McLean County, North Dakota

County in North Dakota, United States

County in North Dakota

McLean County

County

Historic McLean County Courthouse, now Historical Museum.

Location within the U.S. state of North Dakota

North Dakota's location within the U.S.

Coordinates: 47°39′12″N 101°25′19″W﻿ / ﻿47.653206°N 101.421914°W﻿ / 47.653206; -101.421914
Country|  United States
State|  North Dakota
Founded| March 8, 1883 (created)
November 1, 1883 (organized)
Named after| John A. McLean
Seat| Washburn
Largest city| Garrison
Area

• Total

| 2,327.961 sq mi (6,029.39 km2)
• Land| 2,110.272 sq mi (5,465.58 km2)
• Water| 217.689 sq mi (563.81 km2)  9.35%
Population

(2020)

• Total

| 9,771

• Estimate

(2024)

| 9,845
• Density| 4.665/sq mi (1.801/km2)
Time zone| UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)| UTC−5 (CDT)
Area code| 701
Congressional district| At-large
Website| mcleancountynd.gov

McLean County (/məˈkleɪn/ mə-KLAYN) is a county in the U.S. state of North Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 9,771,[1] and was estimated to be 9,845 in 2024.[2] The county seat is Washburn and the largest city is Garrison.[3]

## History

[edit]

The Dakota Territory legislature created the county on March 8, 1883, with areas partitioned from Burleigh, Sheridan, and (now-extinct) Stevens counties. The county was named for John A. McLean, the first mayor of Bismarck.[4] The county organization was completed on November 1 of that year. Its boundaries were altered in 1885, in 1892, and in 1908. It has retained its current configuration since November 3, 1908, when a portion of its previous territory was partitioned to recreate Sheridan County (Sheridan had been dissolved on November 8, 1892, with its territory annexed to McLean).[5]

## Geography

[edit]

The county's western boundary is delineated by Lake Sakakawea, created in 1956 by construction of Garrison Dam at the county's southwestern edge. The southwestern boundary of the county is delineated by the Missouri River as it continues its southeastward flow from the lake. The county terrain consists of rolling hills, dotted with lakes and ponds in its eastern portion. The area is largely devoted to agriculture.[6] The terrain slopes to the south and east, with its highest point on the north boundary line near its NW corner, at 2,201 ft (671 m) ASL.[7]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,327.961 square miles (6,029.39 km2), of which 2,110.272 square miles (5,465.58 km2) is land and 217.689 square miles (563.81 km2) (9.35%) is water.[8] It is the third-largest county in North Dakota by total area.[9]

### Major highways

[edit]

* U.S. Highway 83
* North Dakota Highway 28
* North Dakota Highway 37
* North Dakota Highway 41
* North Dakota Highway 48
* North Dakota Highway 53
* North Dakota Highway 200
* North Dakota Highway 200A
* North Dakota Highway 1804

### Adjacent counties

[edit]

* Ward County \- north
* McHenry County \- northeast
* Sheridan County \- east
* Burleigh County \- southeast
* Oliver County \- south
* Mercer County \- southwest
* Dunn County \- west
* Mountrail County \- northwest

### Protected areas

[edit]

Source:[6]

* Audubon National Wildlife Refuge
* Camp Lake National Wildlife Refuge
* De Trobriand State Game Management Area
* Douglas Creek Public Use Area
* Hiddenwood National Wildlife Refuge
* Lake Nettie National Wildlife Refuge
* Lake Otis National Wildlife Refuge
* Lake Susie National Wildlife Refuge
* Lost Lake National Wildlife Refuge
* McLean National Wildlife Refuge
* Riverdale State Game Management Area
* Totten Trail Park
* Wilton Mine State Game Management Area (part)

### Lakes

[edit]

Source:[6]

* Blackwater Lake
* Blue Lake
* Brumwell Slough
* Camp Lake
* Cherry Lake (part)
* Cottonwood Lake
* Crooked Lake
* Lake Audubon
* Lake Brekken
* Lake Holmes
* Lake Margaret
* Lake Nettie
* Lake Ordway
* Lake Williams
* Lost Lake
* Minehan Slough
* Nelson Lake
* Otis Lake
* Painted Woods Lake
* Pelican Lake
* Peterson Lake
* Postel Lake (part)
* Strawberry Lake
* Turtle Lake
* Wildwood Lake
* Yanktonal Lake

## Demographics

[edit]

Historical population Census| Pop.| Note| %±

|
|
|

1890| 860| | —
1900| 4,791| | 457.1%
1910| 14,496| | 202.6%
1920| 17,266| | 19.1%
1930| 17,991| | 4.2%
1940| 16,082| | −10.6%
1950| 18,824| | 17.1%
1960| 14,030| | −25.5%
1970| 11,251| | −19.8%
1980| 12,383| | 10.1%
1990| 10,457| | −15.6%
2000| 9,311| | −11.0%
2010| 8,962| | −3.7%
2020| 9,771| | 9.0%
2024 (est.)| 9,845| [10]| 0.8%
U.S. Decennial Census[11]
1790–1960[12] 1900–1990[13]
1990–2000[14] 2010–2020[2]

As of the fourth quarter of 2024, the median home value in McLean County was $246,982.[15]

As of the 2023 American Community Survey, there are 4,261 estimated households in McLean County with an average of 2.26 persons per household. The county has a median household income of $81,847. Approximately 9.9% of the county's population lives at or below the poverty line. McLean County has an estimated 58.8% employment rate, with 23.9% of the population holding a bachelor's degree or higher and 93.6% holding a high school diploma.[2]

The top five reported ancestries (people were allowed to report up to two ancestries, thus the figures will generally add to more than 100%) were English (97.3%), Spanish (0.9%), Indo-European (1.0%), Asian and Pacific Islander (0.3%), and Other (0.4%).

The median age in the county was 47.4 years.

McLean County, North Dakota – racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.

Race / ethnicity (NH = non-Hispanic) | Pop. 1980[16] | Pop. 1990[17] | Pop. 2000[18] | Pop. 2010[19] | Pop. 2020[20]

|
|
|
|
|

White alone (NH)  | 11,741
(94.82%) | 9,857
(94.26%) | 8,592
(92.28%) | 8,115
(90.55%) | 8,372
(85.68%)
Black or African American alone (NH)  | 2
(0.02%) | 3
(0.03%) | 2
(0.02%) | 6
(0.07%) | 32
(0.33%)
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)  | 548
(4.43%) | 549
(5.25%) | 508
(5.46%) | 585
(6.53%) | 766
(7.84%)
Asian alone (NH)  | 13
(0.10%) | 9
(0.09%) | 11
(0.12%) | 12
(0.13%) | 48
(0.49%)
Pacific Islander alone (NH)  | — | — | 1
(0.01%) | 2
(0.02%) | 7
(0.07%)
Other race alone (NH)  | 14
(0.11%) | 1
(0.01%) | 10
(0.11%) | 3
(0.03%) | 17
(0.17%)
Mixed race or multiracial (NH)  | — | — | 106
(1.14%) | 128
(1.43%) | 381
(3.90%)
Hispanic or Latino (any race)  | 65
(0.52%) | 38
(0.36%) | 81
(0.87%) | 111
(1.24%) | 148
(1.51%)
Total | 12,383
(100.00%) | 10,457
(100.00%) | 9,311
(100.00%) | 8,962
(100.00%) | 9,771
(100.00%)

### 2024 estimate

[edit]

As of the 2024 estimate, there were 9,845 people and 4,261 households residing in the county. There were 5,862 housing units at an average density of 2.78 per square mile (1.1/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 89.3% White (88.3% NH White), 0.6% African American, 7.4% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, _% from some other races and 2.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 2.3% of the population.[21]

### 2020 census

[edit]

As of the 2020 census, there were 9,771 people, 4,129 households, and 2,712 families residing in the county.[22] The population density was 4.63 inhabitants per square mile (1.8/km2). There were 5,728 housing units at an average density of 2.71 per square mile (1.0/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 86.02% White, 0.33% African American, 8.27% Native American, 0.49% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 0.37% from some other races and 4.45% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 1.51% of the population.[23]

### 2010 census

[edit]

As of the 2010 census, there were 8,962 people, 3,897 households, and 2,600 families residing in the county. The population density was 4.25 inhabitants per square mile (1.6/km2). There were 5,590 housing units at an average density of 2.65 per square mile (1.0/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 91.03% White, 0.09% African American, 6.97% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.21% from some other races and 1.54% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 1.24% of the population.

In terms of ancestry, 54.4% were German, 24.6% were Norwegian, 6.5% were Irish, 5.6% were Swedish, 5.1% were English, and 3.6% were American.

Of the 3,897 households, 23.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.8% were married couples living together, 5.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 33.3% were non-families, and 29.0% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.75. The median age was 49.1 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $52,922 and the median income for a family was $62,686. Males had a median income of $48,906 versus $29,431 for females. The per capita income for the county was $27,029. About 6.5% of families and 9.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.5% of those under age 18 and 13.3% of those age 65 or over.

### Population by decade

[edit]

## Communities

[edit]

### Cities

[edit]

* Benedict
* Butte
* Coleharbor
* Garrison
* Max
* Mercer
* Riverdale
* Ruso
* Turtle Lake
* Underwood
* Washburn (county seat)
* Wilton (partly in Burleigh County)

### Census-designated place

[edit]

* White Shield

### Unincorporated communities

[edit]

Source:[6]

* Falkirk
* Merida
* Raub
* Roseglen

### Townships

[edit]

* Amundsville
* Andrews
* Aurena
* Blackwater
* Blue Hill
* Butte
* Byersville
* Cremerville
* Deepwater
* Dogden
* Douglas
* Gate
* Greatstone
* Horseshoe Valley
* Lake Williams
* Longfellow
* Loquemont
* Malcolm
* McGinnis
* Medicine Hill
* Mercer
* Otis
* Roseglen
* Rosemont
* Saint Mary
* Snow
* Turtle Lake
* Victoria
* Wise

### Communities flooded by Garrison Dam

[edit]

* Beaver Creek
* Charging Eagle
* Elbowoods
* Independence
* Lucky Mound
* Nishu
* Red Butte (Mandan community)
* Shell Creek

## Politics

[edit]

McLean County voters have voted Republican for decades. In only one national election since 1964 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate (as of 2024).

United States presidential election results for McLean County, North Dakota[24][25] Year  | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies)

|
|
|

No.  | % | No.  | % | No.  | %
2024 | 4,231  | 78.05% | 1,093  | 20.16%  | 97  | 1.79%
2020 | 4,198  | 75.83% | 1,230  | 22.22%  | 108  | 1.95%
2016 | 3,860  | 72.62% | 1,081  | 20.34%  | 374  | 7.04%
2012 | 3,141  | 63.61% | 1,670  | 33.82%  | 127  | 2.57%
2008 | 2,767  | 58.42% | 1,867  | 39.42%  | 102  | 2.15%
2004 | 3,014  | 63.45% | 1,664  | 35.03%  | 72  | 1.52%
2000 | 2,891  | 62.23% | 1,465  | 31.53%  | 290  | 6.24%
1996 | 1,988  | 45.39% | 1,759  | 40.16%  | 633  | 14.45%
1992 | 2,124  | 40.05% | 1,808  | 34.09%  | 1,371  | 25.85%
1988 | 2,906  | 53.85% | 2,428  | 45.00%  | 62  | 1.15%
1984 | 3,673  | 62.82% | 2,062  | 35.27%  | 112  | 1.92%
1980 | 4,234  | 67.79% | 1,613  | 25.82%  | 399  | 6.39%
1976 | 2,729  | 48.17%  | 2,815  | 49.69% | 121  | 2.14%
1972 | 3,575  | 66.23% | 1,703  | 31.55%  | 120  | 2.22%
1968 | 2,764  | 54.95% | 2,050  | 40.76%  | 216  | 4.29%
1964 | 2,204  | 39.73%  | 3,339  | 60.19% | 4  | 0.07%
1960 | 3,398  | 55.05% | 2,771  | 44.89%  | 4  | 0.06%
1956 | 3,653  | 58.17% | 2,609  | 41.54%  | 18  | 0.29%
1952 | 5,184  | 68.62% | 2,295  | 30.38%  | 76  | 1.01%
1948 | 2,762  | 50.10% | 2,283  | 41.41%  | 468  | 8.49%
1944 | 2,822  | 53.37% | 2,326  | 43.99%  | 140  | 2.65%
1940 | 4,113  | 58.99% | 2,666  | 38.24%  | 193  | 2.77%
1936 | 1,732  | 25.24%  | 4,018  | 58.55% | 1,112  | 16.21%
1932 | 1,369  | 23.92%  | 4,354  | 76.08% | 0  | 0.00%
1928 | 2,730  | 47.51%  | 2,855  | 49.69% | 161  | 2.80%
1924 | 1,651  | 36.02%  | 194  | 4.23%  | 2,738  | 59.74%
1920 | 3,724  | 74.23% | 748  | 14.91%  | 545  | 10.86%
1916 | 1,054  | 41.64%  | 1,210  | 47.81% | 267  | 10.55%
1912 | 505  | 25.63%  | 583  | 29.59% | 882  | 44.77%
1908 | 2,273  | 67.83% | 927  | 27.66%  | 151  | 4.51%
1904 | 1,928  | 88.44% | 219  | 10.05%  | 33  | 1.51%
1900 | 587  | 83.74% | 110  | 15.69%  | 4  | 0.57%

## Education

[edit]

School districts include:[26]

* Drake Public School District 57
* Garrison Public School District 51
* Lewis and Clark Public School District 161
* Max Public School District 50
* Parshall Public School District 3
* Turtle Lake-Mercer Public School District 72
* Underwood Public School District 8
* Velva Public School District 1
* Washburn Public School District 4
* White Shield Public School District 85
* Wilton Public School District 1

Riverdale School District 89 had portions in McLean County and in Mercer County. The Associated Press described the district as "divided equally" between the counties. In 1993 members of the Riverdale School District school board voted to abolish their school district, with the Underwood and Hazen districts to obtain pieces of it.[27]

## See also

[edit]

* National Register of Historic Places listings in McLean County, North Dakota

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Explore Census Data". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
2. ^ a b c "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: McLean County, North Dakota". www.census.gov. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
3. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
4. ^ "County History". www.nd.gov. State of North Dakota. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
5. ^ "Dakota Territory, South Dakota, and North Dakota: Individual County Chronologies". publications.newberry.org. The Newberry Library. 2006. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
6. ^ a b c d "McLean County, North Dakota". Google Maps. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
7. ^ ""Find an Altitude/McLean County ND" Google Maps (accessed February 26, 2019)". Archived from the original on May 21, 2019. Retrieved February 27, 2019.
8. ^ "2024 County Gazetteer Files – North Dakota". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
9. ^ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: McLean County, North Dakota". www.census.gov. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
10. ^ "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024". Retrieved June 29, 2025.
11. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
12. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. 2007. Archived from the original on December 12, 2009. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
13. ^ Forstall, Richard L. (April 20, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 19, 1999. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
14. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
15. ^ "County Median Home Price". National Association of Realtors. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
16. ^ "McLean County, North Dakota — Population by Race". CensusScope. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
17. ^ "1990 Census of Population: General Population Characteristics North Dakota" (PDF). www.census.gov. October 6, 2022. p. 20. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
18. ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – McLean County, North Dakota". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
19. ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – McLean County, North Dakota". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
20. ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – McLean County, North Dakota". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
21. ^ "County Population by Characteristics: 2020-2023". www.census.gov. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
22. ^ "US Census Bureau, Table P16: Household Type". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
23. ^ "How many people live in McLean County, North Dakota". USA Today. Retrieved June 29, 2025.
24. ^ Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 12, 2018.
25. ^ The leading "other" candidate, Progressive Theodore Roosevelt, received 526 votes, while Socialist candidate Eugene Debs received 325 votes, Prohibition candidate Eugene Chafin received 31 votes.
26. ^ 2020 Census - School District Reference Map: McLean County, ND (PDF) (Map). United States Census Bureau. January 15, 2021. Retrieved November 28, 2024. \- Text list
27. ^ "School officials want new line dividing districts". The Forum. Fargo, North Dakota. Associated Press. January 13, 1994. p. A9 – via Newspapers.com.

## Further reading

[edit]

* Mary Ann Barnes Williams, Pioneer Days of Washburn, N. Dakota and Vicinity. Washburn ND: Washburn Leader, 1936.
* McLean County Heritage. Washburn ND: McLean County Historical Society, 1978.

## External links

[edit]

* McLean County – official website
* McLean County maps, Sheet 1 (western), Sheet 2 (northeast), and Sheet 3 (southeast), North Dakota DOT

Places adjacent to McLean County, North Dakota

| Mountrail County | Ward County | McHenry County

|
|

|  |
Dunn County |

McLean County, North Dakota

| Sheridan County
|  |
Mercer County | Oliver County | Burleigh County

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and communities of McLean County, North Dakota, United States

County seat: Washburn

Cities|

* Benedict
* Butte
* Coleharbor
* Garrison
* Max
* Mercer
* Riverdale
* Ruso
* Turtle Lake
* Underwood
* Washburn
* Wilton‡

Map of North Dakota highlighting McLean County

Townships|

* Amundsville
* Andrews
* Aurena
* Blackwater
* Blue Hill
* Butte
* Byersville
* Cremerville
* Deepwater
* Dogden
* Douglas
* Gate
* Greatstone
* Horseshoe Valley
* Lake Williams
* Longfellow
* Loquemont
* Malcolm
* McGinnis
* Medicine Hill
* Mercer
* Otis
* Roseglen
* Rosemont
* Snow
* St. Mary
* Turtle Lake
* Victoria
* Wise

Unorganized
territories|

* East McLean
* Fort Berthold
* North Central McLean
* South McLean
* Underwood
* West McLean

CDP|

* White Shield

Other
communities|

* Emmet
* Roseglen

Indian reservations|

* Fort Berthold Indian Reservation‡
* Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation‡

Ghost town|

* Elbowoods

Footnotes|

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

* North Dakota portal
* United States portal

* v
* t
* e

State of North Dakota

Bismarck (capital)

Topics|

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Society|

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Regions|

* Badlands
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Larger cities
pop. over 5,000|

* Bismarck
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* Jamestown
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* Valley City
* Wahpeton
* Watford City
* West Fargo
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Smaller cities
pop. 1,000–5,000|

* Beach
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* Watford City
* Wishek

Counties|

* Adams
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* Mercer
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* Nelson
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* Rolette
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* Sheridan
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* Stark
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* Traill
* Walsh
* Ward
* Wells
* Williams

North Dakota portal

Authority control databases

International|

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National|

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Other|

* NARA
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