Rolette County, North Dakota

Rolette County is a county in the U.S. state of North Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 12,187,<ref name="2020 Census (City)">Template:Cite web</ref> and was estimated to be 11,692 in 2024.<ref name="QF"/> Its county seat is Rolla.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The County has been known to have approximately several lakes in the County, they're mostly north-west of the county and some are in the north, also North of Dunseith, and north-west of Rolla. Some of the international peace garden is located along the north-west of the county, and about 14 miles (22 km) North of the city of Dunseith among the highway US-281 and ND-3.

History

The Dakota Territory legislature created the county on January 4, 1873, with territory partitioned from Buffalo County. It was not organized at that date, and was not attached to another county for judicial or administrative purposes. It was named for Joseph Rolette Jr., a fur trader and political figure from Pembina. The county government was effected on October 14, 1884, with Dunseith as the county seat. In 1885 the county seat was assigned to Saint John, and in 1889 it was assigned to Rolla.

The county boundaries were adjusted in 1883 and in 1887. It has retained its present boundary configuration since 1887.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The International Peace Garden is located in the northwest corner of the county along the Canada–United States border with Manitoba.

Geography

File:Rolette Co ND Pie Chart No Text 3-7-17 Version.pdf

Native vegetation based on NRCS soils information

Rolette County lies on the northern border of North Dakota with Canada. Gimby Creek and Wakopa Creek flow into the county from Canada. The terrain consists of dry rolling hills in the south, and more verdant low hills in the north and northwest, dotted with lakes and ponds.<ref name="RCND">Template:Cite web</ref>

Part of the Turtle Mountain plateau lies in the northwestern part of the county. The terrain slopes to the south and east; its highest point is its northwest corner, at Template:Convert ASL.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation is in the northeast section of Rolette County.

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 (3.88%) is water.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It is the 44th largest county in North Dakota by total area.

Major highways

• File:US 281.svg U.S. Highway 281
• File:ND-3 (2015).svg North Dakota Highway 3
• File:ND-5 (2015).svg North Dakota Highway 5
• File:ND-30 (2015).svg North Dakota Highway 30
• File:ND-43 (2015).svg North Dakota Highway 43
• File:ND-66 (2015).svg North Dakota Highway 66

Adjacent counties and rural municipalities

• Municipality of Boissevain-Morton, Manitoba - northwest
• Municipality of Killarney-Turtle Mountain, Manitoba - northeast
• Towner County - east
• Pierce County - south
• Bottineau County - west

Protected areas

• Lords Lake National Wildlife Refuge (part)
• Rabb Lake National Wildlife Refuge
• School Section Lake National Wildlife Refuge
• Willow Lake National Wildlife Refuge

Lakes

• Belcourt Lake
• Bigham Lake
• Bymes Lake
• Carpenters Lake
• Coon Lake
• Gatten Lake
• Girl Lake
• Gordon Lake
• Hartley Lake (part)
• Horseshoe Lake
• Island Lake
• Lagerquist Lake
• Lake Upsilon
• Little Gurr Lake
• Long Lake
• Lords Lake (part)
• Mill Lake
• Mill Lake
• Rabb Lake
• School Section Lake
• Schutte Lake
• South Messier Lake (part)
• Ducker Lake
• Twin Lake
• Twin Lakes (part)
• Willow Lake<ref name=RCND/>

Demographics

As of the third quarter of 2024, the median home value in Rolette County was $98,610.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

As of the 2023 American Community Survey, there are 3,686 estimated households in Rolette County with an average of 3.23 persons per household. The county has a median household income of $57,355. Approximately 23.5% of the county's population lives at or below the poverty line. Rolette County has an estimated 53.1% employment rate, with 16.6% of the population holding a bachelor's degree or higher and 83.9% 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 (93.0%), Spanish (0.9%), Indo-European (0.9%), Asian and Pacific Islander (0.6%), and Other (4.5%).

The median age in the county was 32.1 years.

Rolette 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=1990CensusScope>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)	5,091 (41.81%)	4,204 (32.92%)	3,416 (24.98%)	2,802 (20.10%)	2,298 (18.86%)
Black or African American alone (NH)	8 (0.07%)	28 (0.22%)	10 (0.07%)	21 (0.15%)	13 (0.11%)
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	7,020 (57.65%)	8,457 (66.22%)	9,907 (72.45%)	10,677 (76.61%)	9,210 (75.57%)
Asian alone (NH)	18 (0.15%)	13 (0.10%)	10 (0.07%)	16 (0.11%)	23 (0.19%)
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	—	—	0 (0.00%)	1 (0.01%)	8 (0.07%)
Other race alone (NH)	3 (0.02%)	5 (0.04%)	4 (0.03%)	1 (0.01%)	8 (0.07%)
Mixed race or multiracial (NH)	—	—	217 (1.59%)	286 (2.05%)	490 (4.02%)
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	37 (0.30%)	65 (0.51%)	110 (0.80%)	133 (0.95%)	137 (1.12%)
Total	12,177 (100.00%)	12,772 (100.00%)	13,674 (100.00%)	13,937 (100.00%)	12,187 (100.00%)

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 12,187 people, 4,114 households, and 2,857 families residing in the county.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The population density was Template:Convert. There were 4,581 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 19.03% White, 0.14% African American, Template:Font color [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Template:Font color]], 0.21% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 0.14% from some other races and 4.29% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 1.12% of the population.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 13,937 people, 4,783 households, and 3,413 families residing in the county. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 5,372 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 20.27% White, 0.15% African American, Template:Font color [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Template:Font color]], 0.11% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.11% from some other races and 2.12% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 0.95% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 48.5% were French Canadian, 7.0% were German, 6.8% were Norwegian, and 0.3% were American.

Of the 4,783 households, 44.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.1% were married couples living together, 23.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 28.6% were non-families, and 25.0% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.89 and the average family size was 3.39. The median age was 30.5 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $28,265 and the median income for a family was $35,523. Males had a median income of $35,595 versus $27,459 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,632. About 25.9% of families and 31.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 41.5% of those under age 18 and 24.8% of those age 65 or over.

Population by decade

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Communities

Cities

• Dunseith
• Mylo
• Rolla (county seat)
• Rolette
• St. John

Census-designated places

• Belcourt
• East Dunseith
• Green Acres
• Shell Valley

Unincorporated communities

• Agate
• Carpenter
• Fonda
• Kelvin
• Nanson
• San Haven
• Thorne

Townships

• Kohlmeier
• Maryville
• Shell Valley
• South Valley
• Holmes

Politics

Due to its Native American majority population, Rolette County voters are historically Democratic, and it is one of the most consistently Democratic counties in North Dakota. Since 1928 the only Republican to carry the county was Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1952.<ref>Geographie Electorale</ref> It was the only county in the state to support George McGovern in 1972 and is additionally the only North Dakota county to have supported Jimmy Carter in 1980.<ref>David Leip's Presidential Atlas (Maps for North Dakota by election)</ref> In each of the five presidential elections from 1996 to 2012, the Democratic candidate received over 60% of the vote, with Barack Obama winning 75.1% in 2008 and 74.0% in 2012.<ref>The New York Times electoral map (Zoom in on North Dakota)</ref><ref>2012 presidential election results from North Dakota, New York Times. Retrieved December 27, 2016.</ref> In 2016, Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton received 55.9% of the county's votes,<ref>2016 presidential election results from North Dakota, New York Times (December 20, 2016). Retrieved December 27, 2016.</ref> one of the two North Dakota counties that she carried. 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:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresFoot

Education

School districts include:<ref name=Schooldistrictmap2020>Template:Cite web - Text list - The map shows Wolford district's boundaries even though it was disestablished in 2019. 2010 map, 2010 text list</ref> Template:Div col

• Belcourt Public School District 7 (as the Turtle Mountain Community School, in cooperation with the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE))
• Bottineau Public School District 1
• Dunseith Public School District 1
• Mount Pleasant Public School District 4
• North Star School District
• Rolette Public School District 29
• Rugby Public School District 5
• St. John Public School District 3

Former districts:

• Wolford Public School District 1<ref name=Schooldistrictmap2020/> - Closed in 2019<ref>Template:Cite web - Check the 2019-2020 spreadsheet, which does not list Wolford, while previous years do.</ref>

See also

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

External links

• Rolette County map, North Dakota DOT
• Official website