Ransom County, North Dakota

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Ransom County
County
The Ransom County Courthouse in Lisbon
The Ransom County Courthouse in Lisbon
Map of North Dakota highlighting Ransom County
Location within the U.S. state of North Dakota
Map of the United States highlighting North Dakota
North Dakota's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 46°26′57″N 97°38′51″W / 46.449276°N 97.647554°W / 46.449276; -97.647554
Country United States
State North Dakota
FoundedJanuary 4, 1873 (created)
April 4, 1881 (organized)
Named afterFort Ransom
SeatLisbon
Largest cityLisbon
Area
 • Total
863.855 sq mi (2,237.37 km2)
 • Land862.472 sq mi (2,233.79 km2)
 • Water1.383 sq mi (3.58 km2)  0.16%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
5,703
 • Estimate 
(2024)
5,590 Decrease
 • Density6.480/sq mi (2.502/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Area code701
Congressional districtAt-large
Websiteransomcountynd.net

Ransom County is a county in the U.S. state of North Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 5,703,[1] and was estimated to be 5,590 in 2024.[2] The county seat and the largest city is Lisbon.[3]

History

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The Dakota Territory legislature created Ransom County on January 4, 1873. It was so named due to its military fort, which had been named Fort Ransom for Civil War veteran Major General Thomas E.G. Ransom. The fort had operated between 1867 and 1872. The county was not organized at that time, nor was it attached to another county for administrative or judicial purposes. Its proposed boundaries were altered two times during 1881. On April 4, 1881, the county government was affected. The county's area was again reduced in 1883 when Sargent County was created. Ransom County has retained its present configuration since that time.[4][5]

Outline map of Ransom County, North Dakota, 1910

Geography

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The Sheyenne River meanders through Ransom County. The county terrain consists of rolling hills, dotted with lakes and ponds in its western part. The area is largely devoted to agriculture.[6] The terrain slopes to the east and south; its highest point is on the north boundary line near its northwestern corner, at 1,421 ft (433 m) ASL.[7]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 863.855 square miles (2,237.37 km2), of which 862.472 square miles (2,233.79 km2) is land and 1.383 square miles (3.58 km2) (0.16%) is water.[8] It is the 46th largest county in North Dakota by total area.[9]

Soils of Ransom County

Major highways

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Adjacent counties

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Protected areas

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Lakes

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  • Lone Tree Lake[6]

Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1880537—
18905,393904.3%
19006,91928.3%
191010,34549.5%
192011,61812.3%
193010,983−5.5%
194010,061−8.4%
19508,876−11.8%
19608,078−9.0%
19707,102−12.1%
19806,698−5.7%
19905,921−11.6%
20005,890−0.5%
20105,457−7.4%
20205,7034.5%
2024 (est.)5,590[11]−2.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[12]
1790–1960[13] 1900–1990[14]
1990–2000[15] 2010–2020[2]

As of the fourth quarter of 2024, the median home value in Ransom County was $185,210.[16]

As of the 2023 American Community Survey, there are 2,305 estimated households in Ransom County with an average of 2.32 persons per household. The county has a median household income of $74,521. Approximately 9.3% of the county's population lives at or below the poverty line. Ransom County has an estimated 62.5% employment rate, with 21.0% of the population holding a bachelor's degree or higher and 90.6% holding a high school diploma.[2]

The top five reported ancestries (people were allowed to report up to two ancestries, thus the figures will generally add to more than 100%) were English (94.1%), Spanish (1.1%), Indo-European (3.9%), Asian and Pacific Islander (0.8%), and Other (0.1%).

The median age in the county was 41.1 years.

Ransom County, North Dakota – racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.

Race / ethnicity (NH = non-Hispanic) Pop. 1980[17] Pop. 1990[18] Pop. 2000[19] Pop. 2010[20] Pop. 2020[21]
White alone (NH) 6,647
(99.24%)		 5,872
(99.17%)		 5,749
(97.61%)		 5,285
(96.85%)		 5,363
(94.04%)
Black or African American alone (NH) 3
(0.04%)		 4
(0.07%)		 11
(0.19%)		 19
(0.35%)		 36
(0.63%)
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 7
(0.10%)		 13
(0.22%)		 19
(0.32%)		 21
(0.38%)		 18
(0.32%)
Asian alone (NH) 14
(0.21%)		 7
(0.12%)		 14
(0.24%)		 20
(0.37%)		 24
(0.42%)
Pacific Islander alone (NH) — — 0
(0.00%)		 0
(0.00%)		 0
(0.00%)
Other race alone (NH) 13
(0.19%)		 1
(0.02%)		 4
(0.07%)		 1
(0.02%)		 10
(0.18%)
Mixed race or multiracial (NH) — — 45
(0.76%)		 45
(0.82%)		 123
(2.16%)
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 14
(0.21%)		 24
(0.41%)		 48
(0.81%)		 66
(1.21%)		 129
(2.26%)
Total 6,698
(100.00%)		 5,921
(100.00%)		 5,890
(100.00%)		 5,457
(100.00%)		 5,703
(100.00%)

2024 estimate

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As of the 2024 estimate, there were 5,590 people and 2,305 households residing in the county. There were 2,553 housing units at an average density of 2.96 per square mile (1.1/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 94.8% White (92.2% NH White), 0.9% African American, 1.0% Native American, 1.2% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, _% from some other races and 2.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 2.8% of the population.[22]

2020 census

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As of the 2020 census, there were 5,703 people, 2,246 households, and 1,420 families residing in the county.[23] The population density was 6.61 inhabitants per square mile (2.6/km2). There were 2,536 housing units at an average density of 2.94 per square mile (1.1/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 94.69% White, 0.67% African American, 0.32% Native American, 0.44% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.93% from some other races and 2.96% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 2.26% of the population.[24]

2010 census

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As of the 2010 census, there were 5,457 people, 2,310 households, and 1,466 families residing in the county. The population density was 6.33 inhabitants per square mile (2.4/km2). There were 2,656 housing units at an average density of 3.08 per square mile (1.2/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 97.82% White, 0.35% African American, 0.42% Native American, 0.37% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.13% from some other races and 0.86% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 1.21% of the population.

In terms of ancestry, 54.2% were German, 36.6% were Norwegian, 9.0% were Irish, 6.9% were Swedish, 5.1% were English, and 1.6% were American.

There were 2,310 households, 27.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.8% were married couples living together, 5.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 36.5% were non-families, and 32.9% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.89. The median age was 45.2 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $46,044 and the median income for a family was $59,973. Males had a median income of $42,380 versus $28,209 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,995. About 7.5% of families and 9.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.2% of those under age 18 and 11.6% of those age 65 or over.

Population by decade

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Communities

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Cities

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Census-designated places

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Townships

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  • Aliceton
  • Alleghany
  • Bale
  • Big Bend
  • Casey
  • Coburn
  • Elliott
  • Fort Ransom
  • Greene
  • Hanson
  • Island Park
  • Isley
  • Liberty
  • McLeod
  • Moore
  • Northland
  • Owego
  • Preston
  • Rosemeade
  • Sandoun
  • Scoville
  • Shenford
  • Springer
  • Sydna
  • Tuller

Politics

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Ransom County is a swing county in presidential elections, having voted for both parties an equal number of times between 1976 and 2020. It voted for the Democrat in the 2000 and 2012 gubernatorial elections, and for the Republican in 2004, 2008, and 2016. It is also a bellwether county at the presidential level, having voted for the winner in every presidential election between the 1964 and 1984 and again from 1992 to 2016. The county broke its bellwether streak in 1988 and 2020, voting for the Democratic nominee Michael Dukakis in 1988 and Republican nominee Donald Trump in 2020, who both would lose the general election.

Ransom County is one of the most Democratic counties in North Dakota. In the 2018 election for U.S. Senate, it gave Heidi Heitkamp her 4th-highest total (60.6%), behind only Sioux, Rolette, and Benson counties.

United States presidential election results for Ransom County, North Dakota[25]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 1,661 62.70% 920 34.73% 68 2.57%
2020 1,418 57.78% 945 38.51% 91 3.71%
2016 1,210 51.29% 838 35.52% 311 13.18%
2012 1,009 41.61% 1,343 55.38% 73 3.01%
2008 998 41.02% 1,371 56.35% 64 2.63%
2004 1,352 51.96% 1,199 46.08% 51 1.96%
2000 1,488 54.73% 1,080 39.72% 151 5.55%
1996 920 37.78% 1,199 49.24% 316 12.98%
1992 1,102 37.96% 1,166 40.17% 635 21.87%
1988 1,362 47.66% 1,459 51.05% 37 1.29%
1984 1,706 57.38% 1,222 41.10% 45 1.51%
1980 1,883 59.93% 974 31.00% 285 9.07%
1976 1,696 49.07% 1,715 49.62% 45 1.30%
1972 2,056 59.85% 1,355 39.45% 24 0.70%
1968 1,943 57.43% 1,286 38.01% 154 4.55%
1964 1,647 44.31% 2,063 55.50% 7 0.19%
1960 2,324 56.26% 1,806 43.72% 1 0.02%
1956 2,361 56.56% 1,808 43.32% 5 0.12%
1952 3,051 70.19% 1,265 29.10% 31 0.71%
1948 1,772 50.85% 1,595 45.77% 118 3.39%
1944 2,044 55.06% 1,639 44.15% 29 0.78%
1940 2,579 56.20% 1,986 43.28% 24 0.52%
1936 1,303 30.32% 2,385 55.49% 610 14.19%
1932 1,445 31.67% 3,025 66.29% 93 2.04%
1928 2,613 63.04% 1,505 36.31% 27 0.65%
1924 1,862 45.59% 303 7.42% 1,919 46.99%
1920 3,010 77.30% 802 20.60% 82 2.11%
1916 1,093 47.81% 1,121 49.04% 72 3.15%
1912 495 31.21% 490 30.90% 601 37.89%
1908 1,308 67.53% 581 29.99% 48 2.48%
1904 1,257 79.66% 253 16.03% 68 4.31%
1900 924 62.77% 499 33.90% 49 3.33%

Education

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School districts include:[26]

In 1905 it had 22 school districts, with 16 not having a bond. Circa 1905 the county had 2,431 students in its three high schools, five grade schools, and 75 schoolhouses.[27]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Explore Census Data". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 23, 2025.
  2. ^ a b c "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Ransom County, North Dakota". www.census.gov. Retrieved June 23, 2025.
  3. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 23, 2025.
  4. ^ "Dakota Territory, South Dakota, and North Dakota: Individual County Chronologies". publications.newberry.org. The Newberry Library. 2006. Retrieved June 23, 2025.
  5. ^ "County History". www.nd.gov. State of North Dakota. Retrieved June 23, 2025.
  6. ^ a b "Ransom County, North Dakota". Google Maps. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
  7. ^ ""Find an Altitude/Ransom County ND" Google Maps (accessed February 25, 2019)". Archived from the original on May 21, 2019. Retrieved February 26, 2019.
  8. ^ "2024 County Gazetteer Files – North Dakota". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 23, 2025.
  9. ^ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Ransom County, North Dakota". www.census.gov. Retrieved June 23, 2025.
  10. ^ a b c d What to do
  11. ^ "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024". Retrieved June 23, 2025.
  12. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
  13. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. 2007. Archived from the original on December 12, 2009. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
  14. ^ Forstall, Richard L. (April 20, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 19, 1999. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
  15. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
  16. ^ "County Median Home Price". National Association of Realtors. Retrieved June 23, 2025.
  17. ^ "Ransom County, North Dakota — Population by Race". CensusScope. Retrieved June 23, 2025.
  18. ^ "1990 Census of Population: General Population Characteristics North Dakota" (PDF). www.census.gov. October 6, 2022. p. 20. Retrieved June 23, 2025.
  19. ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Ransom County, North Dakota". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 23, 2025.
  20. ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Ransom County, North Dakota". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 23, 2025.
  21. ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Ransom County, North Dakota". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 23, 2025.
  22. ^ "County Population by Characteristics: 2020-2023". www.census.gov. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 23, 2025.
  23. ^ "US Census Bureau, Table P16: Household Type". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 23, 2025.
  24. ^ "How many people live in Ransom County, North Dakota". USA Today. Retrieved June 23, 2025.
  25. ^ Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 13, 2018.
  26. ^ 2020 Census - School District Reference Map: Ransom County, ND (PDF) (Map). United States Census Bureau. January 15, 2021. Retrieved June 23, 2025. - Text list
  27. ^ "Ransom County, N. Dakota Its Educational Advantages". The Minneapolis Journal. Minneapolis, Minnesota. March 18, 1905. p. 3. - Clipping from Newspapers.com.
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