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Golden Valley County, ND: population growth, jobs and income

Golden Valley County gained 34 residents between 2024 and 2025 (+1.9%).

Golden Valley County had an estimated 1,808 residents in 2025, up 4.8% (83 more people) since 2020. That is faster than North Dakota as a whole (+2.5%), and the 2nd fastest growth of 51 counties in North Dakota.

Data as of 2025 · updated

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In the Golden Valley County report

One-time $99 PDF: everything on this page for Golden Valley County, ranked against North Dakota and the U.S., plus these figures that are not on the free page:

  • Median gross rent$638/mo2020–24
  • Vacant homes, incl. seasonal and second homes22.5%2020–24
  • New homes permitted, last 12 months62025-10/2026-09
  • Rent growth, 5 yearsIn the report
  • Permits in 5+ unit buildingsIn the report
  • IRS income moving in (net AGI)In the report
  • Neighbouring-county comparison tableIn the report

What's inside: 5 pages

  1. 1 Summary, headline numbers and ranks (free preview)
  2. 2 Ranks and the neighbouring-county table
  3. 3 Migration, with IRS mover and income flows
  4. 4 Rent, vacant homes, permits and employers
  5. 5 Every source and the methods
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Headline numbers

New homes permitted

2

2025

1.1 per 1,000 residents

Small base: the change swings on a few homes or people, so we don't show it.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2025. Housing units authorized by building permits in the year.

What the numbers say

Net domestic migration added 37 people in 2025: more people moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out.

Private employers had 406 paid employees in mid-March 2023, −3.8% since 2018 (County Business Patterns).

Unemployment averaged 2.4% in 2025, 0.9 points higher than in 2019 (before the pandemic).

Builders were authorized to start 2 new homes in 2025, or 1.1 per 1,000 residents.

Median household income was $68,021 in the 2020–24 American Community Survey, −5.9% since 2016–20.

Across the 3,107 U.S. counties with a comparable estimate, its population growth ranks 642nd.

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Golden Valley County population by year

Resident population, July 1 estimate (Census Bureau)
YearPopulationChange
20251,808+34
20241,774+18
20231,756+1
20221,755−8
20211,763+38
20201,725–

Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year.

What drove the change in Golden Valley County

Golden Valley County grew by 83 people since 2020; the largest part came from domestic migration (+82).

Components of population change, people (Census Bureau)
Component20252020–25Share
Natural changebirths minus deaths−2+5
International migrationfrom and to other countries+0+0
Domestic migrationfrom and to other U.S. counties+37+82
Census adjustmentbalancing residual−1−4
Total change+34+83

Census Bureau population estimates, components of change, each year July 1 to June 30. The components add up to the change in the estimate; the Census adjustment is the small balancing figure the Bureau publishes.

How it ranks

MeasureIn North DakotaAmong U.S. counties
Population growth2nd of 51642nd of 3,107
Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents2nd of 52120th of 3,108
Private-sector job growth26th of 522,347th of 3,092
Median household income34th of 521,325th of 3,107
Lowest unemployment rate13th of 52105th of 3,108
New homes permitted per 1,000 residents26th of 522,031st of 3,005

1st = highest (lowest for unemployment). Counties are ranked only against others with a figure for the same period.

Get the county report — $99

The County Growth and Demographics Report for Golden Valley County, ND as a PDF, from federal data: population and migration, housing and rents, permits, private employers and jobs, unemployment, ranks in the state and the country, and neighbouring counties, with a source next to every number. Pay once, no subscription.

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Neighbouring counties

Golden Valley County grew faster than all 2 of its neighbouring counties with a comparable figure (+4.8%, 2020–25).

4 of its 5 neighbouring counties had a higher median household income than Golden Valley County's $68,021 (2020–24).

Golden Valley County, ND and its 5 neighbouring counties: public federal figures
CountyPopulation2025Population change2020–25Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents2025Homes permitted per 1,000 residents2025Median household income2020–24
Golden Valley County, ND This county1,808+4.8%20.51.1$68,021
Wibaux County, MT885–––$67,462
Billings County, ND1,071–14.94.7$86,806
Slope County, ND628–––$71,250
Fallon County, MT2,959−2.3%−5.11.4$76,250
McKenzie County, ND15,192+2.8%14.32.6$93,404

Census Bureau population estimates and building permits, American Community Survey 5-year income. Rates per 1,000 residents. – means no figure, or a base too small for a change or rate (it would swing on a few people). A figure from another period shows its year and is left out of the comparison.

All 53 North Dakota counties · Every state

Questions

Is Golden Valley County growing?

Yes. Its population grew 4.8% between 2020 and 2025, about 83 more people (Census Bureau population estimates). North Dakota as a whole changed +2.5% over the same years. That ranks 2nd of 51 counties in North Dakota for population growth.

How many people moved to Golden Valley County?

On net, about 37 people in 2025: that many more moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out (Census Bureau net domestic migration estimate).

What is the unemployment rate in Golden Valley County?

It averaged 2.4% in 2025 (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average).

What is the population of Golden Valley County?

About 1,808 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate for July 1, 2025.

How many jobs are in Golden Valley County?

Private employers there had 406 paid employees in mid-March 2023, −3.8% since 2018 (Census Bureau County Business Patterns; government jobs and the self-employed are not counted).

What Beacon CRE covers in North Dakota

Map, parcel and listing layers cover North and South Carolina only for now. This page and the other North Dakota county pages carry the public federal growth figures.

Golden Valley County data alerts

Email me when Golden Valley County gets new Census numbers: population, building permits, jobs and income. About 4 emails a year, one click to stop.

We use your address only to email you when new data for Golden Valley County is out: what changed, with a link to that county's report. No newsletter, no other sales emails. Delete it any time with the link in every email. We'll email you a link to confirm first; nothing starts until you click it. Privacy notice.

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.

Jobs outside North and South Carolina use County Business Patterns (paid private-sector employees in mid-March); wages and government jobs are not included.