North Dakota Census Estimates Show Population Growth
by ND Commerce Posted on 4/9/2012
The United States Census Bureau today released the agency's first Metro/Micro area and county population estimates since the 2010 census. The estimates show several North Dakota counties and Metro/Micro areas having some of the fastest percentage growth in the nation. North Dakota's total population grew an estimated 1.7 percent to a total of 683,932. The new estimates are as of July 1, 2011.
In the 50 fastest growing counties, Williams County was 3rd nationally, up 8.8 percent; Stark County was 20th up 4 percent; and Ward County was 25th up 3.9 percent.
Williston was the fastest growing Micro area in the nation up 8.8 percent, Dickinson was 4th up 4 percent and Minot was 8th up 3.6 percent. Micro areas are defined as an area containing at least one urban cluster of 10,000 but less than 50,000.
In the 50 fastest growing Metro areas, Bismarck was 41st up 2,100 people, or 1.9 percent. Fargo grew 2,763 or 1.3 percent. Metro areas are defined as an area containing one urban cluster of 50,000 or more.
"The increase in our population isn't a surprise considering how our state's economy and workforce has grown," said Rod Backman, chairman of the North Dakota Census Committee. "There is a difference however between resident population and those who are here only temporarily and view their home residence in another state. This is especially important in western North Dakota where town sizes are rapidly increasing and that growth does not seem to be captured in the Census figures."
"The positive population trends exhibited by the state carried over into workforce statistics, as the annual average labor force increased 7,216 between 2010 and 2011," says Michael Ziesch, Census Committee member and co-manager of the Labor Market Information Center of Job Service North Dakota.
The North Dakota Census Committee, which is made up of representatives from the North Dakota Department of Commerce - Census Office, the North Dakota Office of Management and Budget, Job Service North Dakota, and the Office of the Tax Commissioner, analyzed the population estimate for the state.
The North Dakota Census Office, within the North Dakota Department of Commerce works with the U.S. Census Bureau to disseminate Census, federal and other informational data sets. It serves as North Dakota's official source of population and socio-economic statistics.
