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Most sparsely populated, North Dakota counties

North Dakota counties with the fewest residents per square mile (2023). This list covers the 53 counties in North Dakota that qualify, ranked against each other statewide.

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YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2025

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION DENSITYVS 2000

01Slope County, NDND6281−18%

02Billings County, NDND1,0711+21%

03Grant County, NDND2,2061−22%

04Sheridan County, NDND1,2961−24%

05Divide County, NDND2,1102−8%

06Kidder County, NDND2,3932−13%

07Golden Valley County, NDND1,8082−6%

08Logan County, NDND1,8592−19%

09Burke County, NDND2,1322−5%

10Towner County, NDND2,0402−29%

11Dunn County, NDND4,0582+13%

12Emmons County, NDND3,2152−26%

13Hettinger County, NDND2,4922−8%

14Adams County, NDND2,2752−12%

15Cavalier County, NDND3,4972−28%

16Bowman County, NDND2,7622−15%

17McIntosh County, NDND2,4513−28%

18Steele County, NDND1,7973−20%

19Oliver County, NDND1,8983−8%

20Renville County, NDND2,3313−11%

21McHenry County, NDND5,1303−14%

22Wells County, NDND3,7293−27%

23Nelson 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%

31Sargent County, NDND3,7114−15%

32Dickey County, NDND4,8954−15%

33McLean County, NDND9,7405+5%

34Foster County, NDND3,2125−15%

35Mountrail County, NDND9,3955+42%

36McKenzie County, NDND15,1926+165%

37Pembina County, NDND6,5686−23%

38Ransom County, NDND5,6177−5%

39Barnes County, NDND10,5737−10%

40Walsh County, NDND10,1798−18%

41Mercer 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 2026-06-02 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES