RANKING · 2000 CENSUS · 53 SHOWN OF 53

Most sparsely populated, North Dakota counties · 2000

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+0%

02Billings County, NDND1,0711+0%

03Grant County, NDND2,2062+0%

04Sheridan County, NDND1,2962+0%

05Dunn County, NDND4,0582+0%

06Divide County, NDND2,1102+0%

07Golden Valley County, NDND1,8082+0%

08Burke County, NDND2,1322+0%

09Kidder County, NDND2,3932+0%

10McKenzie County, NDND15,1922+0%

11Logan County, NDND1,8592+0%

12Hettinger County, NDND2,4922+0%

13Adams County, NDND2,2753+0%

14Bowman County, NDND2,7623+0%

15Towner County, NDND2,0403+0%

16Oliver County, NDND1,8983+0%

17Emmons County, NDND3,2153+0%

18Renville County, NDND2,3313+0%

19Steele County, NDND1,7973+0%

20McHenry County, NDND5,1303+0%

21Cavalier County, NDND3,4973+0%

22McIntosh County, NDND2,4513+0%

23Mountrail County, NDND9,3954+0%

24Sioux County, NDND3,6674+0%

25Nelson County, NDND2,9634+0%

26Griggs County, NDND2,2394+0%

27Wells County, NDND3,7294+0%

28LaMoure County, NDND4,1354+0%

29Bottineau County, NDND6,2844+0%

30Eddy County, NDND2,3294+0%

31McLean County, NDND9,7404+0%

32Pierce County, NDND3,8385+0%

33Benson County, NDND5,7595+0%

34Sargent County, NDND3,7115+0%

35Dickey County, NDND4,8955+0%

36Foster County, NDND3,2126+0%

37Ransom County, NDND5,6177+0%

38Pembina County, NDND6,5688+0%

39Barnes County, NDND10,5738+0%

40Mercer County, NDND8,4418+0%

41Williams County, NDND41,76710+0%

42Walsh County, NDND10,17910+0%

43Traill County, NDND7,92010+0%

44Stutsman County, NDND21,41410+0%

45Ramsey County, NDND11,53010+0%

46Richland County, NDND16,73113+0%

47Morton County, NDND34,60113+0%

48Rolette County, NDND11,68815+0%

49Stark County, NDND34,01317+0%

50Ward County, NDND68,23329+0%

51Burleigh County, NDND103,25143+0%

52Grand Forks County, NDND74,50146+0%

53Cass County, NDND201,79470+0%

SHOWING 1–53 OF 53

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