Nelson County, North Dakota

The Dakota Territory legislature created Nelson County on March 2, 1883, with areas annexed from Foster, Grand Forks and Ramsey counties, and with some previously unorganized area. It was not organized at that time, but was attached to Grand Forks County for administrative and judicial purposes. Its proposed boundary was enlarged on March 9, 1883, and on June 9, 1883, the county organization was effected and the administrative attachment to Grand Forks County was terminated. ==Geography==

The county terrain consists of rolling hills dotted with lakes and ponds. The area is largely devoted to agriculture. The terrain slopes to the south and east, with its highest point near the midpoint of its north boundary line, at ASL. According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (2.68%) is water. It is the 41st largest county in North Dakota by total area. Major highways • U.S. Highway 2 • North Dakota Highway 1 • North Dakota Highway 15 • North Dakota Highway 32 • North Dakota Highway 35 Adjacent counties • Walsh County - northeast • Grand Forks County - east • Steele County - southeast • Griggs County - south • Eddy County - southwest • Benson County - west • Ramsey County - northwest National protected areas • Johnson Lake National Wildlife Refuge (part) • Lambs Lake National Wildlife Refuge • Rose Lake National Wildlife Refuge • Stump Lake National Wildlife Refuge Lakes Source: • Bitter Lake • Church Lake • Hillesland Lake • Johnson Lake • Lake Laretta • Mannie Lake • Omild Slough • Ottofy Lake • Rose Lake • Rugh Lake • Stump Lake • Swan Lake ==Demographics==

As of the fourth quarter of 2024, the median home value in Nelson County was $121,319. As of the 2023 American Community Survey, there are 1,295 estimated households in Nelson County with an average of 2.25 persons per household. The county has a median household income of $68,051. Approximately 9.8% of the county's population lives at or below the poverty line. Nelson County has an estimated 55.7% employment rate, with 28.2% of the population holding a bachelor's degree or higher and 93.3% holding a high school diploma. The top five reported ancestries (people were allowed to report up to two ancestries, thus the figures will generally add to more than 100%) were English (94.5%), Spanish (1.1%), Indo-European (2.9%), Asian and Pacific Islander (0.8%), and Other (0.6%). The median age in the county was 50.4 years. Nelson County, North Dakota – racial and ethnic composition 2024 estimate As of the 2024 estimate, there were 3,007 people and 1,295 households residing in the county. There were 1,781 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 93.1% White (90.8% NH White), 0.9% African American, 2.6% Native American, 1.4% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, _% from some other races and 1.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 3.2% of the population. 2020 census As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 3,015, 1,386 households, and 829 families residing in the county. 2010 census As of the 2010 census, there were 3,126 people, 1,474 households, and 905 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 1,927 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 97.15% White, 0.26% African American, 0.96% Native American, 0.10% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.03% from some other races and 1.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 1.06% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 52.3% were Norwegian, 34.1% were German, 8.2% were Irish, and 3.9% were American. There were 1,474 households, 21.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.1% were married couples living together, 5.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 38.6% were non-families, and 36.0% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.07 and the average family size was 2.66. The median age was 51.5 years. The median income for a household in the county was $39,071 and the median income for a family was $51,731. Males had a median income of $33,629 versus $28,672 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,838. About 4.0% of families and 9.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.0% of those under age 18 and 13.6% of those age 65 or over. Population by decade Colors= id:lightgrey value:gray(0.9) id:darkgrey value:gray(0.8) id:sfondo value:rgb(1,1,1) id:barra value:rgb(0.55,0.0,0.0) ImageSize = width:750 height:375 PlotArea = left:50 bottom:50 top:30 right:30 DateFormat = x.y Period = from:0 till:10368 TimeAxis = orientation:vertical AlignBars = late ScaleMajor = gridcolor:darkgrey increment:2592 start:0 ScaleMinor = gridcolor:lightgrey increment:1296 start:0 BackgroundColors = canvas:sfondo BarData= bar:1890 text:1890 bar:1900 text:1900 bar:1910 text:1910 bar:1920 text:1920 bar:1930 text:1930 bar:1940 text:1940 bar:1950 text:1950 bar:1960 text:1960 bar:1970 text:1970 bar:1980 text:1980 bar:1990 text:1990 bar:2000 text:2000 bar:2010 text:2010 bar:2020 text:2020 bar:2025 text:present PlotData= color:barra width:25 align:left bar:1890 from: 0 till:4293 bar:1900 from: 0 till:7316 bar:1910 from: 0 till:10140 bar:1920 from: 0 till:10362 bar:1930 from: 0 till:10203 bar:1940 from: 0 till:9129 bar:1950 from: 0 till:8090 bar:1960 from: 0 till:7034 bar:1970 from: 0 till:5776 bar:1980 from: 0 till:5233 bar:1990 from: 0 till:4410 bar:2000 from: 0 till:3715 bar:2010 from: 0 till:3126 bar:2020 from: 0 till:3015 bar:2025 from: 0 till:2963 color:darkblue PlotData= bar:1890 at:4293 fontsize:M text:4,293 shift:(-16,6) bar:1900 at:7316 fontsize:M text:7,316 shift:(-16,6) bar:1910 at:10140 fontsize:M text:10,140 shift:(-16,6) bar:1920 at:10362 fontsize:M text:10,362 shift:(-16,6) bar:1930 at:10203 fontsize:M text:10,203 shift:(-16,6) bar:1940 at:9129 fontsize:M text:9,129 shift:(-16,6) bar:1950 at:8090 fontsize:M text:8,090 shift:(-16,6) bar:1960 at:7034 fontsize:M text:7,034 shift:(-16,6) bar:1970 at:5776 fontsize:M text:5,776 shift:(-16,6) bar:1980 at:5233 fontsize:M text:5,233 shift:(-16,6) bar:1990 at:4410 fontsize:M text:4,410 shift:(-16,6) bar:2000 at:3715 fontsize:M text:3,715 shift:(-16,6) bar:2010 at:3126 fontsize:M text:3,126 shift:(-16,6) bar:2020 at:3015 fontsize:M text:3,015 shift:(-16,6) bar:2025 at:2963 fontsize:M text:2,963 shift:(-16,6) TextData= fontsize:S pos:(20,20) text:Data from U.S. Census Bureau ==Communities==

Cities • Aneta • Lakota (county seat) • McVille • Michigan City • Pekin • Petersburg • Tolna Census-designated place • Dahlen Unincorporated communities • Kloten • Mapes • Pelto • Whitman Townships • Adler • Bergen • Central • Clara • Dahlen • Dayton • Dodds • Enterprise • Field • Forde • Hamlin • Illinois • Lakota • Lee • Leval • Melvin • Michigan • Nash • Nesheim • Ora • Osago • Petersburg • Rubin • Rugh • Sarnia • Wamduska • Williams ==Politics==

Nelson County voters have slightly favored Republicans for the past several decades. Since 1964 the county selected the Republican Party candidate in 64% of national elections. ==Education==

School districts include: • Dakota Prairie Public School District 1 • Midkota Public School District 7 • Fordville-Lankin Public School District 5 • Lakota Public School District 66 • Larimore Public School District 44 • Northwood Public School District 129 ==See also==