Counties in North Dakota by wages and salaries paid

Cass County had the highest wages and salaries paid of 53 counties in 2017, at $6.04 billion. Sheridan County had the lowest, at $8.37 million. The median was $75.59 million and the figure for North Dakota was $22.18 billion. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

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Highest6,035.3Cass County
Median75.653 counties
North Dakota22,179.2History

Map of counties, 2017

Adams County: 40.2 USD millionBarnes County: 191.2 USD millionBenson County: 83.1 USD millionBillings County: 20.3 USD millionBottineau County: 110.6 USD millionBowman County: 67.6 USD millionBurke County: 40 USD millionBurleigh County: 2,994.8 USD millionCass County: 6,035.3 USD millionCavalier County: 67.1 USD millionDickey County: 75.6 USD millionDivide County: 44.9 USD millionDunn County: 143.8 USD millionEddy County: 28.1 USD millionEmmons County: 36 USD millionFoster County: 77.4 USD millionGolden Valley County: 26.2 USD millionGrand Forks County: 2,033.1 USD millionGrant County: 22.4 USD millionGriggs County: 34.5 USD millionHettinger County: 36.1 USD millionKidder County: 26.2 USD millionLaMoure County: 58.6 USD millionLogan County: 21.4 USD millionMcHenry County: 60.8 USD millionMcIntosh County: 40 USD millionMcKenzie County: 681.2 USD millionMcLean County: 209 USD millionMercer County: 375.9 USD millionMorton County: 581.1 USD millionMountrail County: 376 USD millionNelson County: 36 USD millionOliver County: 54 USD millionPembina County: 171.9 USD millionPierce County: 77.5 USD millionRamsey County: 243.6 USD millionRansom County: 87.1 USD millionRenville County: 33.6 USD millionRichland County: 336.4 USD millionRolette County: 177.1 USD millionSargent County: 133.5 USD millionSheridan County: 8.4 USD millionSioux County: 70.4 USD millionSlope County: 8.9 USD millionStark County: 1,144.9 USD millionSteele County: 34.6 USD millionStutsman County: 482.2 USD millionTowner County: 28.6 USD millionTraill County: 153 USD millionWalsh County: 203 USD millionWard County: 1,946.9 USD millionWells County: 66.9 USD millionWilliams County: 2,042.4 USD million
  • Under 30
  • 30 to 40
  • 40 to 80
  • 80 to 170
  • 170 to 410
  • 410 and over
USD million, 2017. Source: BEA, CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All counties, 2017

Cass County: 6,035.3 USD millionCass County6,035.3Burleigh County: 2,994.8 USD millionBurleigh County2,994.8Williams County: 2,042.4 USD millionWilliams County2,042.4Grand Forks County: 2,033.1 USD millionGrand Forks County2,033.1Ward County: 1,946.9 USD millionWard County1,946.9Stark County: 1,144.9 USD millionStark County1,144.9McKenzie County: 681.2 USD millionMcKenzie County681.2Morton County: 581.1 USD millionMorton County581.1Stutsman County: 482.2 USD millionStutsman County482.2Mountrail County: 376 USD millionMountrail County376Mercer County: 375.9 USD millionMercer County375.9Richland County: 336.4 USD millionRichland County336.4Ramsey County: 243.6 USD millionRamsey County243.6McLean County: 209 USD millionMcLean County209Walsh County: 203 USD millionWalsh County203Barnes County: 191.2 USD millionBarnes County191.2Rolette County: 177.1 USD millionRolette County177.1Pembina County: 171.9 USD millionPembina County171.9Traill County: 153 USD millionTraill County153Dunn County: 143.8 USD millionDunn County143.8Sargent County: 133.5 USD millionSargent County133.5Bottineau County: 110.6 USD millionBottineau County110.6Ransom County: 87.1 USD millionRansom County87.1Benson County: 83.1 USD millionBenson County83.1Pierce County: 77.5 USD millionPierce County77.5Foster County: 77.4 USD millionFoster County77.4Dickey County: 75.6 USD millionDickey County75.6Sioux County: 70.4 USD millionSioux County70.4Bowman County: 67.6 USD millionBowman County67.6Cavalier County: 67.1 USD millionCavalier County67.1Wells County: 66.9 USD millionWells County66.9McHenry County: 60.8 USD millionMcHenry County60.8LaMoure County: 58.6 USD millionLaMoure County58.6Oliver County: 54 USD millionOliver County54Divide County: 44.9 USD millionDivide County44.9Adams County: 40.2 USD millionAdams County40.2McIntosh County: 40 USD millionMcIntosh County40Burke County: 40 USD millionBurke County40Hettinger County: 36.1 USD millionHettinger County36.1Emmons County: 36 USD millionEmmons County36Nelson County: 36 USD millionNelson County36Steele County: 34.6 USD millionSteele County34.6Griggs County: 34.5 USD millionGriggs County34.5Renville County: 33.6 USD millionRenville County33.6Towner County: 28.6 USD millionTowner County28.6Eddy County: 28.1 USD millionEddy County28.1Kidder County: 26.2 USD millionKidder County26.2Golden Valley County: 26.2 USD millionGolden Valley County26.2Grant County: 22.4 USD millionGrant County22.4Logan County: 21.4 USD millionLogan County21.4Billings County: 20.3 USD millionBillings County20.3Slope County: 8.9 USD millionSlope County8.9Sheridan County: 8.4 USD millionSheridan County8.4Cass County: 6,035.3 USD millionCass County6,035.3Burleigh County: 2,994.8 USD millionBurleigh County2,994.8Williams County: 2,042.4 USD millionWilliams County2,042.4Grand Forks County: 2,033.1 USD millionGrand Forks County2,033.1Ward County: 1,946.9 USD millionWard County1,946.9Stark County: 1,144.9 USD millionStark County1,144.9McKenzie County: 681.2 USD millionMcKenzie County681.2Morton County: 581.1 USD millionMorton County581.1Stutsman County: 482.2 USD millionStutsman County482.2Mountrail County: 376 USD millionMountrail County376Mercer County: 375.9 USD millionMercer County375.9Richland County: 336.4 USD millionRichland County336.4Ramsey County: 243.6 USD millionRamsey County243.6McLean County: 209 USD millionMcLean County209Walsh County: 203 USD millionWalsh County203Barnes County: 191.2 USD millionBarnes County191.2Rolette County: 177.1 USD millionRolette County177.1Pembina County: 171.9 USD millionPembina County171.9Traill County: 153 USD millionTraill County153Dunn County: 143.8 USD millionDunn County143.8Sargent County: 133.5 USD millionSargent County133.5Bottineau County: 110.6 USD millionBottineau County110.6Ransom County: 87.1 USD millionRansom County87.1Benson County: 83.1 USD millionBenson County83.1Pierce County: 77.5 USD millionPierce County77.5Foster County: 77.4 USD millionFoster County77.4Dickey County: 75.6 USD millionDickey County75.6Sioux County: 70.4 USD millionSioux County70.4Bowman County: 67.6 USD millionBowman County67.6Cavalier County: 67.1 USD millionCavalier County67.1Wells County: 66.9 USD millionWells County66.9McHenry County: 60.8 USD millionMcHenry County60.8LaMoure County: 58.6 USD millionLaMoure County58.6Oliver County: 54 USD millionOliver County54Divide County: 44.9 USD millionDivide County44.9Adams County: 40.2 USD millionAdams County40.2McIntosh County: 40 USD millionMcIntosh County40Burke County: 40 USD millionBurke County40Hettinger County: 36.1 USD millionHettinger County36.1Emmons County: 36 USD millionEmmons County36Nelson County: 36 USD millionNelson County36Steele County: 34.6 USD millionSteele County34.6Griggs County: 34.5 USD millionGriggs County34.5Renville County: 33.6 USD millionRenville County33.6Towner County: 28.6 USD millionTowner County28.6Eddy County: 28.1 USD millionEddy County28.1Kidder County: 26.2 USD millionKidder County26.2Golden Valley County: 26.2 USD millionGolden Valley County26.2Grant County: 22.4 USD millionGrant County22.4Logan County: 21.4 USD millionLogan County21.4Billings County: 20.3 USD millionBillings County20.3Slope County: 8.9 USD millionSlope County8.9Sheridan County: 8.4 USD millionSheridan County8.4
USD million. Source: BEA, CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2017
USD million
Change on 2016
1Cass County6,035.3+2.8%
2Burleigh County2,994.8+1.1%
3Williams County2,042.4+8.7%
4Grand Forks County2,033.1+1.2%
5Ward County1,946.9+0.3%
6Stark County1,144.9+5.2%
7McKenzie County681.2+5.5%
8Morton County581.1+3.8%
9Stutsman County482.2-0.1%
10Mountrail County376-2.1%
11Mercer County375.9-1.8%
12Richland County336.4+0.2%
13Ramsey County243.6-12%
14McLean County209+4.6%
15Walsh County203+2.5%
16Barnes County191.2-1.8%
17Rolette County177.1-0.1%
18Pembina County171.9+1.1%
19Traill County153+4.4%
20Dunn County143.8+1.6%
21Sargent County133.5+7.5%
22Bottineau County110.6-0%
23Ransom County87.1+1.9%
24Benson County83.1+2.8%
25Pierce County77.5+3.7%
26Foster County77.4+2.9%
27Dickey County75.6+3.3%
28Sioux County70.4+1.1%
29Bowman County67.6-5.1%
30Cavalier County67.1-0.5%
31Wells County66.9+1.6%
32McHenry County60.8+1.4%
33LaMoure County58.6+1.9%
34Oliver County54-18.8%
35Divide County44.9+2.7%
36Adams County40.2+1%
37McIntosh County40+3.6%
38Burke County40-1.3%
39Hettinger County36.1+1.3%
40Emmons County36+0.6%
41Nelson County36+0.6%
42Steele County34.6+8.5%
43Griggs County34.5-4.4%
44Renville County33.6+4.4%
45Towner County28.6-0.9%
46Eddy County28.1+2.4%
47Kidder County26.2-0.7%
48Golden Valley County26.2-1.2%
49Grant County22.4+0.8%
50Logan County21.4-0.2%
51Billings County20.3+2.9%
52Slope County8.9-7.6%
53Sheridan County8.4+4.4%

Other periods

About this ranking

Total wages and salaries paid to employees for jobs located in a place, including tips, bonuses and pay in kind, before deductions, in millions of current US dollars. United States: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional accounts, table SAINC4 line 50 for the nation and states and CAINC4 line 50 for counties.

Counted where the jobs are, not where the workers live, so places with many commuters coming in can pay more in wages than their residents receive in personal income (the District of Columbia does). Excludes employer contributions to pensions, insurance and social security, and the income of the self-employed.

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. Bureau of Economic Analysis. CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. 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. Bureau of Economic Analysis. (2026). CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents (Counties in North Dakota by wages and salaries paid, 2017) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip

MLA 9

CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents, Counties in North Dakota by wages and salaries paid, 2017. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, 5 Feb. 2026, https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/north-dakota-counties?period=2017. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. 2026. CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. Counties in North Dakota by wages and salaries paid, 2017. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/north-dakota-counties?period=2017.

Harvard

U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (2026) CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents, Counties in North Dakota by wages and salaries paid, 2017 [Dataset]. Available at: https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/north-dakota-counties?period=2017 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_north_dakota_2017,
  author = {{U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis}},
  title = {{CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents: Counties in North Dakota by wages and salaries paid, 2017}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/north-dakota-counties?period=2017. Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
TI  - CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents: Counties in North Dakota by wages and salaries paid, 2017
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/02/05
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/north-dakota-counties?period=2017
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/north-dakota-counties?period=2017.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Questions

Which county has the highest wages and salaries paid?

Cass County, with $6.04 billion in 2017, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Which county has the lowest wages and salaries paid?

Sheridan County, with $8.37 million in 2017.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Wages and salaries paid: other rankings

Counties in North Dakota: more rankings