Counties in North Dakota by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate)

Sioux County had the highest unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 53 counties in 2023, at 21.5%. Foster County had the lowest, at 0.1%. The median was 2.1% and the figure for North Dakota was 2.8%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest21.5Sioux County
Lowest0.1Foster County
Median2.153 counties
North Dakota2.8History

Map of counties, 2023

Adams County: 2.1 %Barnes County: 3.1 %Benson County: 1.9 %Billings County: 1.6 %Bottineau County: 1.6 %Bowman County: 3.5 %Burke County: 4.4 %Burleigh County: 3.1 %Cass County: 3 %Cavalier County: 1.1 %Dickey County: 2.9 %Divide County: 3 %Dunn County: 2.6 %Eddy County: 2.1 %Emmons County: 1.9 %Foster County: 0.1 %Golden Valley County: 4.6 %Grand Forks County: 2.7 %Grant County: 3.7 %Griggs County: 1.5 %Hettinger County: 6.1 %Kidder County: 1.5 %LaMoure County: 1.6 %Logan County: 1.1 %McHenry County: 4.7 %McIntosh County: 1 %McKenzie County: 1.6 %McLean County: 1.6 %Mercer County: 1.9 %Morton County: 1.4 %Mountrail County: 2.9 %Nelson County: 1.2 %Oliver County: 0.9 %Pembina County: 4 %Pierce County: 1.4 %Ramsey County: 1.9 %Ransom County: 2.1 %Renville County: 0.9 %Richland County: 1.8 %Rolette County: 5.7 %Sargent County: 1.2 %Sheridan County: 1.1 %Sioux County: 21.5 %Slope County: 5.4 %Stark County: 3.1 %Steele County: 3.5 %Stutsman County: 3.6 %Towner County: 1.4 %Traill County: 2.2 %Walsh County: 2.1 %Ward County: 3.4 %Wells County: 1.6 %Williams County: 2.6 %
  • Under 1.3
  • 1.3 to 1.6
  • 1.6 to 2.1
  • 2.1 to 3
  • 3 to 3.7
  • 3.7 and over
%, 2023. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All counties, 2023

Sioux County: 21.5 %Sioux County21.5Hettinger County: 6.1 %Hettinger County6.1Rolette County: 5.7 %Rolette County5.7Slope County: 5.4 %Slope County5.4McHenry County: 4.7 %McHenry County4.7Golden Valley County: 4.6 %Golden Valley County4.6Burke County: 4.4 %Burke County4.4Pembina County: 4 %Pembina County4Grant County: 3.7 %Grant County3.7Stutsman County: 3.6 %Stutsman County3.6Bowman County: 3.5 %Bowman County3.5Steele County: 3.5 %Steele County3.5Ward County: 3.4 %Ward County3.4Stark County: 3.1 %Stark County3.1Barnes County: 3.1 %Barnes County3.1Burleigh County: 3.1 %Burleigh County3.1Cass County: 3 %Cass County3Divide County: 3 %Divide County3Mountrail County: 2.9 %Mountrail County2.9Dickey County: 2.9 %Dickey County2.9Grand Forks County: 2.7 %Grand Forks County2.7Dunn County: 2.6 %Dunn County2.6Williams County: 2.6 %Williams County2.6Traill County: 2.2 %Traill County2.2Walsh County: 2.1 %Walsh County2.1Adams County: 2.1 %Adams County2.1Ransom County: 2.1 %Ransom County2.1Eddy County: 2.1 %Eddy County2.1Benson County: 1.9 %Benson County1.9Emmons County: 1.9 %Emmons County1.9Mercer County: 1.9 %Mercer County1.9Ramsey County: 1.9 %Ramsey County1.9Richland County: 1.8 %Richland County1.8Billings County: 1.6 %Billings County1.6LaMoure County: 1.6 %LaMoure County1.6Wells County: 1.6 %Wells County1.6Bottineau County: 1.6 %Bottineau County1.6McLean County: 1.6 %McLean County1.6McKenzie County: 1.6 %McKenzie County1.6Griggs County: 1.5 %Griggs County1.5Kidder County: 1.5 %Kidder County1.5Morton County: 1.4 %Morton County1.4Towner County: 1.4 %Towner County1.4Pierce County: 1.4 %Pierce County1.4Nelson County: 1.2 %Nelson County1.2Sargent County: 1.2 %Sargent County1.2Logan County: 1.1 %Logan County1.1Cavalier County: 1.1 %Cavalier County1.1Sheridan County: 1.1 %Sheridan County1.1McIntosh County: 1 %McIntosh County1Oliver County: 0.9 %Oliver County0.9Renville County: 0.9 %Renville County0.9Foster County: 0.1 %Foster County0.1Sioux County: 21.5 %Sioux County21.5Hettinger County: 6.1 %Hettinger County6.1Rolette County: 5.7 %Rolette County5.7Slope County: 5.4 %Slope County5.4McHenry County: 4.7 %McHenry County4.7Golden Valley County: 4.6 %Golden Valley County4.6Burke County: 4.4 %Burke County4.4Pembina County: 4 %Pembina County4Grant County: 3.7 %Grant County3.7Stutsman County: 3.6 %Stutsman County3.6Bowman County: 3.5 %Bowman County3.5Steele County: 3.5 %Steele County3.5Ward County: 3.4 %Ward County3.4Stark County: 3.1 %Stark County3.1Barnes County: 3.1 %Barnes County3.1Burleigh County: 3.1 %Burleigh County3.1Cass County: 3 %Cass County3Divide County: 3 %Divide County3Mountrail County: 2.9 %Mountrail County2.9Dickey County: 2.9 %Dickey County2.9Grand Forks County: 2.7 %Grand Forks County2.7Dunn County: 2.6 %Dunn County2.6Williams County: 2.6 %Williams County2.6Traill County: 2.2 %Traill County2.2Walsh County: 2.1 %Walsh County2.1Adams County: 2.1 %Adams County2.1Ransom County: 2.1 %Ransom County2.1Eddy County: 2.1 %Eddy County2.1Benson County: 1.9 %Benson County1.9Emmons County: 1.9 %Emmons County1.9Mercer County: 1.9 %Mercer County1.9Ramsey County: 1.9 %Ramsey County1.9Richland County: 1.8 %Richland County1.8Billings County: 1.6 %Billings County1.6LaMoure County: 1.6 %LaMoure County1.6Wells County: 1.6 %Wells County1.6Bottineau County: 1.6 %Bottineau County1.6McLean County: 1.6 %McLean County1.6McKenzie County: 1.6 %McKenzie County1.6Griggs County: 1.5 %Griggs County1.5Kidder County: 1.5 %Kidder County1.5Morton County: 1.4 %Morton County1.4Towner County: 1.4 %Towner County1.4Pierce County: 1.4 %Pierce County1.4Nelson County: 1.2 %Nelson County1.2Sargent County: 1.2 %Sargent County1.2Logan County: 1.1 %Logan County1.1Cavalier County: 1.1 %Cavalier County1.1Sheridan County: 1.1 %Sheridan County1.1McIntosh County: 1 %McIntosh County1Oliver County: 0.9 %Oliver County0.9Renville County: 0.9 %Renville County0.9Foster County: 0.1 %Foster County0.1
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2023 (%)Change on 2022
1Sioux County21.5+0.8 pts
2Hettinger County6.1+1.9 pts
3Rolette County5.7-0.7 pts
4Slope County5.4+0.9 pts
5McHenry County4.7+0.3 pts
6Golden Valley County4.6-0.8 pts
7Burke County4.4+2.4 pts
8Pembina County4-0.2 pts
9Grant County3.7+0.8 pts
10Stutsman County3.6-1 pts
11Bowman County3.5-0.6 pts
12Steele County3.5+1.3 pts
13Ward County3.4-0.3 pts
14Stark County3.1+0.2 pts
15Barnes County3.1-0.3 pts
16Burleigh County3.1+0.3 pts
17Cass County3+0.2 pts
18Divide County3-0.2 pts
19Mountrail County2.9-0.5 pts
20Dickey County2.9-0.2 pts
21Grand Forks County2.7-0.7 pts
22Dunn County2.6+0.2 pts
23Williams County2.6+0.1 pts
24Traill County2.2+0.2 pts
25Walsh County2.1-0.1 pts
26Adams County2.1+1.4 pts
27Ransom County2.1-0.8 pts
28Eddy County2.1-0.3 pts
29Benson County1.9-0.3 pts
29Emmons County1.9+0.5 pts
31Mercer County1.9-0.8 pts
32Ramsey County1.9+1.1 pts
33Richland County1.8-0.7 pts
34Billings County1.6-0.5 pts
34LaMoure County1.6-0.1 pts
36Wells County1.6-0.2 pts
37Bottineau County1.6-1.9 pts
38McLean County1.6+0.2 pts
39McKenzie County1.6-0.2 pts
40Griggs County1.5+0.3 pts
41Kidder County1.5+0.5 pts
42Morton County1.4-0.6 pts
43Towner County1.4-0.2 pts
44Pierce County1.4+0.3 pts
45Nelson County1.2-0.1 pts
46Sargent County1.2-0.3 pts
47Logan County1.1-0.2 pts
48Cavalier County1.1+0.2 pts
49Sheridan County1.1+0.3 pts
50McIntosh County1+0.4 pts
51Oliver County0.9-1.9 pts
52Renville County0.9-1.5 pts
53Foster County0.1-0.1 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Unemployed civilians aged 16 and over as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

An average over five years of survey responses, so it moves slowly. The official monthly and annual rates for states and counties are unemployment_rate, from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics.

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. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs (Counties in North Dakota by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in North Dakota by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/north-dakota-counties?period=2023. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs. Counties in North Dakota by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/north-dakota-counties?period=2023.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in North Dakota by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/north-dakota-counties?period=2023 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_north_dakota_2023,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in North Dakota by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/north-dakota-counties?period=2023. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in North Dakota by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/north-dakota-counties?period=2023
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/north-dakota-counties?period=2023.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
Embed this chart

Paste this code into a web page or a blog post. The chart shows the latest figures as they are published, with the source and a link back to this page.

Sites that read oEmbed links, such as WordPress, can show the chart when you paste the link to this page.

Use this data in your AI agent

Invokely serves this figure to AI assistants through MCP and to code through a REST API, with the source and citation attached. Ask your assistant:

Rank Counties in North Dakota by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate) using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"unemployment_rate_acs","level":"province","within":"North Dakota","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=unemployment_rate_acs&level=province&within=North%20Dakota&limit=10

Connect Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor in one step. The trial answers 25 calls a day without an account.

Questions

Which county has the highest unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Sioux County, with 21.5% in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Foster County, with 0.1% in 2023.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate): other rankings

Counties in North Dakota: more rankings