North Dakota’s population decreased steadily since it reached a peak of 680,845 in 1930 until about 2015. There were a few years when the federal census found a slight rise in the population, but for many years after 1930, the population declined. (See Chart 1.)

Chart 1: Population. This chart shows the growth of North Dakota from the settlement era (1870) to 2010 when the latest census was taken. North Dakota grew steadily until 1930, but then lost population steadily until 1980. North Dakota’s population will probably exceed that of 1930 by the next census. US Census Bureau.

Oil exploration and development led to a population increase in 1980. But as the first oil boom faded, the population declined again. The 2010 census showed another increase, again due to the impact of oil and gas development. In 2010, North Dakota had a population of 672,591, only a few thousand short of the In 2017, the population reached a new peak of 755,393.

Chart 2: County Population. This chart shows county population data from 1900 to 2010. While cities are not listed on this chart, it is apparent that counties with major cities, such as Cass County with the city of Fargo, have been growing steadily from the very beginning. The growth of cities reflect the loss of population in rural North Dakota. North Dakota State Data Center.

If we take a closer look at the population charts and maps, we can see that population growth and decline do not take place evenly across the state. (See Maps 4, 5, 6, and 7.) Some counties have grown in recent decades, while other counties have lost population. All of the major cities have seen increases in population. Small towns, particularly in the eastern half of the state, have felt the loss of population most keenly.

Oil is not the only “push” factor in population growth. A close analysis of the oil-rich counties suggests that oil workers have moved to North Dakota from somewhere else. On the other hand, American Indian populations are increasing because the population is younger. A young population increases by births. The American Indian population is increasing almost three times faster than the general population of the United States. The median age of American Indians is 31.3 years old. The median age of all Americans is 37.3 years old. American Indian populations (and reservations) will continue strong growth because the median age of American Indians is relatively young.

We can also observe population growth in North Dakota’s cities. Today, about one-sixth of the state’s population lives in Cass County. (See Chart 2.) Most of those people live in Fargo. Other counties with major cities are also seeing an increase in population. Grand Forks, Ward, Burleigh, and Stark counties are growing as people move into cities for work, education, or retirement. The population of the state, counties, and cities changes frequently. To keep up with these changes refer to documents at the North Dakota Department of Commerce. The population of the state, counties, and cities changes frequently. To keep up with these changes refer to document at North Dakota Department of Commerce