North Dakota County Area & Size Rankings

Understanding North Dakota’s county areas

The land-area range runs from Eddy County at 630.2 mi² to McKenzie County at 2,760.1 mi². The largest has 4.4 times the land area of the smallest and accounts for 4% of the combined county land in North Dakota. Compare with every state’s largest county.

The median county-equivalent land area is 1,161.8 mi², above the national median of 604.5 mi². The median describes the middle of the county size distribution; it does not describe how people or development are distributed. A state with a few very large counties can have a much smaller median than its largest entry suggests.

Where water changes the picture

McLean County has the most assigned water area, at 217.7 mi². It also has the highest water share, with water making up 9.4% of its total area. Water area and water percentage answer different questions: the first measures an amount, while the second measures the mix of land and water.

Across all 53 entries, water accounts for 2.4% of the combined total area. This is calculated from the summed land and water measurements, rather than averaging county percentages, which would give each small and large county equal weight.

Where people live

An estimated 799,358 people lived in North Dakota on July 1, 2025 (+2.6% since 2020), or 0.2% of the national total in this dataset. Cass County is the most populous county equivalent, with 201,794 residents — 25.2% of the state. The largest by land, McKenzie County, has 15,192.

Across the state there are 12 people per square mile of land. County densities range from 114 in Cass County to 0.52 in Slope County; the median county equivalent has 3.7. Switch the map above to density to see where the state’s population concentrates.

Compare the largest and smallest county equivalents in North Dakota to see land, water, and total area on the same scale.

These calculations use the 2026 Census county records listed below. County-equivalent boundaries vary between states; area alone does not measure population, density, or usable land. See coverage and calculation rules.

#	County / equivalent	Land	Water	Water share	Population	Per mi²
1	McKenzie CountyGEOID 38053	2,760.1 mi²	100.3 mi²	3.5%	15,192	5.5
2	Stutsman CountyGEOID 38093	2,221.9 mi²	76.2 mi²	3.3%	21,414	9.6
3	McLean CountyGEOID 38055	2,110.3 mi²	217.7 mi²	9.4%	9,740	4.6
4	Williams CountyGEOID 38105	2,077.6 mi²	70.2 mi²	3.3%	41,767	20
5	Ward CountyGEOID 38101	2,013 mi²	43 mi²	2.1%	68,233	34
6	Dunn CountyGEOID 38025	2,008.6 mi²	73.6 mi²	3.5%	4,058	2
7	Morton CountyGEOID 38059	1,925.9 mi²	19.3 mi²	1%	34,601	18
8	McHenry CountyGEOID 38049	1,873.9 mi²	37.6 mi²	2%	5,130	2.7
9	Mountrail CountyGEOID 38061	1,825.2 mi²	116.4 mi²	6%	9,395	5.1
10	Cass CountyGEOID 38017	1,764.9 mi²	2.9 mi²	0.2%	201,794	114
11	Bottineau CountyGEOID 38009	1,668.9 mi²	28.8 mi²	1.7%	6,284	3.8
12	Grant CountyGEOID 38037	1,659.2 mi²	6.8 mi²	0.4%	2,206	1.3
13	Burleigh CountyGEOID 38015	1,632.7 mi²	35.8 mi²	2.1%	103,251	63
14	Emmons CountyGEOID 38029	1,508.4 mi²	46.9 mi²	3%	3,215	2.1
15	Barnes CountyGEOID 38003	1,491.6 mi²	21.8 mi²	1.4%	10,573	7.1
16	Cavalier CountyGEOID 38019	1,489.1 mi²	20.7 mi²	1.4%	3,497	2.3
17	Grand Forks CountyGEOID 38035	1,436.2 mi²	3.2 mi²	0.2%	74,501	52
18	Richland CountyGEOID 38077	1,435.7 mi²	9.7 mi²	0.7%	16,731	12
19	Benson CountyGEOID 38005	1,388.6 mi²	50.8 mi²	3.5%	5,759	4.1
20	Kidder CountyGEOID 38043	1,351.1 mi²	81.8 mi²	5.7%	2,393	1.8
21	Stark CountyGEOID 38089	1,334.9 mi²	5.4 mi²	0.4%	34,013	25
22	Walsh CountyGEOID 38099	1,281.6 mi²	12.4 mi²	1%	10,179	7.9
23	Wells CountyGEOID 38103	1,270.5 mi²	19.8 mi²	1.5%	3,729	2.9
24	Divide CountyGEOID 38023	1,261.1 mi²	33.5 mi²	2.6%	2,110	1.7
25	Slope CountyGEOID 38087	1,215.3 mi²	4.2 mi²	0.3%	628	0.52
26	Ramsey CountyGEOID 38071	1,185.4 mi²	115.6 mi²	8.9%	11,530	9.7
27	Bowman CountyGEOID 38011	1,161.8 mi²	5.2 mi²	0.4%	2,762	2.4
28	Billings CountyGEOID 38007	1,148.5 mi²	4.6 mi²	0.4%	1,071	0.93
29	LaMoure CountyGEOID 38045	1,146 mi²	5 mi²	0.4%	4,135	3.6
30	Hettinger CountyGEOID 38041	1,132.2 mi²	1.5 mi²	0.1%	2,492	2.2
31	Dickey CountyGEOID 38021	1,131.5 mi²	10.7 mi²	0.9%	4,895	4.3
32	Pembina CountyGEOID 38067	1,118.5 mi²	2.7 mi²	0.2%	6,568	5.9
33	Burke CountyGEOID 38013	1,103.6 mi²	25.4 mi²	2.2%	2,132	1.9
34	Sioux CountyGEOID 38085	1,094.1 mi²	34.2 mi²	3%	3,667	3.4
35	Mercer CountyGEOID 38057	1,042.8 mi²	69.8 mi²	6.3%	8,441	8.1
36	Towner CountyGEOID 38095	1,025.1 mi²	16.5 mi²	1.6%	2,040	2
37	Pierce CountyGEOID 38069	1,018.3 mi²	64.2 mi²	5.9%	3,838	3.8
38	Golden Valley CountyGEOID 38033	1,000.9 mi²	1.6 mi²	0.2%	1,808	1.8
39	Logan CountyGEOID 38047	992.6 mi²	18.4 mi²	1.8%	1,859	1.9
40	Adams CountyGEOID 38001	987.5 mi²	1.1 mi²	0.1%	2,275	2.3
41	Nelson CountyGEOID 38063	981.8 mi²	27.1 mi²	2.7%	2,963	3
42	McIntosh CountyGEOID 38051	974.6 mi²	20 mi²	2%	2,451	2.5
43	Sheridan CountyGEOID 38083	972.2 mi²	33.3 mi²	3.3%	1,296	1.3
44	Rolette CountyGEOID 38079	903 mi²	36.5 mi²	3.9%	11,688	13
45	Renville CountyGEOID 38075	877.2 mi²	15.7 mi²	1.8%	2,331	2.7
46	Ransom CountyGEOID 38073	862.5 mi²	1.4 mi²	0.2%	5,617	6.5
47	Traill CountyGEOID 38097	861.9 mi²	0.6 mi²	0.1%	7,920	9.2
48	Sargent CountyGEOID 38081	858.5 mi²	8.4 mi²	1%	3,711	4.3
49	Oliver CountyGEOID 38065	722.4 mi²	8.7 mi²	1.2%	1,898	2.6
50	Steele CountyGEOID 38091	712.1 mi²	3.3 mi²	0.5%	1,797	2.5
51	Griggs CountyGEOID 38039	708.7 mi²	7.9 mi²	1.1%	2,239	3.2
52	Foster CountyGEOID 38031	634.1 mi²	12.8 mi²	2%	3,212	5.1
53	Eddy CountyGEOID 38027	630.2 mi²	13.9 mi²	2.2%	2,329	3.7

County / equivalent

Land

Water

Water share

Population

Per mi²

McKenzie CountyGEOID 38053

2,760.1 mi²

100.3 mi²

3.5%

15,192

5.5

Stutsman CountyGEOID 38093

2,221.9 mi²

76.2 mi²

3.3%

21,414

9.6

McLean CountyGEOID 38055

2,110.3 mi²

217.7 mi²

9.4%

9,740

4.6

Williams CountyGEOID 38105

2,077.6 mi²

70.2 mi²

3.3%

41,767

Ward CountyGEOID 38101

2,013 mi²

43 mi²

2.1%

68,233

Dunn CountyGEOID 38025

2,008.6 mi²

73.6 mi²

3.5%

4,058

Morton CountyGEOID 38059

1,925.9 mi²

19.3 mi²

34,601

McHenry CountyGEOID 38049

1,873.9 mi²

37.6 mi²

5,130

2.7

Mountrail CountyGEOID 38061

1,825.2 mi²

116.4 mi²

9,395

5.1

Cass CountyGEOID 38017

1,764.9 mi²

2.9 mi²

0.2%

201,794

114

Bottineau CountyGEOID 38009

1,668.9 mi²

28.8 mi²

1.7%

6,284

3.8

Grant CountyGEOID 38037

1,659.2 mi²

6.8 mi²

0.4%

2,206

1.3

Burleigh CountyGEOID 38015

1,632.7 mi²

35.8 mi²

2.1%

103,251

Emmons CountyGEOID 38029

1,508.4 mi²

46.9 mi²

3,215

2.1

Barnes CountyGEOID 38003

1,491.6 mi²

21.8 mi²

1.4%

10,573

7.1

Cavalier CountyGEOID 38019

1,489.1 mi²

20.7 mi²

1.4%

3,497

2.3

Grand Forks CountyGEOID 38035

1,436.2 mi²

3.2 mi²

0.2%

74,501

Richland CountyGEOID 38077

1,435.7 mi²

9.7 mi²

0.7%

16,731

Benson CountyGEOID 38005

1,388.6 mi²

50.8 mi²

3.5%

5,759

4.1

Kidder CountyGEOID 38043

1,351.1 mi²

81.8 mi²

5.7%

2,393

1.8

Stark CountyGEOID 38089

1,334.9 mi²

5.4 mi²

0.4%

34,013

Walsh CountyGEOID 38099

1,281.6 mi²

12.4 mi²

10,179

7.9

Wells CountyGEOID 38103

1,270.5 mi²

19.8 mi²

1.5%

3,729

2.9

Divide CountyGEOID 38023

1,261.1 mi²

33.5 mi²

2.6%

2,110

1.7

Slope CountyGEOID 38087

1,215.3 mi²

4.2 mi²

0.3%

628

0.52

Ramsey CountyGEOID 38071

1,185.4 mi²

115.6 mi²

8.9%

11,530

9.7

Bowman CountyGEOID 38011

1,161.8 mi²

5.2 mi²

0.4%

2,762

2.4

Billings CountyGEOID 38007

1,148.5 mi²

4.6 mi²

0.4%

1,071

0.93

LaMoure CountyGEOID 38045

1,146 mi²

5 mi²

0.4%

4,135

3.6

Hettinger CountyGEOID 38041

1,132.2 mi²

1.5 mi²

0.1%

2,492

2.2

Dickey CountyGEOID 38021

1,131.5 mi²

10.7 mi²

0.9%

4,895

4.3

Pembina CountyGEOID 38067

1,118.5 mi²

2.7 mi²

0.2%

6,568

5.9

Burke CountyGEOID 38013

1,103.6 mi²

25.4 mi²

2.2%

2,132

1.9

Sioux CountyGEOID 38085

1,094.1 mi²

34.2 mi²

3,667

3.4

Mercer CountyGEOID 38057

1,042.8 mi²

69.8 mi²

6.3%

8,441

8.1

Towner CountyGEOID 38095

1,025.1 mi²

16.5 mi²

1.6%

2,040

Pierce CountyGEOID 38069

1,018.3 mi²

64.2 mi²

5.9%

3,838

3.8

Golden Valley CountyGEOID 38033

1,000.9 mi²

1.6 mi²

0.2%

1,808

1.8

Logan CountyGEOID 38047

992.6 mi²

18.4 mi²

1.8%

1,859

1.9

Adams CountyGEOID 38001

987.5 mi²

1.1 mi²

0.1%

2,275

2.3

Nelson CountyGEOID 38063

981.8 mi²

27.1 mi²

2.7%

2,963

McIntosh CountyGEOID 38051

974.6 mi²

20 mi²

2,451

2.5

Sheridan CountyGEOID 38083

972.2 mi²

33.3 mi²

3.3%

1,296

1.3

Rolette CountyGEOID 38079

903 mi²

36.5 mi²

3.9%

11,688

Renville CountyGEOID 38075

877.2 mi²

15.7 mi²

1.8%

2,331

2.7

Ransom CountyGEOID 38073

862.5 mi²

1.4 mi²

0.2%

5,617

6.5

Traill CountyGEOID 38097

861.9 mi²

0.6 mi²

0.1%

7,920

9.2

Sargent CountyGEOID 38081

858.5 mi²

8.4 mi²

3,711

4.3

Oliver CountyGEOID 38065

722.4 mi²

8.7 mi²

1.2%

1,898

2.6

Steele CountyGEOID 38091

712.1 mi²

3.3 mi²

0.5%

1,797

2.5

Griggs CountyGEOID 38039

708.7 mi²

7.9 mi²

1.1%

2,239

3.2

Foster CountyGEOID 38031

634.1 mi²

12.8 mi²

3,212

5.1

Eddy CountyGEOID 38027

630.2 mi²

13.9 mi²

2.2%

2,329

3.7

North Dakota counties by area

Understanding North Dakota’s county areas

Where water changes the picture

Where people live

Complete area table