Ross, North Dakota Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 156, Ross'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

Ross is a small community located in North Dakota, within Mountrail County. The total population is 156. It ranks as the 205th most populous out of 402 Census-designated places in North Dakota.

Age Demographics

The median age in Ross is 15.9 years. This is 56% lower than the state median of 35.9 years. With 51.3% of the population under 18, Ross has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Ross is $83,780. This is 9% higher than the state median of $76,657. It is also 4% higher than the national median of $80,734. The ACS records no residents below the poverty line in Ross. In a community this small the estimate rests on very few survey responses, so it should be read as an absence of measurement rather than a measured absence of poverty. The survey records no unemployed residents in Ross, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $180,000. Housing costs are 28% lower than the state median of $249,900. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.1x, Ross is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 23.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 62% lower than the state average of 62.8%.

Race & Ethnicity

Ross has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 89.1% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 1.3%. The Hispanic or Latino population (1.3%) is well below the state average of 4.7%.

Education

10.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 68% lower 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 Ross, 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.