Burleigh County, North Dakota

Burleigh County is a county in the U.S. state of North Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 98,458,<ref name="2020 Census (City)">Template:Cite web</ref> and was estimated to be 103,107 in 2024,<ref name="QF"/> making it the second-most populous county in North Dakota. Its county seat and the largest city is Bismarck,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> the state capital. The second-largest city in North Dakota. The county was named for Dakota Territory political figure Walter A. Burleigh.

Burleigh County is included in the Bismarck metropolitan area.

History

The county was created on January 4, 1873, by the Dakota Territory legislature, annexing territory from Buffalo County. Burleigh was not organized at that time, but the organization was effected on July 16, 1873.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Its boundaries were altered in 1879, 1881, 1883, and twice in 1885.

Geography

The Missouri River flows south-southeasterly along the lower west boundary line of Burleigh County. The central part of the county is drained by south-flowing creeks. The county terrain consists of semi-arid low rolling hills, partially devoted to agriculture.<ref name=BCND>Burleigh County ND Google Maps (accessed February 16, 2019)</ref> The terrain slopes to the south, and its western portion also slopes to the river valley. The terrain's highest point is on the upper portion of the east 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 (2.14%) is water.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It is the 13th largest county in North Dakota by total area.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Major highways

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Transit

• Bis-Man Transit (Capital Area Transit)
• Jefferson Lines

Adjacent counties

• Sheridan County – north
• Kidder County – east
• Emmons County – south
• Morton County – southwest
• Oliver County – west
• McLean County – northwest

Protected areas

• Arena State Game Management Area
• Bunker Lake State Game Management Area
• Canfield Lake National Wildlife Refuge
• Florence Lake National Wildlife Refuge
• Long Lake National Wildlife Refuge (part)
• Sibley Nature Park
• Wilton Mine State Game Management Area (part)

Lakes

• Bunce Lake
• Bunker Lake
• Clear Lake
• Florence Lake
• Grass Lake
• Harriet Lake
• Horseshoe Lake
• Lonetree Lake
• Long Lake
• Mitchell Lake
• New Johns Lake (part)
• O'Brien Lake
• Pelican Lake
• Rice Lake

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Demographics

As of the fourth quarter of 2024, the median home value in Burleigh County was $325,034.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

As of the 2023 American Community Survey, there are 40,361 estimated households in Burleigh County with an average of 2.36 persons per household. The county has a median household income of $84,948. Approximately 7.7% of the county's population lives at or below the poverty line. Burleigh County has an estimated 66.0% employment rate, with 38.7% of the population holding a bachelor's degree or higher and 95.2% holding a high school diploma.<ref name="QF">Template:Cite web</ref>

The median age in the county was 38.7 years.

Burleigh County, North Dakota – racial and ethnic composition
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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)	53,249 (97.15%)	57,919 (96.32%)	65,686 (94.63%)	75,054 (92.31%)	84,349 (85.67%)
Black or African American alone (NH)	46 (0.08%)	66 (0.11%)	166 (0.24%)	476 (0.59%)	2,227 (2.26%)
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	1,028 (1.88%)	1,552 (2.58%)	2,236 (3.22%)	3,284 (4.04%)	4,053 (4.12%)
Asian alone (NH)	193 (0.35%)	214 (0.36%)	271 (0.39%)	386 (0.47%)	1,043 (1.06%)
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	—	—	18 (0.03%)	26 (0.03%)	316 (0.32%)
Other race alone (NH)	92 (0.17%)	19 (0.03%)	21 (0.03%)	54 (0.07%)	210 (0.21%)
Mixed race or multiracial (NH)	—	—	550 (0.79%)	1,042 (1.28%)	3,176 (3.23%)
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	203 (0.37%)	361 (0.60%)	468 (0.67%)	986 (1.21%)	3,084 (3.13%)
Total	54,811 (100.00%)	60,131 (100.00%)	69,416 (100.00%)	81,308 (100.00%)	98,458 (100.00%)

2024 estimate

As of the 2024 estimate, there were 103,107 people and 40,361 households residing in the county. There were 44,534 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 89.2% White (86.7% NH White), 2.3% African American, 4.8% Native American, 1.0% Asian, 0.5% Pacific Islander, _% from some other races and 2.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 3.4% of the population.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 98,458 people, 39,927 households, and 24,822 families residing in the county.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The population density was Template:Convert. There were 42,692 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 86.48% White, 2.32% African American, 4.32% Native American, 1.07% Asian, 0.32% Pacific Islander, 1.13% from some other races and 4.35% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 3.13% of the population.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 81,308 people, 33,976 households, and 21,213 families residing in the county. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 35,754 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 93.02% White, 0.59% African American, 4.17% Native American, 0.48% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.28% from some other races and 1.42% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 1.21% of the population.

In terms of ancestry, 61.0% were German, 21.1% were Norwegian, 8.1% were Russian, 6.8% were Irish, and 2.6% were American.

There were 33,976 households, 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.2% were married couples living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 37.6% were non-families, and 30.5% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.90. The median age was 37.3 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $53,465 and the median income for a family was $71,103. Males had a median income of $44,944 versus $31,943 for females. The per capita income for the county was $28,784. About 6.3% of families and 9.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.6% of those under age 18 and 11.0% of those age 65 or over.

Population by decade

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Communities

Cities

• Bismarck (county seat)
• Lincoln
• Regan
• Wilton (partly in McLean County)
• Wing

Census-designated places

• Apple Valley
• Driscoll
• Menoken

Unincorporated communities

• Arena
• Baldwin
• Brittin
• McKenzie
• Moffit
• Sterling

Townships

• Apple Creek
• Boyd
• Burnt Creek
• Canfield
• Christiania
• Clear Lake
• Crofte
• Cromwell
• Driscoll
• Ecklund
• Estherville
• Florence Lake
• Francis
• Ghylin
• Gibbs
• Glenview
• Grass Lake
• Harriet-Lien
• Hay Creek
• Hazel Grove
• Logan
• Long Lake
• McKenzie
• Menoken
• Missouri
• Morton
• Naughton
• Painted Woods
• Richmond
• Rock Hill
• Schrunk
• Sibley Butte
• Steiber
• Sterling
• Taft
• Telfer
• Thelma
• Trygg
• Wild Rose
• Wilson
• Wing

Politics

Burleigh County voters have voted Republican for several decades. With the exception of 1964, no Democratic Party candidate has received even 40 percent of the county's vote after 1940. 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>Template:Cite web - Text list</ref>

K-12: Template:Div col

• Bismarck Public School District 1
• Hazelton-Moffit-Braddock Public School District 6
• Kidder County School District 1
• McClusky Public School District 19
• Wilton Public School District 1
• Wing Public School District 28

Elementary: Template:Div col

• Apple Creek Public School District 39
• Manning Public School District 45
• Menoken Public School District 33
• Naughton Public School District 25
• Sterling Public School District 35

Former districts:

• Montefiore Public School District 1<ref>Template:Cite web - 2010 text list</ref>

See also

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

External links

• Burleigh County – official website
• A brief history of Burleigh County : with a chronology of some of the county's earlier days (1932) from the Digital Horizons website
• A brief history of Burleigh County : with a chronology of some of the outstanding events of the county's earlier days (1932) from the Digital Horizons website
• Burleigh County maps, Sheet 1 (northern) and Sheet 2 (southern), North Dakota DOT