RANKING · 2010 CENSUS · 53 SHOWN OF 53

Most sparsely populated, North Dakota counties · 2010

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, NDND6281−5%

02Billings County, NDND1,0711−12%

03Sheridan County, NDND1,2961−23%

04Grant County, NDND2,2061−16%

05Divide County, NDND2,1102−9%

06Golden Valley County, NDND1,8082−13%

07Dunn County, NDND4,0582−2%

08Burke County, NDND2,1322−12%

09Kidder County, NDND2,3932−12%

10Logan County, NDND1,8592−14%

11Hettinger County, NDND2,4922−9%

12Towner County, NDND2,0402−22%

13McKenzie County, NDND15,1922+11%

14Emmons County, NDND3,2152−18%

15Adams County, NDND2,2752−10%

16Oliver County, NDND1,8983−11%

17Cavalier County, NDND3,4973−17%

18Bowman County, NDND2,7623−3%

19Steele County, NDND1,7973−13%

20Renville County, NDND2,3313−5%

21McHenry County, NDND5,1303−10%

22McIntosh County, NDND2,4513−17%

23Nelson County, NDND2,9633−16%

24Wells County, NDND3,7293−18%

25Griggs County, NDND2,2393−12%

26LaMoure County, NDND4,1354−12%

27Eddy County, NDND2,3294−13%

28Sioux County, NDND3,6674+3%

29Bottineau County, NDND6,2844−10%

30Mountrail County, NDND9,3954+16%

31McLean County, NDND9,7404−4%

32Pierce County, NDND3,8384−7%

33Sargent County, NDND3,7114−12%

34Dickey County, NDND4,8955−8%

35Benson County, NDND5,7595−4%

36Foster County, NDND3,2125−11%

37Ransom County, NDND5,6176−7%

38Pembina County, NDND6,5687−14%

39Barnes County, NDND10,5737−6%

40Mercer County, NDND8,4418−3%

41Walsh County, NDND10,1799−10%

42Traill County, NDND7,9209−4%

43Stutsman County, NDND21,4149−4%

44Ramsey County, NDND11,53010−5%

45Williams County, NDND41,76711+13%

46Richland County, NDND16,73111−9%

47Morton County, NDND34,60114+9%

48Rolette County, NDND11,68815+2%

49Stark County, NDND34,01318+7%

50Ward County, NDND68,23331+5%

51Grand Forks County, NDND74,50147+1%

52Burleigh County, NDND103,25150+17%

53Cass County, NDND201,79485+22%

SHOWING 1–53 OF 53

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