McKenzie County, North Dakota Demographics 2026

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

McKenzie County, North Dakota has a population of 14,321, the 10th most populous county in North Dakota. The median household income is $93,404 and the median home value is $349,600. The poverty rate is 12.0%.

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

McKenzie County Quick Facts

Population 14,321

Median Household Income $93,404

Median Home Value $349,600

Poverty Rate 12.0%

Unemployment Rate 1.3%

Median Age 31.5 years

Homeownership Rate 53.4%

Affordability Ratio 3.7x

Bachelor's Degree+ 19.1%

High School Graduation 89.1%

Cities/Places 6

Population 14,321 10th of 53

Median Income $93,404 22% higher than state

Poverty Rate 12.0%

Unemployment 1.3%

How McKenzie 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	14,280	14,321	+0.3%
Median household income	$88,289	$93,404	+5.8%
Median home value	$357,300	$349,600	-2.2%

Median Household Income

McKenzie

$93,404

$76,657

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

McKenzie

$349,600

$249,900

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 9.0%

$25K-$50K 9.9%

$50K-$100K 32.8%

$100K+ 48.3%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

4.5%

$10K-$15K

0.6%

$15K-$20K

2.1%

$20K-$25K

1.8%

$25K-$30K

3.2%

$30K-$35K

2.2%

$35K-$40K

0.6%

$40K-$45K

1.0%

$45K-$50K

2.8%

$50K-$60K

6.7%

$60K-$75K

9.4%

$75K-$100K

16.7%

$100K-$125K

8.6%

$125K-$150K

10.8%

$150K-$200K

12.1%

$200K+

16.8%

Employment

1.3% Unemployment Rate State: 2.8%|National: 5.2%

69.8% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 53.4%

Renter 46.6%

Affordability Index Affordable

3.7x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $1,284/mo 16.5% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

31.1%

18-34

24.7%

35-54

24.6%

55-74

16.1%

75+

3.5%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Moderate Diversity

Moderate diversity with one or two groups making up the majority.

State average: 32 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in McKenzie County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Watford City	6,039	$102,260	7.8%	$408,500
Mandaree	620	$64,545	56.3%	$170,300
Alexander	255	$121,953	0.4%	$229,200
Arnegard	201	$80,536	13.9%	$323,800
Four Bears Village	154	N/A	33.8%	N/A
East Fairview	137	N/A	37.2%	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

McKenzie County is located in North Dakota with a total population of 14,321. It is the 10th most populous county out of 53 in North Dakota. The county encompasses 6 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in McKenzie County is 31.5 years. This is 12% lower than the state median of 35.9 years. With 31.1% of the population under 18, McKenzie County has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in McKenzie County is $93,404. This is 22% higher than the state median of $76,657. It is also 16% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 12.0%. This is 11% higher than the state poverty rate of 10.8%. The unemployment rate is 1.3%. This is 54% lower than the state rate of 2.8%. The median home value is $349,600. Housing costs are 40% higher than the state median of $249,900. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.7x. 53.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 15% lower than the state average of 62.8%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in McKenzie County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 73.7% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 12.1%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (12.1% vs 4.7%).

Education

19.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 42% 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 89.1%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for McKenzie 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 McKenzie County, North Dakota?

McKenzie County has a population of 14,321, making it the 10th most populous county in North Dakota.

What is the median income in McKenzie County?

The median household income in McKenzie County is $93,404 with a poverty rate of 12.0%.

How many cities are in McKenzie County, North Dakota?

McKenzie County contains 6 Census-designated places.