Rolette County, North Dakota Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Rolette County is located in North Dakota with a total population of 11,924. It is the 11th most populous county out of 53 in North Dakota. The county encompasses 9 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Rolette County is 32.5 years. This is 9% lower than the state median of 35.9 years. With 32.2% of the population under 18, Rolette County has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Rolette County is $59,517. This is 22% lower than the state median of $76,657. It is also 26% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 24.3%. This is 125% higher than the state poverty rate of 10.8%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 4.0%. This is 45% higher than the state rate of 2.8%. The median home value is $103,800. Housing costs are 58% lower than the state median of $249,900. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.7x, Rolette County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 62.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied.

Race & Ethnicity

Rolette County is a highly diverse community where no single racial or ethnic group constitutes a majority of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 1.3%. The White (non-Hispanic) population (18.2%) is well below the state average of 81.7%. The Black or African American population (0.1%) is well below the state average of 3.3%. The Hispanic or Latino population (1.3%) is well below the state average of 4.7%. The Asian population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 1.6%.

Education

18.0% 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 45% 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 84.5%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Rolette 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.