overall median reported in 2000, with a reported median of $34,699.

Datasource: U.S. Bureau of the Census. 2000 Decennial Census. 2005 American Community Survey.