Golden Valley, North Dakota Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 258, Golden Valley's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Golden Valley is a small community located in North Dakota, within Mercer County. The total population is 258. It ranks as the 154th most populous out of 402 Census-designated places in North Dakota.

Age Demographics

The median age in Golden Valley is 38.8 years. This is 8% higher than the state median of 35.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Golden Valley is $80,625. This is 5% higher than the state median of $76,657. It is also about the same as the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 5.0%. This is 53% lower than the state poverty rate of 10.8%. The unemployment rate is 1.7%. This is 39% lower than the state rate of 2.8%. The median home value is $146,900. Housing costs are 41% lower than the state median of $249,900. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.8x, Golden Valley is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 74.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 18% higher than the state average of 62.8%.

Race & Ethnicity

Every resident counted in Golden Valley was recorded as White (non-Hispanic). A figure of exactly 100.0% reflects a survey sample too small to capture the community's full composition rather than a precise measurement.

Education

33.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 2% higher than the state rate of 32.7%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. No surveyed resident aged 25 or older reported leaving school before earning a high school diploma, though a rate of exactly 100% reflects the limits of a small sample.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Golden Valley, North Dakota is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against North Dakota state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 402 Census-designated places in North Dakota. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.