McKenzie County, North Dakota

McKenzie County is a county in the U.S. state of North Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 14,704,<ref name="2020 Census (City)">Template:Cite web</ref> and was estimated to be 14,782 in 2024,<ref name="QF"/> The county seat and largest city is Watford City.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> McKenzie County is also the largest county in North Dakota by land area.

The county lies immediately adjacent to the Williston Micropolitan Statistical Area, although the Census Bureau does not include McKenzie County in that grouping.

History

The Dakota Territory legislature created the county on March 9, 1883, with areas partitioned from Howard County (now extinct). The county was named for Alexander McKenzie, a territorial political figure who was later disgraced for corruption.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The county was not organized at that time, and was not attached to another county for administrative or judicial purposes. The county's boundary was altered in 1885, and on March 2, 1891, the state legislature authorized the dissolution of the county, assigning its territories to Billings and Stark counties. However, this directive was not implemented, and McKenzie continued as a defined county until November 3, 1896, when another act was passed to dissolve the county and assign its territories to Billings County. This act was challenged in the courts, and on May 24, 1901, the state Supreme Court held that the county was to continue in existence.

On March 10, 1903, the county was attached to Stark County for administrative purposes. On March 16, 1905, McKenzie gained the territories of Allred and Wallace counties as those counties were administratively dissolved. On April 20, 1905, the McKenzie County government was organized, and its previous attachment to Stark was terminated.

The first county seat was Alexander. In 1907 the seat was moved to Schafer, and in 1941 it was moved to the present location, Watford City.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, McKenzie County was the fastest growing county in the United States, growing by 131.2% from 6,360 to 14,704 inhabitants, largely due to the Bakken Formation oil boom.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Geography

McKenzie County lies on the west line of North Dakota. Its west boundary line abuts the east boundary line of the state of Montana. The Missouri River flows easterly along the western portion of the county's north boundary line, and the enlargement of the Missouri as it discharges into Lake Sakakawea forms the eastern portion of the county's north and northeastern boundary line. The Yellowstone River flows into the northwestern corner of the county from Montana, and discharges into the Missouri at the county's northern boundary line. The Little Missouri River flows northeasterly through the county's lower portion, on its way to discharge into Lake Sakakawea, east of the county's east boundary line. The county terrain consists of semi-arid rolling hills, carved by river valleys and drainages. The area is partially devoted to agriculture.<ref name="MCND">Template:Cite web</ref> The terrain slopes to the east and north, with its highest point on its south boundary line, at Template:Convert ASL.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert (3.51%) is water.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It is the 1st largest county in North Dakota by total area.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The McKenzie County landscape features a wide diversity of physical features, ranging from sugarbeet fields bordering the Missouri River at the northwest corner of the county to rugged badlands near the Little Missouri River in the south, where Theodore Roosevelt National Park and the Little Missouri National Grassland are located. Between the two rivers is a large area of prairie, ranging from gentle rolling terrain to rocky, rugged pastures. The southeast corner of the county, bordering on the Little Missouri badlands of neighboring Dunn County, is abundant in wildlife, quaking aspen groves, and bur oak groves, interspersed in places with western red cedar on the north-facing slopes of the badlands.

The southwestern corner counties of North Dakota (Adams, Billings, Bowman, Golden Valley, Grant, Hettinger, Slope, Stark) observe Mountain Time. The counties of McKenzie, Dunn, and Sioux are split between Mountain and Central Time.

Major highways

• File:US 85.svg U.S. Highway 85
• File:ND-22 (2015).svg North Dakota Highway 22
• File:ND-23 (2015).svg North Dakota Highway 23
• File:ND-58 (2015).svg North Dakota Highway 58
• File:ND-68 (2015).svg North Dakota Highway 68
• File:ND-73 (2015).svg North Dakota Highway 73
• File:ND-200 (2015).svg North Dakota Highway 200
• File:ND-1806 (2015).svg North Dakota Highway 1806

Adjacent counties

• Williams County - north (observes Central Time)
• Mountrail County - northeast (observes Central Time)
• Dunn County - southeast (observes Mountain Time in western section)
• Billings County - south (observes Mountain Time)
• Golden Valley County - southwest (observes Mountain Time)
• Wibaux County, Montana - west (observes Mountain Time)
• Richland County, Montana - northwest (observes Mountain Time)

Protected areas

Source:<ref name=MCND/> Template:Div col

• Antelope Creek State Game Management Area
• Antelope Creek State Wildlife Refuge
• Bear Den Creek Public Use Area
• Little Missouri National Grassland (part)
• Maah Daah Hey Trail
• Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Unit - contained within LM National Grassland)
• Tobacco Garden Creek State Game Management Area
• Tobacco Garden Creek Recreation Area

Lakes

Source:<ref name=MCND/>

• Demicks Lake
• Lake Sakakawea
• Nohly Lake

Demographics

As of the fourth quarter of 2024, the median home value in McKenzie County was $378,579.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

As of the 2023 American Community Survey, there are 5,910 estimated households in McKenzie County with an average of 2.37 persons per household. The county has a median household income of $88,289. Approximately 8.1% of the county's population lives at or below the poverty line. McKenzie County has an estimated 69.8% employment rate, with 22.8% of the population holding a bachelor's degree or higher and 92.3% holding a high school diploma.<ref name="QF">Template:Cite web</ref>

The top five reported ancestries (people were allowed to report up to two ancestries, thus the figures will generally add to more than 100%) were English (91.0%), Spanish (4.9%), Indo-European (1.2%), Asian and Pacific Islander (0.9%), and Other (2.0%).

The median age in the county was 31.2 years.

McKenzie County, North Dakota – racial and ethnic composition
Template:Nobold

Race / ethnicity (NH = non-Hispanic)	Pop. 1980<ref name=1980CensusScope>Template:Cite web</ref>	Pop. 1990<ref name="Census 1990">Template:Cite web</ref>	Pop. 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>Template:Cite web</ref>	Pop. 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>Template:Cite web</ref>	Template:Partial<ref name=2020CensusP2>Template:Cite web</ref>
White alone (NH)	6,143 (86.13%)	5,426 (85.01%)	4,419 (77.03%)	4,746 (74.62%)	10,268 (69.83%)
Black or African American alone (NH)	1 (0.01%)	2 (0.03%)	4 (0.07%)	4 (0.06%)	214 (1.46%)
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	915 (12.83%)	898 (14.07%)	1,191 (20.76%)	1,349 (21.21%)	1,823 (12.40%)
Asian alone (NH)	7 (0.10%)	3 (0.05%)	2 (0.03%)	19 (0.30%)	171 (1.16%)
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	—	—	1 (0.02%)	2 (0.03%)	5 (0.03%)
Other race alone (NH)	2 (0.03%)	0 (0.00%)	2 (0.03%)	4 (0.06%)	67 (0.46%)
Mixed race or multiracial (NH)	—	—	60 (1.05%)	97 (1.53%)	624 (4.24%)
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	64 (0.90%)	54 (0.85%)	58 (1.01%)	139 (2.19%)	1,532 (10.42%)
Total	7,132 (100.00%)	6,383 (100.00%)	5,737 (100.00%)	6,360 (100.00%)	14,704 (100.00%)

2023 estimate

As of the 2023 estimate, there were 14,252 people and 5,910 households residing in the county. There were 7,841 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 84.5% White (74.0% NH White), 2.2% African American, 8.3% Native American, 1.2% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, _% from some other races and 3.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 13.0% of the population.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 14,704 people, 5,416 households, and 3,519 families residing in the county.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The population density was Template:Convert. There were 7,661 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 72.35% White, 1.48% African American, 12.88% Native American, 1.16% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 4.82% from some other races and 7.27% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 10.42% of the population.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 6,360 people, 2,410 households, and 1,682 families residing in the county. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 3,090 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 75.35% White, 0.13% African American, 22.20% Native American, 0.30% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.42% from some other races and 1.57% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 2.19% of the population.

In terms of ancestry, 39.5% were Norwegian, 30.6% were German, 6.1% were Irish, and 0.7% were American.

There were 2,410 households, 33.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.7% were married couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 30.2% were non-families, and 25.3% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.06. The median age was 38.0 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $48,480 and the median income for a family was $58,906. Males had a median income of $42,803 versus $33,056 for females. The per capita income for the county was $27,605. About 6.7% of families and 10.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.8% of those under age 18 and 10.0% of those age 65 or over.

Population by decade

<timeline> Colors=

 id:lightgrey value:gray(0.9)
 id:darkgrey  value:gray(0.8)
 id:sfondo value:rgb(1,1,1)
 id:barra value:rgb(0.55,0.0,0.0)

ImageSize = width:650 height:325 PlotArea = left:50 bottom:50 top:30 right:30 DateFormat = x.y Period = from:0 till:14784 TimeAxis = orientation:vertical AlignBars = late ScaleMajor = gridcolor:darkgrey increment:3696 start:0 ScaleMinor = gridcolor:lightgrey increment:1848 start:0 BackgroundColors = canvas:sfondo

BarData=

 bar:1910 text:1910
 bar:1920 text:1920
 bar:1930 text:1930
 bar:1940 text:1940
 bar:1950 text:1950
 bar:1960 text:1960
 bar:1970 text:1970
 bar:1980 text:1980
 bar:1990 text:1990
 bar:2000 text:2000
 bar:2010 text:2010
 bar:2020 text:2020
 bar:2024 text:present

PlotData=

 color:barra width:25 align:left

 bar:1910 from: 0 till:5720
 bar:1920 from: 0 till:9544
 bar:1930 from: 0 till:9709
 bar:1940 from: 0 till:8426
 bar:1950 from: 0 till:6849
 bar:1960 from: 0 till:7296
 bar:1970 from: 0 till:6127
 bar:1980 from: 0 till:7132
 bar:1990 from: 0 till:6383
 bar:2000 from: 0 till:5737
 bar:2010 from: 0 till:6360
 bar:2020 from: 0 till:14704
 bar:2024 from: 0 till:14782 color:darkblue

PlotData=

 bar:1910 at:5720 fontsize:M text:5,720 shift:(-16,6)
 bar:1920 at:9544 fontsize:M text:9,544 shift:(-16,6)
 bar:1930 at:9709 fontsize:M text:9,709 shift:(-16,6)
 bar:1940 at:8426 fontsize:M text:8,426 shift:(-16,6)
 bar:1950 at:6849 fontsize:M text:6,849 shift:(-16,6)
 bar:1960 at:7296 fontsize:M text:7,296 shift:(-16,6)
 bar:1970 at:6127 fontsize:M text:6,127 shift:(-16,6)
 bar:1980 at:7132 fontsize:M text:7,132 shift:(-16,6)
 bar:1990 at:6383 fontsize:M text:6,383 shift:(-16,6)
 bar:2000 at:5737 fontsize:M text:5,737 shift:(-16,6)
 bar:2010 at:6360 fontsize:M text:6,360 shift:(-16,6)
 bar:2020 at:14704 fontsize:M text:14,704 shift:(-16,6)
 bar:2024 at:14782 fontsize:L text:14,782 shift:(-16,6)

TextData=

 fontsize:S pos:(20,20)
 text:Data from U.S. Census Bureau

</timeline>

Communities

Cities

• Alexander
• Arnegard
• Watford City (county seat)

Census-designated places

• East Fairview
• Four Bears Village
• Mandaree

Unincorporated communities

Source:<ref name=MCND/> Template:Div col

• Banks
• Cartwright
• Charbonneau
• Charlson
• Dore
• Grassy Butte
• Hawkeye
• Johnsons Corner (or Johnson Corner)
• Keene
• Kroff
• Rawson
• Schafer

Townships

• Alex
• Antelope Creek
• Arnegard
• Blue Butte
• Charbon
• Elm Tree
• Ellsworth
• Grail
• Hawkeye
• Keene
• Randolph
• Riverview
• Sioux
• Tri
• Twin Valley
• Yellowstone

Defunct Townships

Elk, Poe, and Wilbur townships merged January 1, 2002 to form Tri Township.<ref>Historical census data</ref>

Politics

McKenzie County voters have traditionally voted Republican. In only one national election since 1948 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate (as of 2024). Template:PresHead Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresFoot

Education

School districts include:<ref>Template:Cite web - Text list - The 2010 map (see text list) does not list Williston District 1 while the 2020 map does. The Williston 1 district merged into the Williston Basin district in 2021</ref>

K-12: Template:Div col

• Alexander Public School District 2
• Mandaree Public School District 36
• McKenzie County Public School District 1
• New Town Public School District 1
• Williston Basin School District 7

Elementary:

• Earl Public School District 18
• Horse Creek Public School District 32
• Yellowstone Public School District 14

Former districts

• Grassy Butte District - Merged into the Killdeer district<ref name=Rurallosing>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Williston Public School District 1 - Merged into Williston Basin district in 2021<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

See also

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

External links

• McKenzie County official website
• As the Sod Was Turned (Norma Berntson, 1959) from the Digital Horizons website
• McKenzie County maps, Sheet 1 (northeastern), Sheet 2 (northwestern), and Sheet 3 (southern), North Dakota DOT