Counties in North Dakota by wages and salaries paid

Cass County had the highest wages and salaries paid of 53 counties in 2018, at $6.28 billion. Sheridan County had the lowest, at $8.07 million. The median was $75.13 million and the figure for North Dakota was $23.24 billion. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

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Highest6,277.6Cass County
Median75.153 counties
North Dakota23,238History

Map of counties, 2018

Adams County: 40 USD millionBarnes County: 195.3 USD millionBenson County: 83.1 USD millionBillings County: 23.7 USD millionBottineau County: 112.6 USD millionBowman County: 67 USD millionBurke County: 42.1 USD millionBurleigh County: 3,030 USD millionCass County: 6,277.6 USD millionCavalier County: 68.5 USD millionDickey County: 75.1 USD millionDivide County: 47.3 USD millionDunn County: 152.6 USD millionEddy County: 28 USD millionEmmons County: 37.1 USD millionFoster County: 77.7 USD millionGolden Valley County: 25.1 USD millionGrand Forks County: 2,074 USD millionGrant County: 22.6 USD millionGriggs County: 36.4 USD millionHettinger County: 36 USD millionKidder County: 26.1 USD millionLaMoure County: 56.4 USD millionLogan County: 20.9 USD millionMcHenry County: 61.2 USD millionMcIntosh County: 39.6 USD millionMcKenzie County: 848.8 USD millionMcLean County: 210.4 USD millionMercer County: 331.9 USD millionMorton County: 581.4 USD millionMountrail County: 400.4 USD millionNelson County: 35.7 USD millionOliver County: 56.1 USD millionPembina County: 172.4 USD millionPierce County: 80.7 USD millionRamsey County: 241.4 USD millionRansom County: 90.8 USD millionRenville County: 32.7 USD millionRichland County: 348.7 USD millionRolette County: 183.3 USD millionSargent County: 156.9 USD millionSheridan County: 8.1 USD millionSioux County: 70.1 USD millionSlope County: 9.1 USD millionStark County: 1,244.1 USD millionSteele County: 34 USD millionStutsman County: 488.2 USD millionTowner County: 30.7 USD millionTraill County: 157.5 USD millionWalsh County: 209 USD millionWard County: 2,052.2 USD millionWells County: 67 USD millionWilliams County: 2,340.4 USD million
  • Under 30
  • 30 to 40
  • 40 to 80
  • 80 to 170
  • 170 to 430
  • 430 and over
USD million, 2018. 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, 2018

Cass County: 6,277.6 USD millionCass County6,277.6Burleigh County: 3,030 USD millionBurleigh County3,030Williams County: 2,340.4 USD millionWilliams County2,340.4Grand Forks County: 2,074 USD millionGrand Forks County2,074Ward County: 2,052.2 USD millionWard County2,052.2Stark County: 1,244.1 USD millionStark County1,244.1McKenzie County: 848.8 USD millionMcKenzie County848.8Morton County: 581.4 USD millionMorton County581.4Stutsman County: 488.2 USD millionStutsman County488.2Mountrail County: 400.4 USD millionMountrail County400.4Richland County: 348.7 USD millionRichland County348.7Mercer County: 331.9 USD millionMercer County331.9Ramsey County: 241.4 USD millionRamsey County241.4McLean County: 210.4 USD millionMcLean County210.4Walsh County: 209 USD millionWalsh County209Barnes County: 195.3 USD millionBarnes County195.3Rolette County: 183.3 USD millionRolette County183.3Pembina County: 172.4 USD millionPembina County172.4Traill County: 157.5 USD millionTraill County157.5Sargent County: 156.9 USD millionSargent County156.9Dunn County: 152.6 USD millionDunn County152.6Bottineau County: 112.6 USD millionBottineau County112.6Ransom County: 90.8 USD millionRansom County90.8Benson County: 83.1 USD millionBenson County83.1Pierce County: 80.7 USD millionPierce County80.7Foster County: 77.7 USD millionFoster County77.7Dickey County: 75.1 USD millionDickey County75.1Sioux County: 70.1 USD millionSioux County70.1Cavalier County: 68.5 USD millionCavalier County68.5Bowman County: 67 USD millionBowman County67Wells County: 67 USD millionWells County67McHenry County: 61.2 USD millionMcHenry County61.2LaMoure County: 56.4 USD millionLaMoure County56.4Oliver County: 56.1 USD millionOliver County56.1Divide County: 47.3 USD millionDivide County47.3Burke County: 42.1 USD millionBurke County42.1Adams County: 40 USD millionAdams County40McIntosh County: 39.6 USD millionMcIntosh County39.6Emmons County: 37.1 USD millionEmmons County37.1Griggs County: 36.4 USD millionGriggs County36.4Hettinger County: 36 USD millionHettinger County36Nelson County: 35.7 USD millionNelson County35.7Steele County: 34 USD millionSteele County34Renville County: 32.7 USD millionRenville County32.7Towner County: 30.7 USD millionTowner County30.7Eddy County: 28 USD millionEddy County28Kidder County: 26.1 USD millionKidder County26.1Golden Valley County: 25.1 USD millionGolden Valley County25.1Billings County: 23.7 USD millionBillings County23.7Grant County: 22.6 USD millionGrant County22.6Logan County: 20.9 USD millionLogan County20.9Slope County: 9.1 USD millionSlope County9.1Sheridan County: 8.1 USD millionSheridan County8.1Cass County: 6,277.6 USD millionCass County6,277.6Burleigh County: 3,030 USD millionBurleigh County3,030Williams County: 2,340.4 USD millionWilliams County2,340.4Grand Forks County: 2,074 USD millionGrand Forks County2,074Ward County: 2,052.2 USD millionWard County2,052.2Stark County: 1,244.1 USD millionStark County1,244.1McKenzie County: 848.8 USD millionMcKenzie County848.8Morton County: 581.4 USD millionMorton County581.4Stutsman County: 488.2 USD millionStutsman County488.2Mountrail County: 400.4 USD millionMountrail County400.4Richland County: 348.7 USD millionRichland County348.7Mercer County: 331.9 USD millionMercer County331.9Ramsey County: 241.4 USD millionRamsey County241.4McLean County: 210.4 USD millionMcLean County210.4Walsh County: 209 USD millionWalsh County209Barnes County: 195.3 USD millionBarnes County195.3Rolette County: 183.3 USD millionRolette County183.3Pembina County: 172.4 USD millionPembina County172.4Traill County: 157.5 USD millionTraill County157.5Sargent County: 156.9 USD millionSargent County156.9Dunn County: 152.6 USD millionDunn County152.6Bottineau County: 112.6 USD millionBottineau County112.6Ransom County: 90.8 USD millionRansom County90.8Benson County: 83.1 USD millionBenson County83.1Pierce County: 80.7 USD millionPierce County80.7Foster County: 77.7 USD millionFoster County77.7Dickey County: 75.1 USD millionDickey County75.1Sioux County: 70.1 USD millionSioux County70.1Cavalier County: 68.5 USD millionCavalier County68.5Bowman County: 67 USD millionBowman County67Wells County: 67 USD millionWells County67McHenry County: 61.2 USD millionMcHenry County61.2LaMoure County: 56.4 USD millionLaMoure County56.4Oliver County: 56.1 USD millionOliver County56.1Divide County: 47.3 USD millionDivide County47.3Burke County: 42.1 USD millionBurke County42.1Adams County: 40 USD millionAdams County40McIntosh County: 39.6 USD millionMcIntosh County39.6Emmons County: 37.1 USD millionEmmons County37.1Griggs County: 36.4 USD millionGriggs County36.4Hettinger County: 36 USD millionHettinger County36Nelson County: 35.7 USD millionNelson County35.7Steele County: 34 USD millionSteele County34Renville County: 32.7 USD millionRenville County32.7Towner County: 30.7 USD millionTowner County30.7Eddy County: 28 USD millionEddy County28Kidder County: 26.1 USD millionKidder County26.1Golden Valley County: 25.1 USD millionGolden Valley County25.1Billings County: 23.7 USD millionBillings County23.7Grant County: 22.6 USD millionGrant County22.6Logan County: 20.9 USD millionLogan County20.9Slope County: 9.1 USD millionSlope County9.1Sheridan County: 8.1 USD millionSheridan County8.1
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

RankCounties2018
USD million
Change on 2017
1Cass County6,277.6+4%
2Burleigh County3,030+1.2%
3Williams County2,340.4+14.6%
4Grand Forks County2,074+2%
5Ward County2,052.2+5.4%
6Stark County1,244.1+8.7%
7McKenzie County848.8+24.6%
8Morton County581.40%
9Stutsman County488.2+1.2%
10Mountrail County400.4+6.5%
11Richland County348.7+3.7%
12Mercer County331.9-11.7%
13Ramsey County241.4-0.9%
14McLean County210.4+0.7%
15Walsh County209+3%
16Barnes County195.3+2.2%
17Rolette County183.3+3.5%
18Pembina County172.4+0.3%
19Traill County157.5+3%
20Sargent County156.9+17.6%
21Dunn County152.6+6.1%
22Bottineau County112.6+1.9%
23Ransom County90.8+4.3%
24Benson County83.1+0.1%
25Pierce County80.7+4.1%
26Foster County77.7+0.5%
27Dickey County75.1-0.6%
28Sioux County70.1-0.5%
29Cavalier County68.5+2%
30Bowman County67-0.8%
31Wells County67+0.1%
32McHenry County61.2+0.7%
33LaMoure County56.4-3.8%
34Oliver County56.1+3.9%
35Divide County47.3+5.4%
36Burke County42.1+5.3%
37Adams County40-0.5%
38McIntosh County39.6-1.2%
39Emmons County37.1+2.9%
40Griggs County36.4+5.7%
41Hettinger County36-0.2%
42Nelson County35.7-0.9%
43Steele County34-1.7%
44Renville County32.7-2.7%
45Towner County30.7+7.2%
46Eddy County28-0.4%
47Kidder County26.1-0.2%
48Golden Valley County25.1-4.1%
49Billings County23.7+16.5%
50Grant County22.6+1.1%
51Logan County20.9-2.2%
52Slope County9.1+2.6%
53Sheridan County8.1-3.6%

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, 2018) [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, 2018. 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=2018. 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, 2018. 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=2018.

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, 2018 [Dataset]. Available at: https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/north-dakota-counties?period=2018 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_north_dakota_2018,
  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, 2018}},
  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=2018. 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, 2018
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=2018
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/north-dakota-counties?period=2018.
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 $6.28 billion in 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Which county has the lowest wages and salaries paid?

Sheridan County, with $8.07 million in 2018.

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