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COUNTY · 2010 ACS

Nelson County

North Dakota · 3,126 residents · 982 sq mi
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The short version

With 3,126 people, Nelson County is a county in North Dakota. At a median age of 51.5, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Median home value sits at $51,100. 80% of homes are owner-occupied. Median rent is $366 a month. The foreign-born share is 1%.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $52,703
Older
median age 51.5
US median: 37.2
Less educated
21% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 28%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $225,659
Section 01

Population & growth

3,126
−16%since 2000
from 3,715 in 2000
1990 – 2025
51.5
+9%since 2000
from 47.2 in 2000
US average: 37.2
Land area
982 sq mi
Population, 19902024
3K3K4K4K5K19902000201020202024Nelson County
20243K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2010
Under 54.3%(134)
US avg: 6.5%
5 to 95%(156)
US avg: 6.6%
10 to 144.9%(152)
US avg: 6.7%
15 to 195.3%(166)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 243.6%(113)
US avg: 7%
25 to 347.9%(246)
US avg: 13.3%
35 to 448.5%(267)
US avg: 13.3%
45 to 5416.6%(520)
US avg: 14.6%
55 to 6416.4%(514)
US avg: 11.8%
65 to 7412.6%(395)
US avg: 7%
75 to 849.8%(306)
US avg: 4.2%
85 and over5%(157)
US avg: 1.8%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$39,071
+7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $28,892 in 2000
US average: $52,703
1990 – 2024
$22,838
+40%since 2000
from $16,320 in 2000
US average: $27,286
Households earning $100K+
15.1%
+1.0 ptssince 2009
from 14.1% in 2009
US average: 33.3%
9.9%
−0.4 ptssince 2000
from 10.3% in 2000
US average: 13.8%
0.442
US average: 0.461
Workforce by industry, 2010
Agriculture, forestry, fishing21.7%
US avg: 1.9%
Construction21.5%
US avg: 1.4%
Information10.8%
US avg: 11.5%
Transportation & warehousing5.6%
US avg: 3.1%
Retail trade5.5%
US avg: 10.9%
Wholesale trade4%
US avg: 7.2%
Finance & insurance3.7%
US avg: 5.1%
Professional, scientific, technical3.3%
US avg: 4.2%
Other services3%
US avg: 7%
Public administration2.8%
US avg: 4.9%
Education & health services0.4%
US avg: 0.9%
Arts, entertainment, food0.3%
US avg: 2.4%
Manufacturing0.2%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$51,100
+12%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $36,000 in 2000
US average: $225,659
1990 – 2024
$366
+5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $275 in 2000
US average: $853
79.5%
−0.7 ptssince 2000
from 80.2% in 2000
20.5% rent
25.8%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 25.9% in 2009
US average: 12.1%
2.14 people
+3%since 2009
from 2.08 people in 2009
US average: 2.60
16.0%
+2.4 ptssince 2009
from 13.6% in 2009
US average: 30.9%
24.2%
+2.3 ptssince 2009
from 21.9% in 2009
US average: 46.8%
1.3
−6%since 2009
from 1.4 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic98.5%(3,661)
Black0.1%(3)
Hispanic / Latino0.2%(6)
Asian0.3%(11)
Other0%
2010
White, non-Hispanic96.5%(3,018)
Black0.3%(8)
Hispanic / Latino1.1%(33)
Asian0.1%(2)
Other0.8%(25)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican1.6%(51)
Colombian0.2%(7)
Ancestry
Norwegian52.3%(1,665)
German34.1%(1,086)
Irish8.2%(261)
Czech4.1%(129)
American3.9%(125)
Swedish3.5%(110)
French3.2%(101)
English3.1%(99)
Dutch2.5%(81)
Finnish2.2%(69)
Polish1.9%(60)
British1.5%(47)
+ 10 more ancestry groups with data
Scotch-Irish1.4%(46)
Danish1.3%(41)
Russian1.3%(40)
Scottish1%(32)
Italian0.5%(16)
Ukrainian0.4%(12)
Greek0.1%(2)
Swiss0.1%(2)
Section 05

Education

21.4%
+4.0 ptssince 2000
from 17.5% in 2000
US average: 27.9%
High school or higher
88.8%
+7.4 ptssince 2000
from 81.4% in 2000
US average: 84.9%
3.9%
+1.4 ptssince 2000
from 2.5% in 2000
US average: 10.2%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

21.2 min
+18%since 2000
from 18.0 min in 2000
US average: 25.2
72.1%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 72.2% in 2009
US average: 76.2%
6.5%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 7.0% in 2009
US average: 10.4%
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 4.7%
14.3%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 14.2% in 2009
US average: 4.1%
6.4%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 6.0% in 2009
US average: 2.8%
0.6%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 0.5%
3.3%
−0.8 ptssince 2009
from 4.1% in 2009
US average: 8.7%
Section 07

Work & employment

14.2%
−1.0 ptssince 2009
from 15.3% in 2009
US average: 12.9%
39.5%
−2.2 ptssince 2009
from 41.7% in 2009
US average: 35.2%
Section 08

People & community

50.8%
+0.8 ptssince 2009
from 50.0% in 2009
49.2%
−0.8 ptssince 2009
from 50.0% in 2009
1.5%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 1.5% in 2009
US average: 12.8%
19.6%
+1.0 ptssince 2009
from 18.6% in 2009
US average: 9.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married23.6%(304)
Married64.3%(827)
Widowed3.2%(41)
Divorced8.9%(114)
Women 15+
Never married18.8%(229)
Married58.2%(710)
Widowed13.6%(166)
Divorced9.4%(115)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

4.0%
−3.5 ptssince 2013
from 7.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
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%
28.1%
+1.0 ptssince 2020
from 27.1% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
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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Frequently asked

How many people live in Nelson County, North Dakota?

Nelson County, North Dakota has about 3,126 residents according to the 2010 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Nelson County, North Dakota?

The typical household in Nelson County, North Dakota earns about $39,071 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Nelson County, North Dakota expensive?

In Nelson County, North Dakota, the median home is worth about $51,100, and the typical rent is about $366 a month.

How educated are people in Nelson County, North Dakota?

About 21.4% of adults age 25 and over in Nelson County, North Dakota hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Nelson County, North Dakota?

About 9.9% of people in Nelson County, North Dakota live below the federal poverty line.

Has Nelson County, North Dakota grown since 1990?

Yes, Nelson County, North Dakota has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 1,284 residents, a change of about -29 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →