Barnes County, North Dakota

Barnes County
County
Barnes County Courthouse
Location within the U.S. state of North Dakota
North Dakota's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 46°56′N98°04′W / 46.93°N 98.07°W / 46.93; -98.07
Country	United States
State	North Dakota
Founded	1872 (created as Burbank) 1874 (renamed as Barnes) January 6, 1879 (organized)
Named for	judge Alanson H. Barnes
Seat	Valley City
Largest city	Valley City
Area
• Total	1,513 sq mi (3,920 km2)
• Land	1,492 sq mi (3,860 km2)
• Water	22 sq mi (60 km2)  1.4%
Population  (2020)
• Total	10,853
• Estimate  (2023)	10,726
• Density	7.2/sq mi (2.8/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	At-large
Website	www.barnescounty.us

Barnes County is a county in the U.S. state of North Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 10,853. ^[1] Its county seat is Valley City. ^[2]

In 1872, the Dakota Territory legislature authorized Burbank County (named for governor John A. Burbank); in 1874 they renamed it Barnes County, for Alanson H. Barnes (1818–1890), an associate justice of the Territorial Court. It was organized at Valley City on January 6, 1879. ^[3]

Geography

Native vegetation based on NRCS soils information

The Sheyenne River flows southerly through the central part of Barnes County. The county terrain consists of rolling hills, carved with drainages, and dotted with lakes and ponds. The area is largely devoted to agriculture. ^[4] The terrain slopes to the south and east; its highest point is on its upper west boundary line, at 1,535 ft (468 m) ASL. ^[5] The county has a total area of 1,513 square miles (3,920 km²), of which 1,492 square miles (3,860 km²) is land and 22 square miles (57 km²) (1.4%) is water. ^[6]

Major highways

• I-94
• US 52
• ND 1
• ND 9
• ND 18
• ND 26
• ND 32
• ND 46

Transit

• Jefferson Lines

Adjacent counties

• Griggs County – north
• Steele County – northeast
• Cass County – east
• Ransom County – southeast
• LaMoure County – southwest
• Stutsman County – west

Protected areas

• Clausen Springs Recreation Area
• Clausen Springs State Game Management Area
• Hobart Lake National Wildlife Refuge
• Koldak State Game Management Area
• Riparian Restoration Interpretative Site
• Stoney Slough National Wildlife Refuge
• Tomahawk Lake National Wildlife Refuge

^[4]

Lakes

• Lake Ashtabula
• Eckelson Lake
• Fox Lake
• Goose Lake
• Hobart Lake
• Island Lake
• Kee Lake
• Lake Benson
• Meadow Lake
• Moon Lake
• Mud Lake
• Round Lake
• Saint Marys Lake
• Sanborn Lake
• Tomahawk Lake

^[4]

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1880	1,585		—
1890	7,045		344.5%
1900	13,159		86.8%
1910	18,066		37.3%
1920	18,678		3.4%
1930	18,804		0.7%
1940	17,814		−5.3%
1950	16,884		−5.2%
1960	16,719		−1.0%
1970	14,669		−12.3%
1980	13,960		−4.8%
1990	12,545		−10.1%
2000	11,775		−6.1%
2010	11,066		−6.0%
2020	10,853		−1.9%
2023 (est.)	10,726	[7]	−1.2%
U.S. Decennial Census [8] 1790-1960 [9] 1900-1990 [10] 1990-2000 [11] 2010-2020 [1]

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 10,853 people, 4,772 households, and 2,751 families in the county. ^[12] The population density was 7.3 inhabitants per square mile (2.8/km²) There were 5,671 housing units.

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 11,066 people, 4,826 households, and 2,927 families residing in the county. The population density was 7.4 inhabitants per square mile (2.9/km²). There were 5,704 housing units at an average density of 3.8 units per square mile (1.5/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.4% white, 0.8% black or African American, 0.7% American Indian, 0.5% Asian, 0.2% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.1% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 48.4% were German, 37.2% were Norwegian, 8.3% were Irish, 5.2% were English, and 2.7% were American.

Of the 4,826 households, 24.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.8% were married couples living together, 6.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 39.3% were non-families, and 32.9% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.79. The median age was 44.3 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $41,773 and the median income for a family was $59,558. Males had a median income of $42,575 versus $30,361 for females. The per capita income for the county was $26,152. About 6.4% of families and 12.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.6% of those under age 18 and 14.6% of those age 65 or over.

Population by decade

Communities

Cities

• Dazey
• Fingal
• Kathryn
• Leal
• Litchville
• Nome
• Oriska
• Pillsbury
• Rogers
• Sanborn
• Sibley
• Tower City (part)
• Valley City (county seat)
• Wimbledon

Unincorporated communities

• Berea^{[ citation needed ]}
• Eastedge
• Eckelson
• Hastings
• Koldok
• Lucca

Townships

• Alta
• Anderson
• Ashtabula
• Baldwin
• Binghampton
• Brimer
• Cuba
• Dazey
• Eckelson
• Edna
• Ellsbury
• Getchell
• Grand Prairie
• Green
• Greenland
• Hemen
• Hobart
• Lake Town
• Mansfield
• Marsh
• Meadow Lake
• Minnie Lake
• Nelson
• Noltimier
• Norma
• Oakhill
• Oriska
• Pierce
• Potter
• Raritan
• Rogers
• Rosebud
• Sibley Trail
• Skandia
• Spring Creek
• Springvale
• Stewart
• Svea
• Thordenskjold
• Uxbridge
• Valley
• Weimer

Notable people

• Frank White, eighth Governor of North Dakota and Treasurer of the United States.
• Peggy Lee, singer & actress
• Earl Pomeroy, U.S. Congressman
• Morley Nelson, conservationist

Politics

Barnes County is a reliable bellwether for the state of North Dakota, having voted for the statewide winner in every presidential election since 1896. Like North Dakota as a whole, Barnes County voters have been reliably Republican for decades. In only one national election since 1936 has the county selected the Democratic County candidate.

United States presidential election results for Barnes County, North Dakota ^[13]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	3,568	64.12%	1,820	32.70%	177	3.18%
2016	3,160	59.13%	1,597	29.88%	587	10.98%
2012	2,964	53.68%	2,394	43.35%	164	2.97%
2008	2,826	49.63%	2,741	48.14%	127	2.23%
2004	3,541	60.92%	2,186	37.61%	86	1.48%
2000	3,452	60.06%	1,933	33.63%	363	6.32%
1996	2,449	44.79%	2,317	42.37%	702	12.84%
1992	2,728	42.30%	2,124	32.94%	1,597	24.76%
1988	3,631	55.47%	2,858	43.66%	57	0.87%
1984	4,348	62.79%	2,507	36.20%	70	1.01%
1980	4,392	59.79%	2,128	28.97%	826	11.24%
1976	4,011	53.75%	3,321	44.51%	130	1.74%
1972	4,518	61.14%	2,804	37.95%	67	0.91%
1968	3,831	56.30%	2,623	38.55%	351	5.16%
1964	2,987	42.62%	4,007	57.18%	14	0.20%
1960	4,403	57.71%	3,223	42.25%	3	0.04%
1956	4,475	61.99%	2,730	37.82%	14	0.19%
1952	5,534	71.84%	2,120	27.52%	49	0.64%
1948	3,385	51.33%	2,892	43.86%	317	4.81%
1944	3,696	55.55%	2,922	43.92%	35	0.53%
1940	4,649	57.67%	3,384	41.97%	29	0.36%
1936	2,324	30.00%	4,484	57.89%	938	12.11%
1932	2,527	32.96%	4,833	63.04%	307	4.00%
1928	3,755	53.01%	3,293	46.49%	35	0.49%
1924	3,205	51.46%	346	5.56%	2,677	42.98%
1920	5,150	80.27%	1,101	17.16%	165	2.57%
1916	1,467	45.08%	1,678	51.57%	109	3.35%
1912	570	24.72%	940	40.76%	796	34.52%
1908	1,786	62.06%	996	34.61%	96	3.34%
1904	2,041	76.13%	451	16.82%	189	7.05%
1900	1,324	53.78%	1,077	43.74%	61	2.48%

Education

School districts: ^[14]

• Barnes County North Public School District 7
• Enderlin Area Public School District 24
• Griggs County Central School District 18
• Hope-Page School District
• Litchville-Marion Public School District 46
• Maple Valley Public School District 4
• Montpelier Public School District 14
• Valley City Public School District 2

Former districts:

• Hope Public School District 10 ^[14] - Consolidated with Page district in 2020 ^[15]
• Oriska School District - Consolidated into Maple Valley in 2003 ^[16]
• Page Public School District 80 ^[14] - Consolidated with Hope district in 2020 ^[15]

See also

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

References

1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. "County History". North Dakota.gov. The State of North Dakota. Archived from the original on February 2, 2015. Retrieved February 2, 2015.
4. Barnes County ND Google Maps (accessed February 13, 2019)
5. ""Find an Altitude" Barnes County ND - Google Maps (accessed February 13, 2019)". Archived from the original on May 21, 2019. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
6. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on January 29, 2015. Retrieved January 27, 2015.
7. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023" . Retrieved May 8, 2024.
8. "United States Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 27, 2015.
9. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved January 27, 2015.
10. Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 27, 2015.
11. "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 January 27, 2015.
12. "US Census Bureau, Table P16: Household Type". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
13. Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 12, 2018.
14. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Barnes County, ND" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 15, 2021. Retrieved July 24, 2022. - Text list - 2010 map and 2010 text list
15. "Enrollment History Public School Districts 2009-2021". North Dakota Department of Public Instruction . Retrieved August 19, 2021. - Check the 2020-2021 spreadsheet, which lists a single "Hope Page" school district, and compare with all previous sheets which show them as two separate school districts.
16. "School districts agree to consolidate". The Bismarck Tribune . Associated Press. November 7, 2002. p. 8A. - Clipping from Newspapers.com.

External links

• Barnes County – Official Website
• Barnes County maps, Sheet 1 (southern) and Sheet 2 (northern), North Dakota DOT

46°56′N98°04′W / 46.93°N 98.07°W / 46.93; -98.07