Ransom County, North Dakota Demographics 2026

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

Ransom County, North Dakota has a population of 5,643, the 22nd most populous county in North Dakota. The median household income is $75,736 and the median home value is $193,000. The poverty rate is 10.4%.

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

Ransom County Quick Facts

Population 5,643

Median Household Income $75,736

Median Home Value $193,000

Poverty Rate 10.4%

Unemployment Rate 2.9%

Median Age 43.1 years

Homeownership Rate 74.7%

Affordability Ratio 2.5x

Bachelor's Degree+ 22.9%

High School Graduation 92.3%

Cities/Places 6

Population 5,643 22nd of 53

Median Income $75,736 1% lower than state

Poverty Rate 10.4%

Unemployment 2.9%

How Ransom 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	5,662	5,643	-0.3%
Median household income	$74,521	$75,736	+1.6%
Median home value	$174,800	$193,000	+10.4%

Median Household Income

Ransom

$75,736

$76,657

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Ransom

$193,000

$249,900

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 14.5%

$25K-$50K 15.9%

$50K-$100K 33.3%

$100K+ 36.3%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

4.6%

$10K-$15K

2.4%

$15K-$20K

4.3%

$20K-$25K

3.2%

$25K-$30K

2.5%

$30K-$35K

2.4%

$35K-$40K

4.4%

$40K-$45K

2.1%

$45K-$50K

4.5%

$50K-$60K

5.9%

$60K-$75K

12.8%

$75K-$100K

14.6%

$100K-$125K

8.8%

$125K-$150K

13.3%

$150K-$200K

9.3%

$200K+

5.0%

Employment

2.9% Unemployment Rate State: 2.8%|National: 5.2%

62.0% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 74.7%

Renter 25.3%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.5x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $691/mo 10.9% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

21.6%

18-34

18.6%

35-54

23.5%

55-74

26.1%

75+

10.3%

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 Ransom County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Lisbon	2,259	$64,327	15.4%	$192,100
McLeod	129	$71,406	58.1%	$95,600
Fort Ransom	106	$71,250	7.5%	$216,700
Sheldon	89	$54,167	1.1%	$57,500
Elliott	33	$66,250	9.1%	$73,800
Englevale	11	N/A	0.0%	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

Ransom County is located in North Dakota with a total population of 5,643. It is the 22nd most populous county out of 53 in North Dakota. The county encompasses 6 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Ransom County is 43.1 years. This is 20% higher than the state median of 35.9 years. 10.3% 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 Ransom County is $75,736. This is 1% lower than the state median of $76,657. It is also 6% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 10.4%. This is 4% lower than the state poverty rate of 10.8%. The unemployment rate is 2.9%. This is 4% higher than the state rate of 2.8%. The median home value is $193,000. Housing costs are 23% lower than the state median of $249,900. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.5x, Ransom County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 74.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 19% higher than the state average of 62.8%.

Race & Ethnicity

Ransom County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 91.8% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 2.8%. The Black or African American population (1.1%) is well below the state average of 3.3%. The Asian population (0.7%) is well below the state average of 1.6%.

Education

22.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 30% 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 92.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Ransom 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 Ransom County, North Dakota?

Ransom County has a population of 5,643, making it the 22nd most populous county in North Dakota.

What is the median income in Ransom County?

The median household income in Ransom County is $75,736 with a poverty rate of 10.4%.

How many cities are in Ransom County, North Dakota?

Ransom County contains 6 Census-designated places.