Walsh County, North Dakota

Walsh County
County
Walsh County Courthouse
Location within the U.S. state of North Dakota
North Dakota's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 48°22′N97°43′W / 48.37°N 97.72°W / 48.37; -97.72
Country	United States
State	North Dakota
Founded	May 2, 1881 (created) August 30, 1881 (organized)
Named for	George H. Walsh
Seat	Grafton
Largest city	Grafton
Area
• Total	1,294 sq mi (3,350 km2)
• Land	1,282 sq mi (3,320 km2)
• Water	12 sq mi (30 km2)  0.9%
Population  (2020)
• Total	10,563
• Estimate  (2023)	10,305
• Density	8.2/sq mi (3.2/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	At-large
Website	walshcountynd.com

Walsh County is a county in the U.S. state of North Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 10,563. ^[1] Its county seat is Grafton. ^[2]

History

The Dakota Territory legislature created the county on May 2, 1881, with areas partitioned from Grand and Pembina counties. It was organized on August 30 of that same year, with Grafton as county seat. ^{[3] [4]} It was named for George H. Walsh (1845–1913), a newspaperman and politician in Grand Forks.

Outline map of Walsh County, North Dakota, 1910

Geography

Walsh County lies on the eastern side of North Dakota. Its eastern boundary line abuts the western boundary line of the state of Minnesota (across the Red River). The Red River flows northward along the east side of the county on its way to Hudson Bay in Canada. The south branch of the Park River flows eastward through the county to discharge into the Red on the east side of the county. ^[5] The terrain generally slopes to the north and east, but the highest point is its northwestern corner, at 1,647 ft (502 m) ASL. ^[6] The county has a total area of 1,294 square miles (3,350 km²), of which 1,282 square miles (3,320 km²) is land and 12 square miles (31 km²) (0.9%) is water. ^[7]

Major highways

• Interstate 29
• U.S. Highway 81
• North Dakota Highway 17
• North Dakota Highway 18
• North Dakota Highway 32
• North Dakota Highway 35

Adjacent counties

• Pembina County – north
• Kittson County, Minnesota – northeast
• Marshall County, Minnesota – east
• Grand Forks County – south
• Nelson County – southwest
• Ramsey County – west
• Cavalier County – northwest

Protected areas

• Ardoch National Wildlife Refuge
• Fairdale Slough National Waterfowl Production Area
• National Waterfowl Production Area
• North Salt Lake State Game Management Area

Lakes ^[5]

• Fairdale Slough
• Homme Lake
• North Salt Lake
• Salt Lake
• Waterloo Lake

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1890	16,587		—
1900	20,288		22.3%
1910	19,491		−3.9%
1920	19,087		−2.1%
1930	20,047		5.0%
1940	20,747		3.5%
1950	18,859		−9.1%
1960	17,997		−4.6%
1970	16,251		−9.7%
1980	15,371		−5.4%
1990	13,840		−10.0%
2000	12,389		−10.5%
2010	11,119		−10.3%
2020	10,563		−5.0%
2023 (est.)	10,305	[8]	−2.4%
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 10,563 people, 4,493 households, and 2,738 families in the county. ^[13] The population density was 8.2 inhabitants per square mile (3.2/km²) There were 5,202 housing units.

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 11,119 people, 4,746 households, and 3,021 families in the county. The population density was 8.67 people per square mile (3.35 people/km²). There were 5,498 housing units at an average density of 4.29 units per square mile (1.66/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 93.5% white, 1.5% American Indian, 0.3% Asian, 0.2% black or African American, 3.1% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 8.7% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 39.7% were Norwegian, 21.6% were German, 11.0% were Polish, 9.4% were Irish, 9.3% were Czech, 5.8% were English, and 5.4% were American.

Of the 4,746 households, 25.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.4% were married couples living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 36.3% were non-families, and 32.8% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.88. The median age was 45.9 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $44,139 and the median income for a family was $58,429. Males had a median income of $36,934 versus $26,826 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,829. About 5.4% of families and 9.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.8% of those under age 18 and 12.7% of those age 65 or over.

Population by decade

Communities

Cities

• Adams
• Ardoch
• Conway
• Edinburg
• Fairdale
• Fordville
• Forest River
• Grafton (county seat)
• Hoople
• Lankin
• Minto
• Park River
• Pisek

Census-designated places

• Auburn
• Nash

Unincorporated communities

• Herriott
• Veseleyville
• Voss
• Warsaw

Townships

• Acton
• Adams
• Ardoch
• Cleveland
• Dewey
• Dundee
• Eden
• Farmington
• Fertile
• Forest River
• Glenwood
• Golden
• Grafton
• Harriston
• Kensington
• Kinloss
• Lampton
• Latona
• Martin
• Medford
• Norton
• Oakwood
• Ops
• Perth
• Prairie Centre
• Pulaski
• Rushford
• St. Andrews
• Sauter
• Shepherd
• Silvesta
• Tiber
• Vernon
• Vesta
• Walsh Centre
• Walshville

Township Numbers and Range Numbers ^[14]

	Range 59	Range 58	Range 57	Range 56	Range 55	Range 54	Range 53	Range 52	Range 51	Range 50
Township 155	Sauter	Perth	Cleveland	Medford	Eden	Ops	Forest River	Ardoch	Walshville	Walshville
Township 156	Shepherd	Latona	Norton	Vernon	Rushford	Prairie Centre	Walsh Centre	Harriston	Pulaski	Pulaski
Township 157	Dewey	Adams	Vesta	Golden	Kensington Township	Fertile	Grafton	Oakwood	Acton	Acton
Township 158	St. Andrews	St. Andrews	Martin	Farmington	Glenwood	Dundee	Lampton	Tiber	Silvesta	Kinloss

Politics

Walsh County voters have traditionally voted Republican. In only one national election since 1964 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate (as of 2020).

United States presidential election results for Walsh County, North Dakota ^[15]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	3,324	69.50%	1,333	27.87%	126	2.63%
2016	2,995	64.60%	1,167	25.17%	474	10.22%
2012	2,656	55.44%	1,985	41.43%	150	3.13%
2008	2,415	49.47%	2,325	47.62%	142	2.91%
2004	3,194	61.59%	1,905	36.73%	87	1.68%
2000	3,099	59.80%	1,743	33.64%	340	6.56%
1996	2,222	44.99%	2,082	42.15%	635	12.86%
1992	2,544	43.09%	1,936	32.79%	1,424	24.12%
1988	3,250	54.48%	2,646	44.35%	70	1.17%
1984	4,347	64.84%	2,264	33.77%	93	1.39%
1980	4,488	64.69%	1,850	26.66%	600	8.65%
1976	3,518	48.13%	3,555	48.64%	236	3.23%
1972	3,991	56.29%	2,908	41.02%	191	2.69%
1968	3,410	50.06%	2,948	43.28%	454	6.66%
1964	2,454	33.27%	4,911	66.58%	11	0.15%
1960	4,036	50.16%	4,009	49.82%	2	0.02%
1956	3,946	54.81%	3,238	44.97%	16	0.22%
1952	4,761	57.33%	3,494	42.08%	49	0.59%
1948	2,646	37.63%	4,170	59.31%	215	3.06%
1944	2,471	34.07%	4,747	65.46%	34	0.47%
1940	3,051	35.61%	5,499	64.18%	18	0.21%
1936	1,813	22.15%	5,756	70.32%	616	7.53%
1932	1,616	22.31%	5,342	73.74%	286	3.95%
1928	3,657	48.94%	3,798	50.83%	17	0.23%
1924	2,837	49.17%	917	15.89%	2,016	34.94%
1920	4,581	67.13%	2,047	30.00%	196	2.87%
1916	1,670	43.81%	2,003	52.54%	139	3.65%
1912	586	20.33%	1,206	41.85%	1,090	37.82%
1908	1,751	49.46%	1,641	46.36%	148	4.18%
1904	2,042	61.97%	1,113	33.78%	140	4.25%
1900	1,807	49.41%	1,804	49.33%	46	1.26%

See also

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

References

1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. 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 4, 2015.
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. "Walsh County · North Dakota". Google Maps. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
6. ""Find an Altitude/Walsh 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 May 9, 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 May 9, 2024.
14. "Earth Point".
15. Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 13, 2018.

External links

• Walsh County – Official Website
• Walsh County maps, Sheet 1 (western), Sheet 2 (eastern), North Dakota DOT

48°22′N97°43′W / 48.37°N 97.72°W / 48.37; -97.72