Counties in North Dakota by wages and salaries paid

Cass County had the highest wages and salaries paid of 53 counties in 2020, at $6.8 billion. Sheridan County had the lowest, at $8.67 million. The median was $76.77 million and the figure for North Dakota was $23.44 billion. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest6,802.6Cass County
Median76.853 counties
North Dakota23,438.2History

Map of counties, 2020

Adams County: 42.9 USD millionBarnes County: 205.5 USD millionBenson County: 90.5 USD millionBillings County: 25.4 USD millionBottineau County: 112.8 USD millionBowman County: 67.1 USD millionBurke County: 39.9 USD millionBurleigh County: 3,131.9 USD millionCass County: 6,802.6 USD millionCavalier County: 70.3 USD millionDickey County: 76.8 USD millionDivide County: 38.9 USD millionDunn County: 146.5 USD millionEddy County: 30.1 USD millionEmmons County: 40.3 USD millionFoster County: 78.9 USD millionGolden Valley County: 25.9 USD millionGrand Forks County: 2,135.1 USD millionGrant County: 26 USD millionGriggs County: 37.8 USD millionHettinger County: 37.6 USD millionKidder County: 30.4 USD millionLaMoure County: 56.9 USD millionLogan County: 22.4 USD millionMcHenry County: 63.3 USD millionMcIntosh County: 42.2 USD millionMcKenzie County: 818 USD millionMcLean County: 227 USD millionMercer County: 288.3 USD millionMorton County: 628.9 USD millionMountrail County: 361.1 USD millionNelson County: 39.4 USD millionOliver County: 58.8 USD millionPembina County: 182.7 USD millionPierce County: 77.2 USD millionRamsey County: 255.5 USD millionRansom County: 91.2 USD millionRenville County: 34.1 USD millionRichland County: 358.6 USD millionRolette County: 189.6 USD millionSargent County: 176.7 USD millionSheridan County: 8.7 USD millionSioux County: 75 USD millionSlope County: 8.9 USD millionStark County: 1,136.4 USD millionSteele County: 34.3 USD millionStutsman County: 504.2 USD millionTowner County: 32.7 USD millionTraill County: 169.5 USD millionWalsh County: 225.7 USD millionWard County: 2,040.3 USD millionWells County: 71 USD millionWilliams County: 1,866.3 USD million
  • Under 30
  • 30 to 40
  • 40 to 80
  • 80 to 180
  • 180 to 410
  • 410 and over
USD million, 2020. 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, 2020

Cass County: 6,802.6 USD millionCass County6,802.6Burleigh County: 3,131.9 USD millionBurleigh County3,131.9Grand Forks County: 2,135.1 USD millionGrand Forks County2,135.1Ward County: 2,040.3 USD millionWard County2,040.3Williams County: 1,866.3 USD millionWilliams County1,866.3Stark County: 1,136.4 USD millionStark County1,136.4McKenzie County: 818 USD millionMcKenzie County818Morton County: 628.9 USD millionMorton County628.9Stutsman County: 504.2 USD millionStutsman County504.2Mountrail County: 361.1 USD millionMountrail County361.1Richland County: 358.6 USD millionRichland County358.6Mercer County: 288.3 USD millionMercer County288.3Ramsey County: 255.5 USD millionRamsey County255.5McLean County: 227 USD millionMcLean County227Walsh County: 225.7 USD millionWalsh County225.7Barnes County: 205.5 USD millionBarnes County205.5Rolette County: 189.6 USD millionRolette County189.6Pembina County: 182.7 USD millionPembina County182.7Sargent County: 176.7 USD millionSargent County176.7Traill County: 169.5 USD millionTraill County169.5Dunn County: 146.5 USD millionDunn County146.5Bottineau County: 112.8 USD millionBottineau County112.8Ransom County: 91.2 USD millionRansom County91.2Benson County: 90.5 USD millionBenson County90.5Foster County: 78.9 USD millionFoster County78.9Pierce County: 77.2 USD millionPierce County77.2Dickey County: 76.8 USD millionDickey County76.8Sioux County: 75 USD millionSioux County75Wells County: 71 USD millionWells County71Cavalier County: 70.3 USD millionCavalier County70.3Bowman County: 67.1 USD millionBowman County67.1McHenry County: 63.3 USD millionMcHenry County63.3Oliver County: 58.8 USD millionOliver County58.8LaMoure County: 56.9 USD millionLaMoure County56.9Adams County: 42.9 USD millionAdams County42.9McIntosh County: 42.2 USD millionMcIntosh County42.2Emmons County: 40.3 USD millionEmmons County40.3Burke County: 39.9 USD millionBurke County39.9Nelson County: 39.4 USD millionNelson County39.4Divide County: 38.9 USD millionDivide County38.9Griggs County: 37.8 USD millionGriggs County37.8Hettinger County: 37.6 USD millionHettinger County37.6Steele County: 34.3 USD millionSteele County34.3Renville County: 34.1 USD millionRenville County34.1Towner County: 32.7 USD millionTowner County32.7Kidder County: 30.4 USD millionKidder County30.4Eddy County: 30.1 USD millionEddy County30.1Grant County: 26 USD millionGrant County26Golden Valley County: 25.9 USD millionGolden Valley County25.9Billings County: 25.4 USD millionBillings County25.4Logan County: 22.4 USD millionLogan County22.4Slope County: 8.9 USD millionSlope County8.9Sheridan County: 8.7 USD millionSheridan County8.7Cass County: 6,802.6 USD millionCass County6,802.6Burleigh County: 3,131.9 USD millionBurleigh County3,131.9Grand Forks County: 2,135.1 USD millionGrand Forks County2,135.1Ward County: 2,040.3 USD millionWard County2,040.3Williams County: 1,866.3 USD millionWilliams County1,866.3Stark County: 1,136.4 USD millionStark County1,136.4McKenzie County: 818 USD millionMcKenzie County818Morton County: 628.9 USD millionMorton County628.9Stutsman County: 504.2 USD millionStutsman County504.2Mountrail County: 361.1 USD millionMountrail County361.1Richland County: 358.6 USD millionRichland County358.6Mercer County: 288.3 USD millionMercer County288.3Ramsey County: 255.5 USD millionRamsey County255.5McLean County: 227 USD millionMcLean County227Walsh County: 225.7 USD millionWalsh County225.7Barnes County: 205.5 USD millionBarnes County205.5Rolette County: 189.6 USD millionRolette County189.6Pembina County: 182.7 USD millionPembina County182.7Sargent County: 176.7 USD millionSargent County176.7Traill County: 169.5 USD millionTraill County169.5Dunn County: 146.5 USD millionDunn County146.5Bottineau County: 112.8 USD millionBottineau County112.8Ransom County: 91.2 USD millionRansom County91.2Benson County: 90.5 USD millionBenson County90.5Foster County: 78.9 USD millionFoster County78.9Pierce County: 77.2 USD millionPierce County77.2Dickey County: 76.8 USD millionDickey County76.8Sioux County: 75 USD millionSioux County75Wells County: 71 USD millionWells County71Cavalier County: 70.3 USD millionCavalier County70.3Bowman County: 67.1 USD millionBowman County67.1McHenry County: 63.3 USD millionMcHenry County63.3Oliver County: 58.8 USD millionOliver County58.8LaMoure County: 56.9 USD millionLaMoure County56.9Adams County: 42.9 USD millionAdams County42.9McIntosh County: 42.2 USD millionMcIntosh County42.2Emmons County: 40.3 USD millionEmmons County40.3Burke County: 39.9 USD millionBurke County39.9Nelson County: 39.4 USD millionNelson County39.4Divide County: 38.9 USD millionDivide County38.9Griggs County: 37.8 USD millionGriggs County37.8Hettinger County: 37.6 USD millionHettinger County37.6Steele County: 34.3 USD millionSteele County34.3Renville County: 34.1 USD millionRenville County34.1Towner County: 32.7 USD millionTowner County32.7Kidder County: 30.4 USD millionKidder County30.4Eddy County: 30.1 USD millionEddy County30.1Grant County: 26 USD millionGrant County26Golden Valley County: 25.9 USD millionGolden Valley County25.9Billings County: 25.4 USD millionBillings County25.4Logan County: 22.4 USD millionLogan County22.4Slope County: 8.9 USD millionSlope County8.9Sheridan County: 8.7 USD millionSheridan County8.7
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

RankCounties2020
USD million
Change on 2019
1Cass County6,802.6+3%
2Burleigh County3,131.9+0.9%
3Grand Forks County2,135.1+0.3%
4Ward County2,040.3-3.4%
5Williams County1,866.3-23.8%
6Stark County1,136.4-14.6%
7McKenzie County818-23.5%
8Morton County628.9+2%
9Stutsman County504.2+1.9%
10Mountrail County361.1-17.8%
11Richland County358.6+2.4%
12Mercer County288.3-6.6%
13Ramsey County255.5+2.8%
14McLean County227+2.8%
15Walsh County225.7+3.4%
16Barnes County205.5+3.8%
17Rolette County189.6+1.7%
18Pembina County182.7+1%
19Sargent County176.7+3.3%
20Traill County169.5+4.2%
21Dunn County146.5-13.5%
22Bottineau County112.8-5.2%
23Ransom County91.2+1.4%
24Benson County90.5+2.1%
25Foster County78.9+2.9%
26Pierce County77.2-0.7%
27Dickey County76.8+0.7%
28Sioux County75+3.8%
29Wells County71+3.9%
30Cavalier County70.3+5.4%
31Bowman County67.1-17%
32McHenry County63.3-5.2%
33Oliver County58.8-1.5%
34LaMoure County56.9-1%
35Adams County42.9+3.4%
36McIntosh County42.2+3%
37Emmons County40.3+4.9%
38Burke County39.9-9.2%
39Nelson County39.4+5.5%
40Divide County38.9-14.1%
41Griggs County37.8+1.6%
42Hettinger County37.6+1.5%
43Steele County34.3-5.6%
44Renville County34.1+2.5%
45Towner County32.7+3.8%
46Kidder County30.4+6.4%
47Eddy County30.1+3.4%
48Grant County26+5.7%
49Golden Valley County25.9+3.6%
50Billings County25.4-0.2%
51Logan County22.4+2.2%
52Slope County8.9-13.8%
53Sheridan County8.7+0.6%

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, 2020) [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, 2020. 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=2020. 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, 2020. 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=2020.

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, 2020 [Dataset]. Available at: https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/north-dakota-counties?period=2020 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_north_dakota_2020,
  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, 2020}},
  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=2020. 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, 2020
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=2020
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/north-dakota-counties?period=2020.
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 $6.8 billion in 2020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Which county has the lowest wages and salaries paid?

Sheridan County, with $8.67 million in 2020.

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