Barnes County, ND

County

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2024 Population

10,773

US Senator

John Hoeven

Republican Party

US Senator

Kevin Cramer

Republican Party

2024 Median Age

43.5

1.4% 1-year increase

2024 Poverty Rate

12.1%

7.41% 1-year increase

2024 Median Household Income

$68,038

3.12% 1-year decline

2024 Median Property Value

$173,700

3.33% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

5,344

1.38% 1-year decline

About

None of the households in Barnes County, ND reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

98% of the residents in Barnes County, ND are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Barnes County, ND are Valley City State University (439 degrees awarded in 2023).

In 2024, the median property value in Barnes County, ND was $173,700, and the homeownership rate was 70.8%.

Most people in Barnes County, ND drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 19.5 minutes. The average car ownership in Barnes County, ND was 3 cars per household.

Barnes County, ND borders Cass County, ND, Griggs County, ND, LaMoure County, ND, Ransom County, ND, Steele County, ND, and Stutsman County, ND.

United States North Dakota

Population & Diversity

Barnes County, ND is home to a population of 10.8k people, from which 98% are citizens. As of 2024, 2.32% of Barnes County, ND residents were born outside of the country (250 people).

In 2024, there were 39 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (9.64k people) in Barnes County, ND than any other race or ethnicity. There were 247 Two Races Including Other (Non-Hispanic) and 233 Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

98%

2024 Citizenship

98%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 98% of Barnes County, ND residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Barnes County, ND was 98%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Barnes County, ND compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Barnes County, ND

White (Non-Hispanic)
9.64k ± 163
Two Races Including Other (Non-Hispanic)
247 ± 163
Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
233 ± 113

2.06%

Hispanic Population

222 people

2.06% of the people in Barnes County, ND are hispanic (222 people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Barnes County, ND as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for North Dakota.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
3,032 ± 1,349 people
Canada
2,767 ± 1,289 people
Philippines
2,721 ± 1,278 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of North Dakota was Mexico, the natal country of 3,032 North Dakota residents, followed by Canada with 2,767 and Philippines with 2,721.

Foreign-Born Population

2.32%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

250 people

2.42%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

261 people

As of 2024, 2.32% of Barnes County, ND residents (250 people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Barnes County, ND was 2.42%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Barnes County, ND compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
321 ± 89
Gulf War (2001-)
228 ± 110
Gulf War (1990s)
76 ± 64

Barnes County, ND has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.41 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Barnes County, ND.

Economy

The economy of Barnes County, ND employs 5.34k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Barnes County, ND were Health Care & Social Assistance (733 people), Educational Services (715 people), and Manufacturing (539 people), and the highest paying industries were Manufacturing ($79,583), Public Administration ($65,750), and Finance & Insurance ($65,313).

Employment

Occupations

5.34k

2024 Value

± 436

−1.38%

1 Year decline

± 11.5%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Barnes County, ND declined at a rate of −1.38%, from 5.42k employees to 5.34k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Barnes County, ND, are Management Occupations (767 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (629 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (482 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Barnes County, ND.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Dakota.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in North Dakota (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

Industries

Employment by Industries

5.34k

2024 Value

± 436

−1.38%

1 Year decline

± 11.5%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Barnes County, ND declined at a rate of −1.38%, from 5.42k employees to 5.34k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Barnes County, ND, are Health Care & Social Assistance (733 people), Educational Services (715 people), and Manufacturing (539 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Barnes County, ND, though some of these residents may live in Barnes County, ND and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$51,332

Median earning men ± $6,848

$38,633

Median earning women ± $4,777

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Manufacturing ($92,366), Wholesale Trade ($75,469), and Public Administration ($71,801).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($66,579), Manufacturing ($63,393), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($53,654).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Dakota.

Y-Axis

2.83%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 428k people employed in North Dakota. This represents a 2.83% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 12.3%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in North Dakota.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

27
Other Services (except Public Administration)
27
Construction
25
Finance and Insurance

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$34.4k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$31.5k
Manufacturing
$13k
Retail Trade

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Education

In 2023, universities in Barnes County, ND awarded 439 degrees. The student population of Barnes County, ND in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 708 male students and 1,046 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Barnes County, ND are White (390 and 89.7%), Hispanic or Latino (19 and 4.37%), Two or More Races (13 and 2.99%), and Black or African American (10 and 2.3%).

The largest universities in Barnes County, ND by number of degrees awarded are Valley City State University (439 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Barnes County, ND are Elementary Education & Teaching (96 and 21.9%), General Studies (60 and 13.7%), and Reading Teacher Education (30 and 6.83%).

The median tuition cost for a public four year colleges is $6,619 for in-state students and $11,583 for out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2023 in Barnes County, ND, the percentage of applicants admitted was 69.3%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 56.9%. The number of students enrolled in 2023 was 1,754 (40.4% men and 59.6% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2023 there were 1,754 students enrolled in Barnes County, ND, 40.4% men and 59.6% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 1,440 records, of which 62.8% were women and 37.2% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Elementary Education & Teaching
96 degrees awarded
General Business Administration & Management
22 degrees awarded
Wildlife, Fish, & Wildlands Science
14 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Barnes County, ND was Elementary Education & Teaching with 96 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Barnes County, ND according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Valley City State University

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

439 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Valley City State University with 439 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2023, 156 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Barnes County, ND, which is 0.551 times less than the 283 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 390 degrees mean that there were 20.5 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 19 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Public, 4-year or above ($6,619) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,895) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,100) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Barnes County, ND was $173,700 in 2024, which is 0.522 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $168,100 to $173,700, a 3.33% increase. The homeownership rate in Barnes County, ND is 70.8%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Barnes County, ND have an average commute time of 19.5 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Barnes County, ND is higher than the national average, with an average of 3 cars per household.

In 2025, 9.72% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Barnes County, ND. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator grew 1.92%.

Housing

Property

$173,700

Median Property Value 2024

±$18,203

$3,474

Median Property Taxes

±$329

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Barnes County, ND the largest share of households pay taxes in the $2k - $3k range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Barnes County, ND compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

70.8%

Homeownership

2024

59.6%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 70.8% of the housing units in Barnes County, ND were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 73.4%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Barnes County, ND compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$68,038

Median Household Income

± $5,568

4.91k

Number of Households

± 419

In 2024, the median household income of the 4.91k households in Barnes County, ND declined from $68,038 from the previous year's value of $70,230.

The following chart displays the households in Barnes County, ND distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Barnes County, ND is from North Dakota.

0.432

2023 Wage GINI in North Dakota

0.436

2022 Wage GINI in North Dakota

In 2023, the income inequality in North Dakota was 0.432 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.922% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for North Dakota was lower than than the national average of 0.476. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in North Dakota in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in North Dakota across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024

Drove Alone (79.8%)
Carpooled (7.05%)
Worked At Home (6.89%)

In 2024, 79.8% of workers in Barnes County, ND drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (7.05%) and those who worked at home (6.89%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

19.5 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Barnes County, ND have a shorter commute time (19.5 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 2.22% of the workforce in Barnes County, ND have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Barnes County, ND compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

3 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Barnes County, ND distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Barnes County, ND have 3 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2025, 9.72% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Barnes County, ND. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator grew 1.92%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

12.1% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Barnes County, ND (1.23k out of 10.1k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 75+, followed by Males 18 - 24 and then Females 6 - 11.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Barnes County, ND is White, followed by Native American and Asian.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2025, 11.2% of the children was living in poverty in Barnes County, ND. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 3.1%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 181 in Barnes County, ND. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator grew 138 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

Health

95.5% of the population of Barnes County, ND has health coverage, with 51.9% on employee plans, 9.8% on Medicaid, 17.4% on Medicare, 12.3% on non-group plans, and 4.14% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Barnes County, ND see 1,081 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,081 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1537 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 1192 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 50.9% were men and 49.1% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,081 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Barnes County, ND

Primary care physicians in Barnes County, ND see an average of 1,081 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,081 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Barnes County, ND in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 21.8% under 18 years, 19.7% between 18 and 34 years, 36.3% between 35 and 64 years, and 22.2% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 50.9% were men and 49.1% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

4.51%

Uninsured

51.9%

Employer Coverage

9.8%

Medicaid

17.4%

Medicare

12.3%

Non-Group

4.14%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Barnes County, ND declined by 6.88% from 4.84% to 4.51%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Barnes County, ND changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.