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Which counties in North Dakota are adding jobs fastest?

Sargent County (+48.7%), Kidder County (+23.2%) and Nelson County (+13.6%) added private-sector jobs fastest in North Dakota between 2018 and 2023.

Data as of 2023 · updated

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All 52 ranked North Dakota counties

North Dakota counties ranked by private-sector job growth
RankCountyChange 2018–23Private jobs 2023Residents
1Sargent County+48.7%2,5043,711
2Kidder County+23.2%6372,393
3Nelson County+13.6%7792,963
4Oliver County+9.9%6001,898
5Pembina County+7.4%2,5386,568
6Renville County+6.7%5282,331
7Bottineau County+6.2%1,7856,284
8Dunn County+6.1%2,6134,058
9Cass County+5.7%113,306201,794
10McKenzie County+5.2%6,86115,192
11Foster County+4.6%1,4213,212
12Williams County+3.3%21,78541,767
13Morton County+3.1%10,96434,601
14Burleigh County+1.5%47,601103,251
15Walsh County+1.1%3,37210,179
16Traill County+1.0%2,6827,920
17Rolette County−0.6%2,14911,688
18Mountrail County−0.6%4,1399,395
19Stark County−0.9%14,59934,013
20Richland County−1.6%5,91516,731
21Hettinger County−1.8%4472,492
22Barnes County−2.6%3,38910,573
23Mercer County−2.9%3,6318,441
24Burke County−3.0%3552,132
25Emmons County−3.0%6743,215
26Golden Valley County−3.8%4061,808
27Ward County−4.0%24,72368,233
28Logan County−5.1%4321,859
29Grant County−5.1%3882,206
30Grand Forks County−5.8%31,71974,501
31Stutsman County−5.8%8,57421,414
32McIntosh County−7.2%7512,451
33Ransom County−7.2%1,4145,617
34Eddy County−7.4%4622,329
35Divide County−7.5%4722,110
36McHenry County−8.0%7405,130
37Sioux County−8.0%5293,667
38Griggs County−8.1%5322,239
39Pierce County−8.4%1,3493,838
40Ramsey County−8.5%4,09211,530
41McLean County−9.8%2,3199,740
42Cavalier County−9.9%1,0483,497
43Sheridan County−9.9%1271,296
44LaMoure County−10.3%8974,135
45Dickey County−11.0%1,4474,895
46Bowman County−12.1%1,0432,762
47Towner County−12.9%4442,040
48Benson County−14.7%8095,759
49Wells County−15.7%1,1453,729
50Billings County−17.2%3091,071
51Steele County−17.2%4321,797
52Adams County−19.2%6192,275

1 of 53 North Dakota counties are not ranked on this measure.

How this is ranked

The change in paid employees of private employers in mid-March between 2018 and 2023 (Census Bureau County Business Patterns). Government jobs and the self-employed are not counted. Counties with fewer than 1,000 residents, or without a figure for the same period as the others, are not ranked.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns. Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how ranks and figures are built. More on every layer: data sources and licences.

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Questions

Which county in North Dakota has the fastest job growth?

Sargent County: +48.7%, ahead of Kidder County (+23.2%) and Nelson County (+13.6%), of 52 North Dakota counties ranked.

How is this ranking calculated?

The change in paid employees of private employers in mid-March between 2018 and 2023 (Census Bureau County Business Patterns). Government jobs and the self-employed are not counted. Counties with fewer than 1,000 residents, or without a figure for the same period as the others, are not ranked.

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Private-sector job growth in other states

Across the U.S.