United States › North Dakota › Mercer County COUNTY
Mercer County North Dakota · 8,441 residents (2025 est.) · 1,043 sq mi
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The short version
Mercer County is home to 8,337 people in North Dakota. Few US counties rank higher on income. Owners hold 81% of the housing stock. Density works out to 8 people per square mile. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 23% of adults. 2% of locals were born outside the United States.
At a glance
Average income
near the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 42.9
US median: 38.9
Less educated
23% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 79%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 8,644 in 2000
8,441 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 8 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 40.1 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
8K 8K 9K 9K 10K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Mercer County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $80,946
+5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $42,269 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $18,256 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 33.4% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 7.5% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.409 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 11.4%
Education & health services 9.1%
Public administration 5.2%
Professional, scientific, technical 4.1%
Arts, entertainment, food 2.2%
Transportation & warehousing 1.9%
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$198,500
+79%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $61,000 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,031
+74%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $325 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 84.5% in 2000
18.9% rent
from 18.4% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.13 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 9.5% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 12.6% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 1.5 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 95.8%(8,280)
Hispanic / Latino 0.4%(32)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 91.3%(7,615)
Hispanic / Latino 2.8%(231)
from 12 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 25 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 18 more ancestry groups with data from 14.4% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 79.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 2.9% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 10.8 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 75.8% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 12.7% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 5.4% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 4.7% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 3.0% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 3.9% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 66.0% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 71.9% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 11.3% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 27.6% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 10.2% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 12.2% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 7.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 76.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 89.7% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 90.4% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 94.3% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 1.4% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 7.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 55.2% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 24.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 18.9% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 8.6% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 4.9% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 76.8% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 27.4% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 10.2%(61)
Share of the 600 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Mercer County Head to head
Compare Mercer County to nearby counties MERCER COUNTY VS
Oliver County
Income $77,240 −5%
Home value $215,700 +9%
Population 1,898 −78%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
MERCER COUNTY VS
McLean County
Income $83,583 +3%
Home value $227,100 +14%
Population 9,740 +15%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
MERCER COUNTY VS
Dunn County
Income $97,689 +21%
Home value $275,000 +39%
Population 4,058 −52%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
MERCER COUNTY VS
Morton County
Income $79,382 −2%
Home value $263,900 +33%
Population 34,601 +310%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Mercer County, North Dakota? Mercer County, North Dakota has about 8,337 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Mercer County, North Dakota? The typical household in Mercer County, North Dakota earns about $80,946 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Mercer County, North Dakota expensive? In Mercer County, North Dakota, the median home is worth about $198,500, and the typical rent is about $1,031 a month.
How educated are people in Mercer County, North Dakota? About 23.3% of adults age 25 and over in Mercer County, North Dakota hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Mercer County, North Dakota? About 9.7% of people in Mercer County, North Dakota live below the federal poverty line.
Has Mercer County, North Dakota grown since 1990? Yes, Mercer County, North Dakota has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 1,471 residents, a change of about -15 percent over that period.
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