Barnes County, North Dakota Demographics 2026

Name: Barnes County, North Dakota Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Barnes County, North Dakota has a population of 10,773, the 13th most populous county in North Dakota. The median household income is $68,038 and the median home value is $173,700. The poverty rate is 12.1%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Barnes County Quick Facts

Population 10,773

Median Household Income $68,038

Median Home Value $173,700

Poverty Rate 12.1%

Unemployment Rate 3.8%

Median Age 43.5 years

Homeownership Rate 70.8%

Affordability Ratio 2.6x

Bachelor's Degree+ 30.7%

High School Graduation 94.4%

Cities/Places 13

Population 10,773 13th of 53

Median Income $68,038 11% lower than state

Poverty Rate 12.1%

Unemployment 3.8%

How Barnes County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	10,794	10,773	-0.2%
Median household income	$70,230	$68,038	-3.1%
Median home value	$168,100	$173,700	+3.3%

Median Household Income

Barnes

$68,038

$76,657

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Barnes

$173,700

$249,900

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 19.9%

$25K-$50K 17.0%

$50K-$100K 29.9%

$100K+ 33.1%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

6.4%

$10K-$15K

5.6%

$15K-$20K

3.5%

$20K-$25K

4.5%

$25K-$30K

2.5%

$30K-$35K

5.7%

$35K-$40K

0.8%

$40K-$45K

5.7%

$45K-$50K

2.2%

$50K-$60K

6.6%

$60K-$75K

9.8%

$75K-$100K

13.5%

$100K-$125K

9.3%

$125K-$150K

10.3%

$150K-$200K

8.5%

$200K+

5.0%

Employment

3.8% Unemployment Rate State: 2.8%|National: 5.2%

62.1% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 70.8%

Renter 29.2%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.6x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $779/mo 13.7% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

19.7%

18-34

21.0%

35-54

21.8%

55-74

27.0%

75+

10.4%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Very Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 32 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Barnes County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Valley City	6,541	$60,339	16.7%	$162,200
Oriska	231	$123,194	10.4%	$76,800
Litchville	185	$33,281	33.5%	$115,600
Fingal	174	$56,944	6.9%	$56,000
Wimbledon	159	$107,857	8.8%	$153,400
Sanborn	103	$80,875	1.9%	$103,100
Kathryn	77	$80,156	14.3%	$90,900
Dazey	62	$43,000	4.8%	N/A
Nome	49	$72,500	20.4%	N/A
Rogers	26	$76,042	7.7%	$47,500
Leal	23	$70,500	0.0%	N/A
Sibley	20	$46,875	10.0%	$200,000
Pillsbury	10	N/A	50.0%	N/A

Explore North Dakota Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Barnes County is located in North Dakota with a total population of 10,773. It is the 13th most populous county out of 53 in North Dakota. The county encompasses 13 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Barnes County is 43.5 years. This is 21% higher than the state median of 35.9 years. 10.4% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Barnes County is $68,038. This is 11% lower than the state median of $76,657. It is also 16% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 12.1%. This is 12% higher than the state poverty rate of 10.8%. The unemployment rate is 3.8%. This is 37% higher than the state rate of 2.8%. The median home value is $173,700. Housing costs are 30% lower than the state median of $249,900. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.6x, Barnes County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 70.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 13% higher than the state average of 62.8%.

Race & Ethnicity

Barnes County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 89.4% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 2.1%. The Black or African American population (0.2%) is well below the state average of 3.3%. The Hispanic or Latino population (2.1%) is well below the state average of 4.7%.

Education

30.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 6% lower than the state rate of 32.7%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 94.4%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Barnes County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against North Dakota and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Barnes County, North Dakota?

Barnes County has a population of 10,773, making it the 13th most populous county in North Dakota.

What is the median income in Barnes County?

The median household income in Barnes County is $68,038 with a poverty rate of 12.1%.

How many cities are in Barnes County, North Dakota?

Barnes County contains 13 Census-designated places.