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What are the fastest-growing counties in North Dakota?

Cass County (+9.1%), Golden Valley County (+4.8%) and Burleigh County (+4.7%) grew fastest in North Dakota between 2020 and 2025.

North Dakota as a whole grew 2.5% between 2020 and 2025, to 799,358 residents.

Data as of 2025 · updated

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All 53 North Dakota counties ranked

North Dakota counties by population growth
RankCountyResidents 2025Change 2020–25Net migration per 1,000, 2025New homes per 1,000, 2025
1Cass County201,794+9.1%1.75.7
2Golden Valley County1,808+4.8%20.51.1
3Burleigh County103,251+4.7%1.62.9
4Morton County34,601+3.8%5.32.9
5Adams County2,275+3.7%27.70.4
6Renville County2,331+2.9%−6.00.4
7McKenzie County15,192+2.8%14.32.6
8Sheridan County1,296+2.7%14.73.1
9Grand Forks County74,501+1.9%0.72.5
10Oliver County1,898+1.7%2.14.2
11Williams County41,767+1.4%8.43.5
12Richland County16,731+1.2%0.72.6
13Mercer County8,441+1.1%10.40.4
14LaMoure County4,135+1.0%14.30.5
15Stark County34,013+0.5%0.81.9
16Kidder County2,393+0.5%−5.90.0
17Hettinger County2,492+0.4%10.80.0
18Eddy County2,329+0.1%2.60.0
19Steele County1,797−0.1%2.81.1
20McLean County9,740−0.2%−3.14.1
21Ramsey County11,530−0.4%−2.60.5
22Stutsman County21,414−0.6%−0.91.3
23Traill County7,920−0.8%−4.30.9
24Dunn County4,058−0.9%14.34.4
25Nelson County2,963−1.0%13.81.3
26Logan County1,859−1.3%−15.60.5
27Ransom County5,617−1.5%−3.70.4
28Dickey County4,895−1.5%−5.14.3
29Bottineau County6,284−1.6%−8.62.2
30Ward County68,233−2.4%−8.11.9
31Emmons County3,215−2.4%0.98.7
32McIntosh County2,451−2.5%1.60.4
33Griggs County2,239−2.5%12.50.0
34Barnes County10,573−2.7%−4.80.4
35Burke County2,132−2.7%−0.92.8
36Benson County5,759−3.0%0.30.0
37Walsh County10,179−3.4%1.30.5
38Sargent County3,711−3.4%−4.30.8
39Grant County2,206−3.5%−3.23.6
40Pierce County3,838−3.6%−5.50.5
41Pembina County6,568−3.8%−0.20.3
42McHenry County5,130−3.9%−4.32.3
43Rolette County11,688−4.1%0.70.0
44Divide County2,110−4.2%−3.30.0
45Mountrail County9,395−4.2%−16.42.4
46Towner County2,040−5.0%4.40.0
47Foster County3,212−5.1%−19.00.6
48Sioux County3,667−5.4%−17.20.0
49Cavalier County3,497−5.4%−7.40.6
50Wells County3,729−5.9%−4.30.3
51Bowman County2,762−7.1%−16.72.9
–Billings County1,071–14.94.7
–Slope County628–––

Ranked by the change in Census Bureau population estimates, 2020–2025. 2 counties are listed last and not ranked: fewer than 1,000 residents, or no estimate for the same years.

Statewide totals

More county rankings for North Dakota

Metro areas

Fastest-growing metro areas in North Dakota · Fastest-growing metro areas in the U.S. · Largest metro areas in North Dakota

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Questions

Is North Dakota growing?

North Dakota as a whole grew 2.5% between 2020 and 2025, to 799,358 residents. Statewide figures add up its counties.

What is the fastest-growing county in North Dakota?

Cass County, which grew 9.1% between 2020 and 2025 to 201,794 residents (Census Bureau population estimates). Golden Valley County (+4.8%) and Burleigh County (+4.7%) came next.

Which North Dakota counties are losing population?

33 of the 51 ranked counties had fewer residents in 2025 than in 2020. The steepest declines: Bowman County (−7.1%), Wells County (−5.9%), Cavalier County (−5.4%).

Where are people moving in North Dakota?

For their size, Adams County (27.7 per 1,000 residents), Golden Valley County (20.5 per 1,000 residents) and Billings County (14.9 per 1,000 residents) drew the most net domestic migration (people moving in from other U.S. counties minus people moving out) in 2025.

Fastest-growing counties in other states

Across the U.S.

Sources and method

Each number shows its own period. Changes compare the latest period with five years earlier (or the earliest period available). Beacon CRE last refreshed these figures on 2026-11-05. Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how we compute every number. More on every layer: data sources and licences.