RANKING · 2020 CENSUS · 53 SHOWN OF 53

Most sparsely populated, North Dakota counties · 2020

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, NDND6281−8%

02Billings County, NDND1,0711+6%

03Sheridan County, NDND1,2961−26%

04Grant County, NDND2,2061−19%

05Golden Valley County, NDND1,8082−10%

06Divide County, NDND2,1102−4%

07Kidder County, NDND2,3932−13%

08Logan County, NDND1,8592−19%

09Burke County, NDND2,1322−2%

10Dunn County, NDND4,0582+14%

11Towner County, NDND2,0402−25%

12Emmons County, NDND3,2152−24%

13Hettinger County, NDND2,4922−8%

14Adams County, NDND2,2752−15%

15Cavalier County, NDND3,4972−23%

16Steele County, NDND1,7973−20%

17Bowman County, NDND2,7623−8%

18McIntosh County, NDND2,4513−25%

19Oliver County, NDND1,8983−9%

20Renville County, NDND2,3313−13%

21McHenry County, NDND5,1303−11%

22Nelson County, NDND2,9633−19%

23Wells County, NDND3,7293−22%

24Griggs County, NDND2,2393−16%

25Sioux County, NDND3,6674−4%

26LaMoure County, NDND4,1354−13%

27Eddy County, NDND2,3294−15%

28Bottineau County, NDND6,2844−11%

29Pierce County, NDND3,8384−15%

30Benson County, NDND5,7594−14%

31Dickey County, NDND4,8954−13%

32Sargent County, NDND3,7114−12%

33McLean County, NDND9,7405+5%

34McKenzie County, NDND15,1925+156%

35Foster County, NDND3,2125−10%

36Mountrail County, NDND9,3955+48%

37Pembina County, NDND6,5686−20%

38Ransom County, NDND5,6177−3%

39Barnes County, NDND10,5737−8%

40Mercer County, NDND8,4418−3%

41Walsh County, NDND10,1798−15%

42Traill County, NDND7,9209−6%

43Stutsman County, NDND21,41410−1%

44Ramsey County, NDND11,53010−4%

45Richland County, NDND16,73112−8%

46Rolette County, NDND11,68813−11%

47Morton County, NDND34,60117+32%

48Williams County, NDND41,76720+107%

49Stark County, NDND34,01325+49%

50Ward County, NDND68,23335+19%

51Grand Forks County, NDND74,50151+11%

52Burleigh County, NDND103,25160+42%

53Cass County, NDND201,794105+50%

SHOWING 1–53 OF 53

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