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Most sparsely populated, North Dakota counties

North Dakota counties with the fewest residents per square mile (2025). This list covers the 53 counties in North Dakota that qualify, ranked against each other statewide. The median across all 53 is 4.

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SAME RANKING BYCities States Metros

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2025

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION DENSITYVS 2000

01Slope County, NDND6281−18%

02Billings County, NDND1,0711+21%

03▲1Grant County, NDND2,2061−22%

04▼1Sheridan County, NDND1,2961−24%

05▲1Divide County, NDND2,1102−8%

06▲1Kidder County, NDND2,3932−13%

07▼2Golden Valley County, NDND1,8082−6%

08Logan County, NDND1,8592−19%

09Burke County, NDND2,1322−5%

10▲1Towner County, NDND2,0402−29%

11▼1Dunn County, NDND4,0582+13%

12Emmons County, NDND3,2152−26%

13Hettinger County, NDND2,4922−8%

14Adams County, NDND2,2752−12%

15Cavalier County, NDND3,4972−28%

16▲1Bowman County, NDND2,7622−15%

17▲1McIntosh County, NDND2,4513−28%

18▼2Steele County, NDND1,7973−20%

19Oliver County, NDND1,8983−8%

20Renville County, NDND2,3313−11%

21McHenry County, NDND5,1303−14%

22▲1Wells County, NDND3,7293−27%

23▼1Nelson County, NDND2,9633−20%

24Griggs County, NDND2,2393−19%

25Sioux County, NDND3,6673−9%

26LaMoure County, NDND4,1354−12%

27Eddy County, NDND2,3294−16%

28Bottineau County, NDND6,2844−12%

29Pierce County, NDND3,8384−18%

30Benson County, NDND5,7594−17%

31▲1Sargent County, NDND3,7114−15%

32▼1Dickey County, NDND4,8954−15%

33McLean County, NDND9,7405+5%

34▲1Foster County, NDND3,2125−15%

35▲1Mountrail County, NDND9,3955+42%

36▼2McKenzie County, NDND15,1926+165%

37Pembina County, NDND6,5686−23%

38Ransom County, NDND5,6177−5%

39Barnes County, NDND10,5737−10%

40▲1Walsh County, NDND10,1798−18%

41▼1Mercer County, NDND8,4418−2%

42Traill County, NDND7,9209−7%

43Stutsman County, NDND21,41410−2%

44Ramsey County, NDND11,53010−4%

45Richland County, NDND16,73112−7%

46Rolette County, NDND11,68813−15%

47Morton County, NDND34,60118+37%

48Williams County, NDND41,76720+111%

49Stark County, NDND34,01325+50%

50Ward County, NDND68,23334+16%

51Grand Forks County, NDND74,50152+13%

52Burleigh County, NDND103,25163+49%

53Cass County, NDND201,794114+64%

SHOWING 1–53 OF 53

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UPDATED 2026-09-11 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU POPULATION ESTIMATES