Population 1,804 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Steele County
Household size in Steele County
| Period | Steele County | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.42 | 2.37 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.14 | 2.39 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.25 | 2.36 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.24 | 2.38 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.18 | +0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Steele County are small: just 2.24 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.42, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.
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 Steele County
| Period | Steele County | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.3 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 48.3 | 37.7 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 50.1 | 37.4 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 46.2 | 37.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.8 | −0.8 | +2.3 |
Steele County skews older: half of its residents are older than 46.2, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families.
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 Steele County
| Period | Steele County | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.5% | 8.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 5.3% | 8.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 3.6% | 8.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.0% | 8.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.6 pts | +0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Steele County: 5.0% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Steele County has a lower share of single-parent households than the great majority of North Dakota counties.
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 Steele County
Renters in Steele County
| Period | Steele County | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.3% | 33.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 27.0% | 34.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 15.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 22.2% | 37.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.9 pts | +3.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
Steele County is largely a place of homeowners: only 22.2% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 67.7% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%.
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 Steele County
| Period | Steele County | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.7% | 10.6% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 21.0% | 11.3% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 30.9% | 13.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 26.9% | 12.0% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.2 pts | +1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 26.9% of the housing in Steele County, 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. Steele County has a higher vacancy rate than at least four in five North Dakota counties.
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 Steele County
| Period | Steele County | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1953 | 1974 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1958 | 1976 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1959 | 1981 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1967 | 1985 | 1980 |
| Change | +14 | +11 | +6 |
The housing in Steele County is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1967, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. Compared with other North Dakota counties, Steele County has older homes than most.
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 Steele County
| Period | Steele County | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $372 | $573 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $534 | $716 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $535 | $862 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $763 | $1,031 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$392 | +$458 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Steele County costs $763 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent takes 20.7% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
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 Steele County
Bachelor's degrees in Steele County
| Period | Steele County | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.7% | 27.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 17.5% | 28.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.7% | 31.1% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 28.8% | 33.9% | 35.6% |
| Change | +11.1 pts | +6.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are less common in Steele County than nationally: 28.8% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Compared with other North Dakota counties, though, Steele 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 Steele County
| Period | Steele County | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.8% | 90.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.5% | 91.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 96.2% | 92.9% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.3% | 94.1% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.5 pts | +3.8 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Steele County: 95.3% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. That is in line with the rest of North Dakota. Only three of North Dakota's 53 counties have a higher share of high school graduates.
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 Steele County
| Period | Steele County | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 0.6% | 3.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 3.3% | 3.1% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.1% | 2.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.3% | 2.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | +2.7 pts | −0.8 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Steele 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).
Steele 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steele County | 2.24 | 46.2 | 5.0% | 22.2% | 26.9% | 1967 | $763 | 28.8% | 95.3% | 3.3% |
| Griggs County | 2.17 | 53.2 | 6.6% | 23.4% | 27.2% | 1957 | $532 | 26.0% | 93.1% | 1.5% |
| Traill County | 2.30 | 41.4 | 9.0% | 25.7% | 8.1% | 1964 | $897 | 31.0% | 94.6% | 2.3% |
| Nelson County | 2.18 | 48.7 | 5.1% | 24.9% | 24.2% | 1962 | $696 | 29.9% | 92.7% | 1.0% |
| Barnes County | 2.10 | 42.7 | 8.2% | 29.2% | 14.5% | 1962 | $757 | 31.0% | 93.8% | 3.6% |
| Grand Forks County | 2.27 | 33.7 | 7.7% | 48.2% | 8.4% | 1982 | $1,085 | 39.3% | 96.0% | 2.2% |
| Polk County | 2.41 | 39.9 | 8.0% | 28.7% | 14.0% | 1970 | $982 | 27.6% | 93.6% | 3.8% |
| Stutsman County | 2.12 | 41.5 | 7.4% | 36.9% | 9.3% | 1974 | $904 | 26.1% | 93.5% | 4.1% |
| Foster County | 2.18 | 45.5 | 5.3% | 20.3% | 13.1% | 1973 | $772 | 28.6% | 92.9% | 1.0% |
| Norman County | 2.33 | 44.0 | 10.5% | 20.6% | 15.7% | 1959 | $771 | 23.0% | 93.7% | 5.2% |
| Eddy County | 1.95 | 48.0 | 6.3% | 28.0% | 12.0% | 1968 | $600 | 30.7% | 93.6% | 2.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Treasure County, MT · Clay County, TN · Clay County, WV · Cleveland County, AR · Clinch County, GA · Thomas County, NE · Throckmorton County, TX · Thurston County, NE · Tillman County, OK · Todd County, SD
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 Steele 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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