Richland County, North Dakota

Richland County
County
Richland County Courthouse in Wahpeton
Location within the U.S. state of North Dakota
North Dakota's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 46°16′N96°57′W / 46.27°N 96.95°W / 46.27; -96.95
Country	United States
State	North Dakota
Founded	January 4, 1873 (created) November 25, 1873 (organized)
Named for	Morgan T. Rich
Seat	Wahpeton
Largest city	Wahpeton
Area
• Total	1,445 sq mi (3,740 km2)
• Land	1,436 sq mi (3,720 km2)
• Water	9.7 sq mi (25 km2)  0.7%
Population  (2020)
• Total	16,529
• Estimate  (2023)	16,558
• Density	11/sq mi (4.4/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	At-large
Website	www.co.richland.nd.us

Richland County is a county in the far southeast corner of the U.S. state of North Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 16,529. ^[1] Its county seat is Wahpeton. ^[2]

Richland County is part of the Wahpeton, ND–MN Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Fargo-Wahpeton, ND-MN Combined Statistical Area.

History

The Dakota Territory legislature created the county on January 4, 1873, with area partitioned from Pembina County. It was named for Morgan T. Rich, who settled on the site of the future Wahpeton in 1869. The county organization was completed on November 25 of that same year. Its boundaries were altered in 1883 and 1885. It has maintained its present configuration since 1885. ^{[3] [4]}

Outline map of Richland County, North Dakota, 1897

Geography

Richland County lies at the southeastern corner of North Dakota. Its eastern boundary line abuts the western boundary line of the state of Minnesota (across the Red River), and its southern boundary line abuts the northern boundary line of the state of South Dakota. The Red River flows northerly along its eastern boundary line on its way to the Hudson Bay. The Wild Rice River flows easterly and then northerly through the county, discharging into the Red River north of Richland County, in Cass County. The Sheyenne River flows northeasterly through the NW corner of the county, also discharging into the Red in Cass County.

The Richland County terrain is primarily flat, with rolling hills in the southwest and northwest. It is largely devoted to agriculture. ^[5] The terrain slopes to the north and east, with its highest point near its SW corner, at 1,220 ft (370 m) ASL. ^[6] The county has a total area of 1,445 square miles (3,740 km²), of which 1,436 square miles (3,720 km²) is land and 9.7 square miles (25 km²) (0.7%) is water. ^[7]

Major highways

• Interstate 29
• US 81
• North Dakota Highway 11
• North Dakota Highway 13
• North Dakota Highway 18
• North Dakota Highway 27
• North Dakota Highway 46
• North Dakota Highway 127

Adjacent counties

• Cass County - north
• Clay County, Minnesota - northeast
• Wilkin County, Minnesota - east
• Traverse County, Minnesota - southeast
• Roberts County, South Dakota - south
• Marshall County, South Dakota - southwest
• Sargent County - west
• Ransom County - northwest

National protected area

• Sheyenne National Grassland (part)

Lakes ^[5]

• Bisek Lake
• Grass Lake
• Gullys Slough
• Kreiser Lake
• Lueck Lake
• Moran Lake
• Park Lake
• Silver Lake
• Stacks Slough
• Swan Lake
• Willows Pond

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1880	3,597		—
1890	10,751		198.9%
1900	17,387		61.7%
1910	19,659		13.1%
1920	20,887		6.2%
1930	21,008		0.6%
1940	20,519		−2.3%
1950	19,865		−3.2%
1960	18,824		−5.2%
1970	18,089		−3.9%
1980	19,207		6.2%
1990	18,148		−5.5%
2000	17,998		−0.8%
2010	16,321		−9.3%
2020	16,529		1.3%
2023 (est.)	16,558	[8]	0.2%
U.S. Decennial Census [9] 1790-1960 [10] 1900-1990 [11] 1990-2000 [12] 2010-2020 [1]

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 16,529 people, 6,710 households, and 4,174 families in the county. ^[13] The population density was 11.5 inhabitants per square mile (4.4/km²) There were 7,501 housing units.

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 16,321 people, 6,651 households, and 4,171 families in the county. The population density was 11.4 inhabitants per square mile (4.4/km²). There were 7,503 housing units at an average density of 5.2 per square mile (2.0/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 95.0% white, 2.0% American Indian, 0.7% black or African American, 0.5% Asian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 0.4% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.7% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 53.0% were German, 31.2% were Norwegian, 7.0% were Irish, and 2.3% were American.

Of the 6,651 households, 28.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.6% were married couples living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 37.3% were non-families, and 30.9% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.91. The median age was 39.4 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $47,131 and the median income for a family was $64,636. Males had a median income of $42,597 versus $28,284 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,342. About 5.2% of families and 10.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.8% of those under age 18 and 11.6% of those age 65 or over.

Population by decade

Communities

Cities

• Abercrombie
• Barney
• Christine
• Colfax
• Dwight
• Fairmount
• Great Bend
• Hankinson
• Lidgerwood
• Mantador
• Mooreton
• Wahpeton (county seat)
• Walcott
• Wyndmere

Unincorporated communities ^[5]

• Blackmer
• Enloe
• Galchutt
• La Mars
• Lithia
• Tyler

Townships

• Abercrombie
• Antelope
• Barney
• Barrie
• Belford
• Brandenburg
• Brightwood
• Center
• Colfax
• Danton
• Devillo
• Dexter
• Duerr
• Dwight
• Eagle
• Elma
• Fairmount
• Freeman
• Garborg
• Grant
• Greendale
• Helendale
• Homestead
• Ibsen
• LaMars
• Liberty Grove
• Lidgerwood
• Mooreton
• Moran
• Nansen
• Sheyenne
• Summit
• Viking
• Walcott
• Waldo
• West End
• Wyndmere

Politics

Richland County voters have traditionally voted Republican. In only one national election since 1936 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate (as of 2020).

United States presidential election results for Richland County, North Dakota ^[14]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	5,072	64.93%	2,510	32.13%	230	2.94%
2016	4,767	62.79%	2,064	27.19%	761	10.02%
2012	4,229	55.55%	3,198	42.01%	186	2.44%
2008	3,900	51.57%	3,513	46.45%	150	1.98%
2004	5,264	64.08%	2,821	34.34%	130	1.58%
2000	4,999	62.37%	2,490	31.07%	526	6.56%
1996	3,345	47.32%	2,890	40.88%	834	11.80%
1992	3,873	46.66%	2,688	32.38%	1,740	20.96%
1988	4,670	56.44%	3,523	42.58%	81	0.98%
1984	5,980	65.48%	3,047	33.36%	106	1.16%
1980	5,711	61.17%	2,698	28.90%	928	9.94%
1976	4,991	51.01%	4,592	46.93%	202	2.06%
1972	5,194	60.23%	3,367	39.04%	63	0.73%
1968	4,224	54.38%	3,098	39.89%	445	5.73%
1964	3,425	43.05%	4,525	56.88%	5	0.06%
1960	4,711	54.04%	4,003	45.92%	4	0.05%
1956	4,971	60.96%	3,171	38.89%	12	0.15%
1952	6,022	69.78%	2,541	29.44%	67	0.78%
1948	3,448	48.73%	3,413	48.24%	214	3.02%
1944	4,402	57.74%	3,192	41.87%	30	0.39%
1940	5,102	58.42%	3,584	41.04%	48	0.55%
1936	2,386	31.41%	3,792	49.92%	1,418	18.67%
1932	2,304	28.16%	5,663	69.20%	216	2.64%
1928	4,251	53.89%	3,604	45.68%	34	0.43%
1924	3,235	48.84%	769	11.61%	2,620	39.55%
1920	5,483	79.46%	1,339	19.41%	78	1.13%
1916	2,097	53.25%	1,772	45.00%	69	1.75%
1912	1,034	31.95%	1,380	42.65%	822	25.40%
1908	1,864	54.17%	1,502	43.65%	75	2.18%
1904	2,420	66.50%	1,116	30.67%	103	2.83%
1900	2,067	58.46%	1,399	39.56%	70	1.98%

Education

School districts include: ^[15]

• Fairmount Public School District 18
• Hankinson Public School District 8
• Kindred Public School District 2
• Lidgerwood Public School District 28
• Richland Public School District 44
• Wahpeton Public School District 37
• Wyndmere Public School District 42

Circle of Nations Wahpeton Indian School is a tribally-controlled school affiliated with the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE).

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Richland County, North Dakota

References

1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. "County History". Official Portal for North Dakota State Government. Archived from the original on February 2, 2015. Retrieved May 4, 2011.
4. "Dakota Territory, South Dakota, and North Dakota: Individual County Chronologies". Dakota Territory Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2006. Archived from the original on April 2, 2018. Retrieved February 4, 2015.
5. "Richland County · North Dakota". Google Maps. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
6. ""Find an Altitude/Richland County ND" Google Maps (accessed February 24, 2019)". Archived from the original on May 21, 2019. Retrieved February 25, 2019.
7. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on January 29, 2015. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
8. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023" . Retrieved March 19, 2024.
9. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
10. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
11. Forstall, Richard L., ed. (April 20, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
12. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
13. "US Census Bureau, Table P16: Household Type". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
14. Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 13, 2018.
15. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Richland County, ND" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 24, 2022. Retrieved July 24, 2022. - Text list - 2010 map - 2010 text list

External links

• Richland County, North Dakota
• A history of Richland County and the city of Wahpeton ND (1938?) from the Digital Horizons website
• Richland County maps, Sheet 1 (northern) and Sheet 2 (southern), North Dakota DOT

46°16′N96°57′W / 46.27°N 96.95°W / 46.27; -96.95