Richland County, North Dakota
Template:Short description Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox U.S. county
Richland County is a county in the far southeast corner of the U.S. state of North Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 16,529,<ref name="2020 Census (City)">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and was estimated to be 16,658 in 2024.<ref name="QF"/> The county seat and the largest city is Wahpeton.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Richland County is part of the Wahpeton, ND–MN Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Fargo-Wahpeton, ND-MN Combined Statistical Area.
History
The Dakota Territory legislature created the county on January 4, 1873, with area partitioned from Pembina County. It was named for Morgan T. Rich, who settled on the site of the future Wahpeton in 1869. The county organization was completed on November 25 of that same year. Its boundaries were altered in 1883 and 1885. It has maintained its present configuration since 1885.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
In 2022, strong winds known as a derecho, more than 70 mph, produced 34 tornadoes, including one that passed through Richland County near LeMars.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Geography
Richland County lies at the southeastern corner of North Dakota. Its eastern boundary line abuts the western boundary line of the state of Minnesota (across the Red River), and its southern boundary line abuts the northern boundary line of the state of South Dakota. The Red River flows northerly along its eastern boundary line on its way to the Hudson Bay. The Wild Rice River flows easterly and then northerly through the county, discharging into the Red River north of Richland County, in Cass County. The Sheyenne River flows northeasterly through the NW corner of the county, also discharging into the Red in Cass County.
The Richland County terrain is primarily flat, with rolling hills in the southwest and northwest. It is largely devoted to agriculture.<ref name="RCND">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The terrain slopes to the north and east, with its highest point near its SW corner, at Template:Convert ASL.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert (0.67%) is water.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It is the 18th largest county in North Dakota by total area.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Major highways
- File:I-29.svg Interstate 29
- File:US 81.svg US 81
- File:ND-11 (2015).svg North Dakota Highway 11
- File:ND-13 (2015).svg North Dakota Highway 13
- File:ND-18 (2015).svg North Dakota Highway 18
- File:ND-27 (2015).svg North Dakota Highway 27
- File:ND-46 (2015).svg North Dakota Highway 46
- File:ND-127 (2015).svg North Dakota Highway 127
- File:ND-210 (2015).svg North Dakota Highway 210Template:Div col end
Adjacent counties
- Cass County - north
- Clay County, Minnesota - northeast
- Wilkin County, Minnesota - east
- Traverse County, Minnesota - southeast
- Roberts County, South Dakota - south
- Marshall County, South Dakota - southwest
- Sargent County - west
- Ransom County - northwest
National protected area
- Sheyenne National Grassland (part)
Lakes
Source:<ref name=RCND/> Template:Div col
- Bisek Lake
- Grass Lake
- Gullys Slough
- Kreiser Lake
- Lueck Lake
- Moran Lake
- Park Lake
- Silver Lake
- Stacks Slough
- Swan Lake
- Willows Pond
- Lake ElsieTemplate:Div col end
Demographics
As of the fourth quarter of 2024, the median home value in Richland County was $188,177.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
As of the 2023 American Community Survey, there are 6,764 estimated households in Richland County with an average of 2.24 persons per household. The county has a median household income of $72,524. Approximately 10.9% of the county's population lives at or below the poverty line. Richland County has an estimated 65.3% employment rate, with 25.0% of the population holding a bachelor's degree or higher and 94.9% holding a high school diploma.<ref name="QF">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
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 (97.7%), Spanish (1.0%), Indo-European (0.9%), Asian and Pacific Islander (0.2%), and Other (0.2%).
The median age in the county was 38.0 years.
Richland County, North Dakota – racial and ethnic composition
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 18,832 (98.05%) |
17,595 (96.95%) |
17,337 (96.33%) |
15,351 (94.06%) |
14,703 (88.95%) | |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 9 (0.05%) |
21 (0.12%) |
62 (0.34%) |
110 (0.67%) |
155 (0.94%) | |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 249 (1.30%) |
400 (2.20%) |
297 (1.65%) |
302 (1.85%) |
433 (2.62%) | |
| Asian alone (NH) | 21 (0.11%) |
82 (0.45%) |
44 (0.24%) |
88 (0.54%) |
123 (0.74%) | |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | — | — | 6 (0.03%) |
7 (0.04%) |
19 (0.11%) | |
| Other race alone (NH) | 28 (0.15%) |
4 (0.02%) |
3 (0.02%) |
10 (0.06%) |
23 (0.14%) | |
| Mixed race or multiracial (NH) | — | — | 126 (0.70%) |
182 (1.12%) |
499 (3.02%) | |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 68 (0.35%) |
46 (0.25%) |
123 (0.68%) |
271 (1.66%) |
574 (3.47%) | |
| Total | 19,207 (100.00%) |
18,148 (100.00%) |
17,998 (100.00%) |
16,321 (100.00%) |
16,529 (100.00%) |
2024 estimate
As of the 2024 estimate, there were 16,658 people and 6,764 households residing in the county. There were 7,620 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 92.8% White (90.0% NH White), 1.3% African American, 3.1% 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 3.7% of the population.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, there were 16,529 people, 6,710 households, and 4,174 families residing in the county.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The population density was Template:Convert. There were 7,501 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 89.99% White, 0.94% African American, 2.83% Native American, 0.77% Asian, 0.14% Pacific Islander, 1.48% from some other races and 3.86% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 3.47% of the population.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2010 census
As of the 2010 census, there were 16,321 people, 6,651 households, and 4,171 families residing in the county. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 7,503 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 95.01% White, 0.67% African American, 2.02% Native American, 0.54% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.41% from some other races and 1.29% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 1.66% of the population.
In terms of ancestry, 53.0% were German, 31.2% were Norwegian, 7.0% were Irish, and 2.3% were American.
There were 6,651 households, 28.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.6% were married couples living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 37.3% were non-families, and 30.9% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.91. The median age was 39.4 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $47,131 and the median income for a family was $64,636. Males had a median income of $42,597 versus $28,284 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,342. About 5.2% of families and 10.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.8% of those under age 18 and 11.6% of those age 65 or over.
Population by decade
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Communities
Cities
- Abercrombie
- Barney
- Christine
- Colfax
- Dwight
- Fairmount
- Great Bend
- Hankinson
- Lidgerwood
- Mantador
- Mooreton
- Wahpeton (county seat)
- Walcott
- Wyndmere
Unincorporated communities
Source:<ref name=RCND/> Template:Div col
- Blackmer
- Enloe
- Galchutt
- La Mars
- Lithia
- Tyler
Townships
- Abercrombie
- Antelope
- Barney
- Barrie
- Belford
- Brandenburg
- Brightwood
- Center
- Colfax
- Danton
- Devillo
- Dexter
- Duerr
- Dwight
- Eagle
- Elma
- Fairmount
- Freeman
- Garborg
- Grant
- Greendale
- Helendale
- Homestead
- Ibsen
- LaMars
- Liberty Grove
- Lidgerwood
- Mooreton
- Moran
- Nansen
- Sheyenne
- Summit
- Viking
- Walcott
- Waldo
- West End
- Wyndmere
Politics
Richland County voters have traditionally voted Republican. In only one national election since 1936 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate (as of 2024). Template:PresHead Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresFoot
Education
School districts include:<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }} - Text list - 2010 map - 2010 text list</ref> Template:Div col
- Fairmount Public School District 18
- Hankinson Public School District 8
- Kindred Public School District 2
- Lidgerwood Public School District 28
- Richland Public School District 44
- Wahpeton Public School District 37
- Wyndmere Public School District 42
Circle of Nations Wahpeton Indian School is a tribally controlled school affiliated with the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE).
See also
References
External links
- Richland County – official website
- A history of Richland County and the city of Wahpeton ND (1938?) from the Digital Horizons website
- Richland County maps, Sheet 1 (northern) and Sheet 2 (southern), North Dakota DOT
Template:Richland County, North Dakota Template:US state navigation box Template:Authority control