COUNTY · 2000 CENSUS

Nelson County

North Dakota · 3,715 residents · 982 sq mi

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The short version

Nelson County is a county of 3,715 people in North Dakota. At a median age of 47.2, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Home values have risen by half since 1990, reaching $36,000. Owners hold 80% of the housing stock. Median rent is $275 a month. 17% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

At a glance

Lower income

below the US median

US median: $42,589

Older

median age 47.2

US median: 35.2

Less educated

17% hold a bachelor's degree

US average: 24%

Stable housing

home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted

US median home: $120,530

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population

3,715

−16%since 1990

from 4,410 in 1990

1990 – 2025

Median age

47.2

+4%since 1990

from 45.3 in 1990

US average: 35.2

Land area

982 sq mi

Population, 1990 – 2024

20243K

Age distribution, 2000

Under 53.7%(138)

US avg: 6.8%

5 to 95.4%(199)

US avg: 7.3%

10 to 147.3%(271)

US avg: 7.3%

15 to 197.1%(263)

US avg: 7.2%

20 to 242.6%(97)

US avg: 6.7%

25 to 347%(259)

US avg: 14.2%

35 to 4413.4%(496)

US avg: 16%

45 to 5414.5%(540)

US avg: 13.4%

55 to 6411.7%(433)

US avg: 8.6%

65 to 7412.1%(448)

US avg: 6.5%

75 to 8410.6%(395)

US avg: 4.4%

85 and over4.7%(176)

US avg: 1.5%

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE

Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income

$28,892

+13%inflation adjusted, since 1990

from $19,360 in 1990

US average: $42,589

1990 – 2024

Per capita income

$16,320

+70%since 1990

from $9,590 in 1990

US average: $21,522

Poverty rate

10.3%

−3.7 ptssince 1990

from 14.0% in 1990

US average: 12.4%

Section 03

Housing

Median home value

$36,000

+16%inflation adjusted, since 1990

from $23,600 in 1990

US average: $120,530

1990 – 2024

Median gross rent

$275

−2%inflation adjusted, since 1990

from $214 in 1990

US average: $602

Owner-occupied

80.2%

+4.2 ptssince 1990

from 76.0% in 1990

19.8% rent

Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990

White, non-Hispanic99.5%(4,389)

Black0.1%(5)

Hispanic / Latino0.2%(10)

Asian0.1%(5)

2000

White, non-Hispanic98.5%(3,661)

Black0.1%(3)

Hispanic / Latino0.2%(6)

Asian0.3%(11)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin

Mexican2.1%(63)

Central American0.2%(7)

Honduran0.2%(7)

Cuban0.1%(3)

Asian origin

Filipino0.7%(22)

Ancestry

Norwegian43.2%(1,304)

German29.3%(883)

Swedish5.4%(162)

Irish5.2%(157)

English4.4%(133)

Czech3.7%(111)

French2.8%(83)

Finnish2.2%(67)

Russian2.1%(62)

Scottish1.9%(58)

Polish1.1%(33)

American1.1%(32)

+ 15 more ancestry groups with data

Italian0.8%(25)

Romanian0.7%(20)

British0.5%(16)

Scotch-Irish0.5%(14)

Ukrainian0.4%(13)

Slovak0.3%(10)

French Canadian0.3%(9)

Danish0.3%(8)

Swiss0.2%(7)

Welsh0.2%(5)

Dutch0.1%(4)

Brazilian0.1%(3)

Canadian0.1%(3)

Lithuanian0.1%(3)

Belgian0.1%(2)

RANKED:Largest Norwegian population · Largest German population · Largest Swedish population · Largest Irish population · Largest English population

Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

17.5%

+6.8 ptssince 1990

from 10.6% in 1990

US average: 24.4%

High school or higher

81.4%

+11.9 ptssince 1990

from 69.4% in 1990

US average: 80.3%

Graduate degree

2.5%

+0.5 ptssince 1990

from 2.0% in 1990

US average: 8.8%

Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute

18.0 min

−38%since 1990

from 29.1 min in 1990

US average: 17.6

Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status

Men 15+

Never married25.4%(382)

Married61.5%(923)

Widowed4.5%(67)

Divorced8.7%(130)

Women 15+

Never married12.3%(197)

Married56.4%(900)

Widowed23.8%(380)

Divorced7.5%(119)

SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000

Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured

4.0%

−3.5 ptssince 2013

from 7.5% in 2013

US average: 8.4%

Employer-based

54.1%

+3.6 ptssince 2020

from 50.5% in 2020

US average: 54.8%

Direct-purchase

23.9%

−6.0 ptssince 2020

from 29.9% in 2020

US average: 13.8%

Medicare

28.1%

+1.0 ptssince 2020

from 27.1% in 2020

US average: 18.4%

Medicaid

13.5%

+3.0 ptssince 2020

from 10.5% in 2020

US average: 20.9%

VA health care

3.9%

−0.4 ptssince 2020

from 4.3% in 2020

US average: 2.2%

Any private

75.9%

−3.4 ptssince 2020

from 79.3% in 2020

US average: 67.1%

Any public

39.8%

+4.0 ptssince 2020

from 35.8% 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)13.3%(28)

US avg: 26.4%

Gulf War (1990s)20%(42)

US avg: 24.3%

Vietnam era51.4%(108)

US avg: 33.1%

Korean War10.5%(22)

US avg: 4.5%

World War II1.4%(3)

US avg: 1%

Share of the 210 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.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE

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