Population 33,302 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Stark County
Household size in Stark County
| Period | Stark County | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.42 | 2.37 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.41 | 2.39 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.42 | 2.36 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.43 | 2.38 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.01 | +0.01 | −0.03 |
The average household in Stark County has 2.43 people, under the U.S. average of 2.65. North Dakota as a whole looks much the same. Compared with other North Dakota counties, though, Stark County has larger households than most.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Stark County
| Period | Stark County | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.8 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 36.9 | 37.7 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 35.7 | 37.4 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 35.3 | 37.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | −4.5 | −0.8 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 35.3, Stark County is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. Since 2006–10, the median age has dropped from 39.8, even as the national median rose. The youngest areas are in the center, the oldest in the north.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Stark County
| Period | Stark County | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.7% | 8.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.7% | 8.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.5% | 8.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.3% | 8.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | +3.6 pts | +0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in eight households in Stark County (11.3%), close to the national share of 11.6%. Single parents are more common here than in North Dakota overall (8.8%). The single-parent share has risen 3.6 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Stark County
Renters in Stark County
| Period | Stark County | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.3% | 33.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 28.6% | 34.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 38.9% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 33.2% | 37.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +6.0 pts | +3.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
About a third of households in Stark County rent their homes (33.2%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Renters make up a smaller share here than in North Dakota as a whole (37.1%). Among homeowners, 39.2% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. The renter share has risen 6.0 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Stark County
| Period | Stark County | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.2% | 10.6% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.4% | 11.3% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 15.7% | 13.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.9% | 12.0% | 9.6% |
| Change | +5.7 pts | +1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Stark County: 14.9% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 5.7 points, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Stark County
| Period | Stark County | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1973 | 1974 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1977 | 1976 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1986 | 1981 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1990 | 1985 | 1980 |
| Change | +17 | +11 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Stark County is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1990, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1973 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northwest, the oldest in the center. Few North Dakota counties have newer homes: only four of 53.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Stark County
| Period | Stark County | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $485 | $573 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $770 | $716 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $971 | $862 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $988 | $1,031 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$503 | +$458 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Stark County costs $988 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $503 a month since 2006–10, up 104%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 27.8% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Stark County
Bachelor's degrees in Stark County
| Period | Stark County | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.5% | 27.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 24.5% | 28.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 23.2% | 31.1% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 29.1% | 33.9% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.6 pts | +6.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are less common in Stark County than nationally: 29.1% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 6.6 points, mirroring the country. Compared with other North Dakota counties, though, Stark County has a higher share of college graduates than most.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Stark County
| Period | Stark County | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 87.3% | 90.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.6% | 91.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.1% | 92.9% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.1% | 94.1% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.9 pts | +3.8 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Stark County have finished high school (92.1%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. Still, the rate is lower than in North Dakota as a whole (94.1%). The share with a diploma is up 4.9 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Stark County
| Period | Stark County | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.4% | 3.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 2.7% | 3.1% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.6% | 2.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.3% | 2.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | −0.8 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Stark County has been strong: just 3.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. The picture is much the same across North Dakota. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Stark County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stark County | 2.43 | 35.3 | 11.3% | 33.2% | 14.9% | 1990 | $988 | 29.1% | 92.1% | 3.3% |
| Billings County | 2.46 | 41.8 | 3.2% | 22.1% | 25.5% | 1983 | $621 | 32.6% | 95.2% | 2.1% |
| Hettinger County | 2.05 | 46.4 | 5.5% | 23.2% | 20.9% | 1965 | $673 | 22.7% | 93.8% | 5.4% |
| Dunn County | 2.57 | 40.5 | 5.3% | 25.7% | 24.8% | 1984 | $911 | 26.7% | 94.1% | 3.2% |
| Slope County | 2.05 | 54.1 | 5.9% | 19.3% | 18.0% | 1961 | $525 | 29.3% | 93.0% | 2.7% |
| Golden Valley County | 2.33 | 50.4 | 4.2% | 20.5% | 22.1% | 1957 | $612 | 22.4% | 96.5% | 3.9% |
| Mercer County | 2.31 | 45.0 | 6.6% | 18.9% | 21.8% | 1980 | $1,117 | 22.9% | 91.7% | 3.1% |
| Grant County | 2.08 | 49.6 | 3.3% | 16.6% | 34.0% | 1963 | $720 | 20.7% | 88.7% | 3.8% |
| Wibaux County | 2.52 | 41.0 | 5.4% | 27.5% | 22.5% | 1973 | $963 | 22.5% | 96.0% | 1.7% |
| Oliver County | 2.53 | 46.2 | 5.7% | 4.8% | 18.9% | 1975 | $756 | 23.8% | 94.8% | 1.1% |
| Fallon County | 2.35 | 37.0 | 6.7% | 30.6% | 20.7% | 1982 | $806 | 17.5% | 99.6% | 0.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Wapello County, IA · Delta County, MI · Des Moines County, IA · Waushara County, WI · Elk County, PA · Washington County, ME · Washington County, IN · Washington County, FL · Wasco County, OR · Warren County, PA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Stark County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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