Population 2,079 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Towner County
Household size in Towner County
| Period | Towner County | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.14 | 2.37 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.20 | 2.39 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.07 | 2.36 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.07 | 2.38 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.08 | +0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Towner County are small: just 2.07 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. Towner County has smaller households than the great majority of North Dakota counties.
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 Towner County
| Period | Towner County | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 47.5 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 48.6 | 37.7 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 47.1 | 37.4 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 48.8 | 37.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.4 | −0.8 | +2.3 |
Towner County skews older: half of its residents are older than 48.8, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has climbed from 47.5 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
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 Towner County
| Period | Towner County | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.9% | 8.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.0% | 8.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.8% | 8.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.5% | 8.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.3 pts | +0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 7.5% of households in Towner County, well below the national share of 11.6%.
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 Towner County
Renters in Towner County
| Period | Towner County | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.0% | 33.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 22.3% | 34.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 26.9% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 21.2% | 37.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.2 pts | +3.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 21.2% of households in Towner County rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 75.7% 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 Towner County
| Period | Towner County | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.8% | 10.6% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 26.3% | 11.3% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 26.2% | 13.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 19.6% | 12.0% | 9.6% |
| Change | −7.3 pts | +1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 19.6% of the housing in Towner 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.
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 Towner County
| Period | Towner County | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1960 | 1974 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1959 | 1976 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1961 | 1981 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1969 | 1985 | 1980 |
| Change | +9 | +11 | +6 |
Towner County is a place of older homes: half were built before 1969, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating.
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 Towner County
| Period | Towner County | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $405 | $573 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $435 | $716 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $628 | $862 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $659 | $1,031 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$254 | +$458 | +$606 |
Rent in Towner County runs $659 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent takes 19.8% 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 Towner County
Bachelor's degrees in Towner County
| Period | Towner County | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.0% | 27.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 19.2% | 28.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 17.0% | 31.1% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 24.1% | 33.9% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.1 pts | +6.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Towner County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 24.1%, against 35.6% nationally.
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 Towner County
| Period | Towner County | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.2% | 90.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.5% | 91.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.3% | 92.9% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.4% | 94.1% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.2 pts | +3.8 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Towner County have finished high school (91.4%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. Still, the rate is lower than in North Dakota overall (94.1%).
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 Towner County
| Period | Towner County | North Dakota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.3% | 3.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 2.2% | 3.1% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.2% | 2.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 0.7% | 2.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.6 pts | −0.8 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Towner County has been strong: just 0.7% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. No other North Dakota county has lower unemployment. 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).
Towner 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Towner County | 2.07 | 48.8 | 7.5% | 21.2% | 19.6% | 1969 | $659 | 24.1% | 91.4% | 0.7% |
| Rolette County | 3.27 | 33.8 | 31.2% | 37.2% | 17.4% | 1983 | $532 | 17.5% | 84.2% | 3.9% |
| Ramsey County | 2.17 | 42.4 | 7.9% | 45.5% | 9.2% | 1976 | $761 | 25.3% | 92.9% | 1.2% |
| Benson County | 3.04 | 32.7 | 23.8% | 26.9% | 19.4% | 1972 | $606 | 22.7% | 85.7% | 3.0% |
| Pierce County | 2.05 | 42.7 | 6.1% | 18.4% | 10.3% | 1969 | $707 | 27.8% | 93.3% | 1.1% |
| Cavalier County | 2.34 | 46.3 | 5.8% | 18.7% | 23.2% | 1968 | $925 | 23.3% | 93.0% | 1.0% |
| Bottineau County | 2.32 | 42.5 | 10.1% | 20.8% | 24.8% | 1974 | $715 | 30.5% | 94.4% | 1.6% |
| McHenry County | 2.33 | 44.2 | 5.3% | 18.6% | 19.9% | 1967 | $748 | 20.5% | 91.2% | 3.9% |
| Pembina County | 2.25 | 45.4 | 5.9% | 25.4% | 15.3% | 1969 | $815 | 25.3% | 92.3% | 3.1% |
| Walsh County | 2.32 | 42.7 | 9.4% | 24.0% | 13.8% | 1970 | $862 | 19.3% | 89.5% | 1.5% |
| Ward County | 2.45 | 36.0 | 9.3% | 39.2% | 12.6% | 1987 | $1,073 | 30.0% | 94.8% | 3.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Petersburg Census Area, AK · Lyon County, KY · Mackinac County, MI · Macon County, GA · Madison County, MT · Madison Parish, LA · Magoffin County, KY · Mahnomen County, MN · Perkins County, SD · Perry County, MS
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 Towner 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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