Mountrail County, North Dakota

County in North Dakota, United States

"Mountrail" redirects here. For the US Navy ship, see USS Mountrail (APA-213).

County in North Dakota

Mountrail County

County

Mountrail County Courthouse in Stanley

Location within the U.S. state of North Dakota

North Dakota's location within the U.S.

Coordinates: 48°12′35″N 102°21′55″W﻿ / ﻿48.20972°N 102.36528°W﻿ / 48.20972; -102.36528
Country|  United States
State|  North Dakota
Founded| January 4, 1873 (created)
November 8, 1892 (eliminated)
January 16, 1909 (re-created)
January 29, 1909 (organized)
Seat| Stanley
Largest city| New Town
Area

• Total

| 1,941.419 sq mi (5,028.25 km2)
• Land| 1,825.163 sq mi (4,727.15 km2)
• Water| 116.256 sq mi (301.10 km2)  5.99%
Population

(2020)

• Total

| 9,809

• Estimate

(2024)

| 9,474
• Density| 5.190/sq mi (2.004/km2)
Time zone| UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)| UTC−5 (CDT)
Area code| 701
Congressional district| At-large
Website| co.mountrail.nd.us

Mountrail County is a county in the northwestern part of North Dakota, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 9,809,[1] and was estimated to be 9,474 in 2024.[2] The county seat is Stanley and the largest city is New Town.[3]

The county was originally created in 1873, then removed in 1892, and annexed by Ward County. It was re-created and organized in 1909.[4][5]

The county is home to the headquarters of the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara people, and a large part of the county belongs to the tribe's Fort Berthold reservation.[6][7]

## History

[edit]

The Dakota Territory legislature created the county (as Mountraille County) on January 4, 1873, with an area annexed from Buffalo County. The origin of its name came from Joseph Mountraille, a locally famed Metis voyageur and mail carrier from Pembina under Norman Kittson's employment.[8] The county was not organized at that time, nor was it attached to another county for administrative or judicial purposes. The new county lost territory in 1885 when a portion was annexed off to create Garfield County (now extinct). This situation continued until February 21, 1891, when Mountrail County was attached to Ward County for "judicial and other purposes." The following year (November 8, 1892), the North Dakota legislature voted to dissolve the county and have its territory absorbed by Ward County.

An election held in Ward County on November 3, 1908, authorized the re-creation of Mountrail County, although with different boundaries than the previous county proposal. The countywide vote totals were 4207 to 4024, but the result was contested in court. On January 16, 1909, the state Supreme Court upheld the vote,[9] so the county government was organized on January 29 of that year.[4]

Oil production from the Bakken formation in the early 21st century attracted workers and reversed decades of population decline in the county. From 2010 to 2015, especially, population markedly increased, creating its own strains.

Outline map of Mountrail County, North Dakota, 1917

## Geography

[edit]

The Missouri River flows southeastward along the SW boundary line of Mountrail County, and Shell Creek drains the lower central part of the county into the Missouri, discharging at Shell Creek Bay. The terrain consists of rolling hills, largely devoted to agriculture. Its NE portion is dotted with ponds and lakes.[10] The Laurentian Divide runs east–west through the central part of the county, with the northern areas sloping to the north and the southern areas sloping to the south. Its highest point is on the upper west boundary line, at 2,480 ft (760 m) ASL.[11]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,941.419 square miles (5,028.25 km2), of which 1,825.163 square miles (4,727.15 km2) is land and 116.256 square miles (301.10 km2) (5.99%) is water.[12] It is the 9th largest county in North Dakota by total area.[13]

Mountrail County is one of several western North Dakota counties with significant exposure to the Bakken Formation in the Williston Basin.

### Major highways

[edit]

* U.S. Highway 2
* North Dakota Highway 8
* North Dakota Highway 23
* North Dakota Highway 37
* North Dakota Highway 1804

### Transit

[edit]

* Amtrak Empire Builder (Stanley station)

### Adjacent counties

[edit]

* Burke County \- north
* Ward County \- east
* McLean County \- southeast
* Dunn County \- south
* McKenzie County \- southwest
* Williams County \- west

### Protected areas

[edit]

Source:[10]

* Crow Flies High Butte
* Lostwood National Wildlife Refuge (part)
* Palermo State Game Management Area
* Reunion Point Public Use Area
* Shell Lake National Wildlife Refuge
* Van Hook State Game Management Area
* Van Hook State Wildlife Management Area

### Lakes

[edit]

Source:[10]

* Cottonwood Lake
* Lake Sakakawea
* Powers Lake (part)
* Rat Lake
* Robinson Lake
* Shell Lake
* Van Hook Arm
* White Lake

## Demographics

[edit]

Historical population Census| Pop.| Note| %±

|
|
|

1910| 8,491| | —
1920| 12,140| | 43.0%
1930| 13,544| | 11.6%
1940| 10,482| | −22.6%
1950| 9,418| | −10.2%
1960| 10,077| | 7.0%
1970| 8,437| | −16.3%
1980| 7,679| | −9.0%
1990| 7,021| | −8.6%
2000| 6,631| | −5.6%
2010| 7,673| | 15.7%
2020| 9,809| | 27.8%
2024 (est.)| 9,474| [14]| −3.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[15]
1790–1960[16] 1900–1990[17]
1990–2000[18] 2010–2020[2]

As of the fourth quarter of 2024, the median home value in Mountrail County was $235,433.[19]

As of the 2023 American Community Survey, there are 3,839 estimated households in Mountrail County with an average of 2.46 persons per household. The county has a median household income of $81,292. Approximately 11.6% of the county's population lives at or below the poverty line. Mountrail County has an estimated 63.3% employment rate, with 22.4% of the population holding a bachelor's degree or higher and 88.6% 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 (88.5%), Spanish (6.5.%), Indo-European (1.0%), Asian and Pacific Islander (0.4%), and Other (3.6%).

The median age in the county was 35.1 years.

Mountrail 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[20] | Pop. 1990[21] | Pop. 2000[22] | Pop. 2010[23] | Pop. 2020[24]

|
|
|
|
|

White alone (NH)  | 6,724
(87.56%) | 5,591
(79.63%) | 4,358
(65.72%) | 4,931
(64.26%) | 5,539
(56.47%)
Black or African American alone (NH)  | 1
(0.01%) | 4
(0.06%) | 6
(0.09%) | 16
(0.21%) | 113
(1.15%)
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)  | 917
(11.94%) | 1,387
(19.76%) | 1,935
(29.18%) | 2,240
(29.19%) | 2,737
(27.90%)
Asian alone (NH)  | 15
(0.20%) | 14
(0.20%) | 14
(0.21%) | 15
(0.20%) | 105
(1.07%)
Pacific Islander alone (NH)  | — | — | 3
(0.05%) | 1
(0.01%) | 3
(0.03%)
Other race alone (NH)  | 3
(0.04%) | 0
(0.00%) | 1
(0.02%) | 6
(0.08%) | 34
(0.35%)
Mixed race or multiracial (NH)  | — | — | 227
(3.42%) | 178
(2.32%) | 510
(5.20%)
Hispanic or Latino (any race)  | 19
(0.25%) | 25
(0.36%) | 87
(1.31%) | 286
(3.73%) | 768
(7.83%)
Total | 7,679
(100.00%) | 7,021
(100.00%) | 6,631
(100.00%) | 7,673
(100.00%) | 9,809
(100.00%)

### 2024 estimate

[edit]

As of the 2024 estimate, there were 9,474 people and 3,839 households residing in the county. There were 5,176 housing units at an average density of 2.84 per square mile (1.1/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 62.9% White (57.5% NH White), 2.0% African American, 30.4% Native American, 1.0% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, _% from some other races and 3.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 8.9% of the population.[25]

### 2020 census

[edit]

As of the 2020 census, there were 9,809 people, 3,715 households, and 2,407 families residing in the county.[26] The population density was 5.4 inhabitants per square mile (2.1/km2). There were 5,108 housing units at an average density of 2.80 per square mile (1.1/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 58.17% White, 1.15% African American, 28.95% Native American, 1.07% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.63% from some other races and 8.14% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 7.83% of the population.[27]

### 2010 census

[edit]

As of the 2010 census, there were 7,673 people, 2,793 households, and 1,852 families residing in the county. The population density was 4.2 inhabitants per square mile (1.6/km2). There were 4,117 housing units at an average density of 2.26 per square mile (0.9/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 65.55% White, 0.21% African American, 30.60% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.81% from some other races and 2.55% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 3.73% of the population.

In terms of ancestry, 36.6% were Norwegian, 24.4% were German, 6.6% were Irish, and 0.8% were American.

There were 2,793 households, 31.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.3% were married couples living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 33.7% were non-families, and 28.3% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.11. The median age was 37.0 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $53,912 and the median income for a family was $63,238. Males had a median income of $43,386 versus $29,432 for females. The per capita income for the county was $25,762. About 13.5% of families and 16.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.2% of those under age 18 and 14.2% of those age 65 or over.

### Population by decade

[edit]

## Communities

[edit]

### Cities

[edit]

* New Town
* Palermo
* Parshall
* Plaza
* Ross
* Stanley (county seat)
* White Earth

### Unincorporated communities

[edit]

Source:[10]

* Belden
* Blaisdell
* Coulee
* Lostwood
* Lunds Valley
* Prairie Junction
* Sanish
* Tagus
* Van Hook
* Wabek Wabek Consolidated School

## Government

[edit]

Aspects of county government are subdivided into townships.

### Townships

[edit]

* Alger
* Austin
* Banner
* Bicker
* Big Bend
* Brookbank
* Burke
* Clearwater
* Cottonwood
* Crane Creek
* Crowfoot
* Debing
* Egan
* Fertile
* Howie
* Idaho
* James Hill
* Kickapoo
* Knife River
* Liberty
* Lostwood
* Lowland
* Manitou
* McAlmond
* McGahan
* Model
* Mountrail
* Myrtle
* Oakland
* Osborn
* Osloe
* Palermo
* Parshall
* Plaza
* Powers
* Powers Lake
* Purcell
* Rat Lake
* Redmond
* Ross
* Shell
* Sidonia
* Sikes
* Sorkness
* Spring Coulee
* Stave
* Van Hook
* Wayzetta
* White Earth

## Politics

[edit]

Mountrail County was historically a swing county but now leans strongly Republican. Bill Clinton won both of his terms, and Barack Obama carried this country in the 2008 election. However, he wasn't able to carry this county in 2012, falling to Republican Mitt Romney by over 16%. Kamala Harris received the smallest vote by a Democratic candidate (27.6%) since Progressive Party candidate Robert La Follette received an overwhelming vote in 1924.

United States presidential election results for Mountrail County, North Dakota[28][29] Year  | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies)

|
|
|

No. | % | No. | % | No. | %
2024 | 2,877  | 70.64% | 1,125  | 27.62%  | 71  | 1.74%
2020 | 2,824  | 67.80% | 1,256  | 30.16%  | 85  | 2.04%
2016 | 2,582  | 62.88% | 1,220  | 29.71%  | 304  | 7.40%
2012 | 1,962  | 56.75% | 1,403  | 40.58%  | 92  | 2.66%
2008 | 1,406  | 47.86%  | 1,477  | 50.27% | 55  | 1.87%
2004 | 1,527  | 50.40% | 1,465  | 48.35%  | 38  | 1.25%
2000 | 1,466  | 50.62% | 1,256  | 43.37%  | 174  | 6.01%
1996 | 965  | 36.90%  | 1,277  | 48.83% | 373  | 14.26%
1992 | 1,017  | 30.92%  | 1,393  | 42.35% | 879  | 26.73%
1988 | 1,443  | 41.73%  | 1,977  | 57.17% | 38  | 1.10%
1984 | 1,959  | 55.11% | 1,565  | 44.02%  | 31  | 0.87%
1980 | 2,165  | 60.36% | 1,183  | 32.98%  | 239  | 6.66%
1976 | 1,430  | 38.57%  | 2,189  | 59.03% | 89  | 2.40%
1972 | 2,038  | 58.30% | 1,391  | 39.79%  | 67  | 1.92%
1968 | 1,494  | 44.33%  | 1,662  | 49.32% | 214  | 6.35%
1964 | 1,131  | 30.71%  | 2,548  | 69.18% | 4  | 0.11%
1960 | 1,894  | 45.50%  | 2,264  | 54.38% | 5  | 0.12%
1956 | 1,699  | 47.23%  | 1,891  | 52.57% | 7  | 0.19%
1952 | 2,516  | 62.93% | 1,437  | 35.94%  | 45  | 1.13%
1948 | 1,395  | 42.22%  | 1,521  | 46.04% | 388  | 11.74%
1944 | 1,666  | 45.11%  | 1,981  | 53.64% | 46  | 1.25%
1940 | 1,981  | 44.67%  | 2,392  | 53.93% | 62  | 1.40%
1936 | 700  | 14.68%  | 2,775  | 58.19% | 1,294  | 27.13%
1932 | 986  | 22.17%  | 3,284  | 73.83% | 178  | 4.00%
1928 | 2,354  | 52.30% | 2,003  | 44.50%  | 144  | 3.20%
1924 | 1,354  | 36.19%  | 130  | 3.48%  | 2,257  | 60.33%
1920 | 2,960  | 72.73% | 687  | 16.88%  | 423  | 10.39%
1916 | 740  | 32.64%  | 1,262  | 55.67% | 265  | 11.69%
1912 | 407  | 28.05% | 307  | 21.16%  | 737  | 50.79%

## Education

[edit]

School districts include:[30]

* Kenmare Public School District 28 in Kenmare
* Lewis and Clark Public School District 161 in Berthold
* New Town Public School District 1 in New Town
* Parshall Public School District 3 in Parshall
* Powers Lake Public School District 27 in Powers Lake
* Stanley Public School District 2 in Stanley
* Tioga Public School District 15 in Tioga

## See also

[edit]

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

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Explore Census Data". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
2. ^ a b c "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Mountrail County, North Dakota". www.census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
3. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
4. ^ a b "Dakota Territory, South Dakota, and North Dakota: Individual County Chronologies". publications.newberry.org. The Newberry Library. 2006. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
5. ^ "County History". www.nd.gov. State of North Dakota. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
6. ^ "Our Tribe". MHA Nation. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
7. ^ "Mountrail County, ND". www.nd-direct.com. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
8. ^ Lounsberry, Clement A. (Clement Augustus) (1919). Early history of North Dakota: essential outlines of American history. Washington, D. C.: Liberty Press. p. 237. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
9. ^ State ex rel. McCue v. Blaisdell, 119 N.W. 360 (N.D. 1909).
10. ^ a b c d "Mountrail County, North Dakota". Google Maps. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
11. ^ ""Find an Altitude/Mountrail County ND" Google Maps (accessed February 25, 2019)". Archived from the original on May 21, 2019. Retrieved February 25, 2019.
12. ^ "2024 County Gazetteer Files – North Dakota". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
13. ^ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Mountrail County, North Dakota". www.census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
14. ^ "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024". Retrieved June 4, 2025.
15. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
16. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. 2007. Archived from the original on December 12, 2009. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
17. ^ 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.
18. ^ "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.
19. ^ "County Median Home Price". National Association of Realtors. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
20. ^ "Mountrail County, North Dakota — Population by Race". CensusScope. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
21. ^ "1990 Census of Population: General Population Characteristics North Dakota" (PDF). www.census.gov. October 6, 2022. p. 20. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
22. ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Mountrail County, North Dakota". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
23. ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Mountrail County, North Dakota". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
24. ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Mountrail County, North Dakota". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
25. ^ "County Population by Characteristics: 2020-2023". www.census.gov. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
26. ^ "US Census Bureau, Table P16: Household Type". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
27. ^ "How many people live in Mountrail County, North Dakota". USA Today. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
28. ^ Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved December 23, 2020.
29. ^ The leading "other" candidate, Socialist Eugene Debs received 372 votes, Progressive Theodore Roosevelt, received 347 votes, while Prohibition candidate Eugene Chafin received 18 votes.
30. ^ "2020 Census - School District Reference Map: Mountrail County, ND" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 30, 2024. \- Text list

## External links

[edit]

* Mountrail County – official website
* Mountrail County maps, Sheet 1 (northern) and Sheet 2 (southern), North Dakota DOT

Places adjacent to Mountrail County, North Dakota

|  | Burke County |

|
|

|  |
Williams County |

Mountrail County, North Dakota

| Ward County
|  |
McKenzie County | Dunn County | McLean County

* v
* t
* e

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

County seat: Stanley

Cities|

* New Town
* Palermo
* Parshall
* Plaza
* Ross
* Stanley
* White Earth

Map of North Dakota highlighting Mountrail County

Townships|

* Alger
* Austin
* Banner
* Bicker
* Big Bend
* Brookbank
* Burke
* Clearwater
* Cottonwood
* Crane Creek
* Crowfoot
* Debing
* Egan
* Fertile
* Howie
* Idaho
* James Hill
* Kickapoo
* Knife River
* Liberty
* Lostwood
* Lowland
* Manitou
* McAlmond
* McGahan
* Model
* Mountrail
* Myrtle
* Oakland
* Osborn
* Osloe
* Palermo
* Parshall
* Plaza
* Powers
* Powers Lake
* Purcell
* Rat Lake
* Redmond
* Ross
* Shell
* Sidonia
* Sikes
* Sorkness
* Spring Coulee
* Stave
* Van Hook
* Wayzetta
* White Earth

Unorganized territories|

* Southwest Mountrail
* West Mountrail

Unincorporated
communities|

* Belden
* Coulee
* Manitou
* Sanish
* Tagus
* Van Hook
* Wabek

Indian reservation|

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

Footnotes|

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

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* t
* e

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