Wells County, North Dakota Demographics 2026

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

Wells County, North Dakota has a population of 3,890, the 28th most populous county in North Dakota. The median household income is $66,114 and the median home value is $114,500. The poverty rate is 9.1%.

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

Wells County Quick Facts

Population 3,890

Median Household Income $66,114

Median Home Value $114,500

Poverty Rate 9.1%

Unemployment Rate 2.0%

Median Age 46.3 years

Homeownership Rate 77.1%

Affordability Ratio 1.7x

Bachelor's Degree+ 21.7%

High School Graduation 92.3%

Cities/Places 8

Population 3,890 28th of 53

Median Income $66,114 14% lower than state

Poverty Rate 9.1%

Unemployment 2.0%

How Wells 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	3,942	3,890	-1.3%
Median household income	$61,346	$66,114	+7.8%
Median home value	$106,400	$114,500	+7.6%

Median Household Income

Wells

$66,114

$76,657

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Wells

$114,500

$249,900

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 19.4%

$25K-$50K 22.1%

$50K-$100K 28.5%

$100K+ 29.9%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

2.9%

$10K-$15K

4.0%

$15K-$20K

4.9%

$20K-$25K

7.7%

$25K-$30K

6.2%

$30K-$35K

5.1%

$35K-$40K

4.4%

$40K-$45K

4.3%

$45K-$50K

2.1%

$50K-$60K

5.0%

$60K-$75K

9.8%

$75K-$100K

13.7%

$100K-$125K

7.5%

$125K-$150K

8.5%

$150K-$200K

4.2%

$200K+

9.7%

Employment

2.0% Unemployment Rate State: 2.8%|National: 5.2%

59.6% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 77.1%

Renter 22.9%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

1.7x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $648/mo 11.8% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

23.4%

18-34

16.9%

35-54

17.8%

55-74

28.8%

75+

13.2%

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 Wells County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Harvey	1,679	$42,697	12.0%	$118,500
Fessenden	433	$65,962	21.3%	$70,900
Sykeston	114	$37,422	8.8%	$66,700
Bowdon	90	N/A	2.2%	$72,900
Heimdal	40	$163,000	7.5%	$44,000
Hurdsfield	35	$110,250	0.0%	N/A
Cathay	17	N/A	18.8%	N/A
Hamberg	3	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

Wells County is located in North Dakota with a total population of 3,890. It is the 28th most populous county out of 53 in North Dakota. The county encompasses 8 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Wells County is 46.3 years. This is 29% higher than the state median of 35.9 years. 13.2% 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 Wells County is $66,114. This is 14% lower than the state median of $76,657. It is also 18% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 9.1%. This is 16% lower than the state poverty rate of 10.8%. The unemployment rate is 2.0%. This is 28% lower than the state rate of 2.8%. The median home value is $114,500. Housing costs are 54% lower than the state median of $249,900. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.7x, Wells County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 77.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 23% higher than the state average of 62.8%.

Race & Ethnicity

Wells County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 95.1% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 0.6%. The Hispanic or Latino population (0.6%) is well below the state average of 4.7%. The Asian population (0.2%) is well below the state average of 1.6%.

Education

21.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 34% 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 Wells 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 Wells County, North Dakota?

Wells County has a population of 3,890, making it the 28th most populous county in North Dakota.

What is the median income in Wells County?

The median household income in Wells County is $66,114 with a poverty rate of 9.1%.

How many cities are in Wells County, North Dakota?

Wells County contains 8 Census-designated places.