Data / Rankings / Poverty rate (US official measure) / Counties in North Dakota

Counties in North Dakota by poverty rate

Sioux County had the highest poverty rate of 53 counties in 2021, at 42.8%. Mercer County had the lowest, at 8%. The median was 11.1% and the figure for North Dakota was 10.9%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest42.8Sioux County
Lowest8Mercer County
Median11.153 counties
North Dakota10.9History

All counties, 2021

CSVChart (SVG)

Sioux CountySioux County: 42.8 %42.8Rolette CountyRolette County: 27.2 %27.2Benson CountyBenson County: 26.3 %26.3Grant CountyGrant County: 17.3 %17.3Sheridan CountySheridan County: 16.5 %16.5Hettinger CountyHettinger County: 14.4 %14.4Kidder CountyKidder County: 14.2 %14.2Logan CountyLogan County: 14.2 %14.2McIntosh CountyMcIntosh County: 13.8 %13.8Grand Forks CountyGrand Forks County: 13.6 %13.6Emmons CountyEmmons County: 13.4 %13.4Slope CountySlope County: 12.8 %12.8Golden Valley CountyGolden Valley County: 12.7 %12.7Wells CountyWells County: 12.4 %12.4Pierce CountyPierce County: 12.3 %12.3Ramsey CountyRamsey County: 12.3 %12.3Adams CountyAdams County: 12 %12McHenry CountyMcHenry County: 11.9 %11.9Walsh CountyWalsh County: 11.9 %11.9Eddy CountyEddy County: 11.7 %11.7Stutsman CountyStutsman County: 11.7 %11.7Towner CountyTowner County: 11.4 %11.4Barnes CountyBarnes County: 11.2 %11.2Bottineau CountyBottineau County: 11.2 %11.2Dickey CountyDickey County: 11.2 %11.2Mountrail CountyMountrail County: 11.2 %11.2Oliver CountyOliver County: 11.1 %11.1Dunn CountyDunn County: 11 %11LaMoure CountyLaMoure County: 10.9 %10.9Billings CountyBillings County: 10.8 %10.8Divide CountyDivide County: 10.8 %10.8Griggs CountyGriggs County: 10.7 %10.7Cass CountyCass County: 10.6 %10.6McLean CountyMcLean County: 10.6 %10.6Nelson CountyNelson County: 10.4 %10.4Richland CountyRichland County: 10.1 %10.1Stark CountyStark County: 10.1 %10.1Morton CountyMorton County: 9.9 %9.9Traill CountyTraill County: 9.9 %9.9Pembina CountyPembina County: 9.7 %9.7Ward CountyWard County: 9.4 %9.4McKenzie CountyMcKenzie County: 9.1 %9.1Bowman CountyBowman County: 9 %9Sargent CountySargent County: 9 %9Burke CountyBurke County: 8.9 %8.9Foster CountyFoster County: 8.9 %8.9Ransom CountyRansom County: 8.9 %8.9Renville CountyRenville County: 8.5 %8.5Steele CountySteele County: 8.5 %8.5Williams CountyWilliams County: 8.5 %8.5Burleigh CountyBurleigh County: 8.3 %8.3Cavalier CountyCavalier County: 8 %8Mercer CountyMercer County: 8 %8
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021 (%)Change on 2020
1Sioux County42.8+14.5 pts
2Rolette County27.2+5.9 pts
3Benson County26.3+2.1 pts
4Grant County17.3+3.8 pts
5Sheridan County16.5-0.1 pts
6Hettinger County14.4+2.8 pts
7Kidder County14.2+0.7 pts
7Logan County14.2-0.3 pts
9McIntosh County13.8+1.6 pts
10Grand Forks County13.6+0.9 pts
11Emmons County13.4-0.3 pts
12Slope County12.8-0.7 pts
13Golden Valley County12.7+1.7 pts
14Wells County12.4+1.5 pts
15Pierce County12.3+1.3 pts
15Ramsey County12.3+0.1 pts
17Adams County12+1.2 pts
18McHenry County11.9-0.1 pts
18Walsh County11.9+1.3 pts
20Eddy County11.7+0.5 pts
20Stutsman County11.7+1.1 pts
22Towner County11.4+1.6 pts
23Barnes County11.2+1.3 pts
23Bottineau County11.2+1.5 pts
23Dickey County11.2+1 pts
23Mountrail County11.2+0.2 pts
27Oliver County11.1+0.4 pts
28Dunn County11+1 pts
29LaMoure County10.90 pts
30Billings County10.8+0.8 pts
30Divide County10.8+0.1 pts
32Griggs County10.7+1.1 pts
33Cass County10.6+0.9 pts
33McLean County10.6+2.2 pts
35Nelson County10.4+0.6 pts
36Richland County10.1+0.7 pts
36Stark County10.1+0.1 pts
38Morton County9.9+1.6 pts
38Traill County9.9+2.9 pts
40Pembina County9.7+2.1 pts
41Ward County9.4+0.5 pts
42McKenzie County9.1+1.6 pts
43Bowman County9+0.1 pts
43Sargent County9+1.6 pts
45Burke County8.9+1 pts
45Foster County8.9+1 pts
45Ransom County8.9-0.4 pts
48Renville County8.5+0.8 pts
48Steele County8.5+0.6 pts
48Williams County8.5-1.1 pts
51Burleigh County8.3-0.3 pts
52Cavalier County8-0.5 pts
52Mercer County80 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

People living in families or alone with income below the official US poverty thresholds, as a percentage of people whose poverty status can be determined. United States: Census Bureau Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE), all ages.

Absolute thresholds set by the US government, so not comparable with the EU at_risk_of_poverty_rate.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people of all ages in poverty, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2021/2021-state-and-county/est21all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

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Questions

Which county has the highest poverty rate?

Sioux County, with 42.8% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest poverty rate?

Mercer County, with 8% in 2021.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people of all ages in poverty, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Poverty rate (US official measure): other rankings

Counties in North Dakota: more rankings