RANKING · 1990 CENSUS · 53 SHOWN OF 53

Most sparsely populated, North Dakota counties · 1990

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+25%

03Dunn County, NDND4,0582+11%

04Golden Valley County, NDND1,8082+10%

05Grant County, NDND2,2062+25%

06Sheridan County, NDND1,2962+26%

07Divide County, NDND2,1102+27%

08McKenzie County, NDND15,1922+11%

09Kidder County, NDND2,3932+21%

10Burke County, NDND2,1323+34%

11Logan County, NDND1,8593+23%

12Hettinger County, NDND2,4923+27%

13Bowman County, NDND2,7623+11%

14Emmons County, NDND3,2153+12%

15Adams County, NDND2,2753+22%

16Oliver County, NDND1,8983+15%

17Steele County, NDND1,7973+7%

18Sioux County, NDND3,6673−7%

19McHenry County, NDND5,1303+9%

20Towner County, NDND2,0404+26%

21Renville County, NDND2,3314+21%

22Mountrail County, NDND9,3954+6%

23Cavalier County, NDND3,4974+26%

24McIntosh County, NDND2,4514+19%

25Nelson County, NDND2,9634+19%

26Wells County, NDND3,7295+15%

27Griggs County, NDND2,2395+20%

28Eddy County, NDND2,3295+7%

29LaMoure County, NDND4,1355+15%

30Bottineau County, NDND6,2845+12%

31McLean County, NDND9,7405+12%

32Pierce County, NDND3,8385+8%

33Benson County, NDND5,7595+3%

34Sargent County, NDND3,7115+4%

35Dickey County, NDND4,8955+6%

36Foster County, NDND3,2126+6%

37Ransom County, NDND5,6177+1%

38Pembina County, NDND6,5688+8%

39Barnes County, NDND10,5738+7%

40Mercer County, NDND8,4419+13%

41Stutsman County, NDND21,41410+2%

42Traill County, NDND7,92010+3%

43Williams County, NDND41,76710+7%

44Ramsey County, NDND11,53011+5%

45Walsh County, NDND10,17911+12%

46Morton County, NDND34,60112−6%

47Richland County, NDND16,73113+1%

48Rolette County, NDND11,68814−7%

49Stark County, NDND34,01317+1%

50Ward County, NDND68,23329−1%

51Burleigh County, NDND103,25137−13%

52Grand Forks County, NDND74,50149+7%

53Cass County, NDND201,79458−16%

SHOWING 1–53 OF 53

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