Barnes County, North Dakota

Barnes County, North Dakota
Barnes County is a county in the U.S. state of North Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 10,853. Its county seat is Valley City.
In 1872, the Dakota Territory legislature authorized Burbank County (named for governor John A. Burbank); in 1874 they renamed it Barnes County, for Alanson H. Barnes (1818–1890), an associate justice of the Territorial Court. It was organized at Valley City on January 6, 1879.
Geography
The Sheyenne River flows southerly through the central part of Barnes County. The county terrain consists of rolling hills, carved with drainages, and dotted with lakes and ponds. The area is largely devoted to agriculture. The terrain slopes to the south and east; its highest point is on its upper west boundary line, at ASL. The county has a total area of , of which is land and (1.4%) is water.
Major highways
Transit
Jefferson Lines
Adjacent counties
Griggs County – north
Steele County – northeast
Cass County – east
Ransom County – southeast
LaMoure County – southwest
Stutsman County – west
Protected areas
Clausen Springs Recreation Area
Clausen Springs State Game Management Area
Hobart Lake National Wildlife Refuge
Koldak State Game Management Area
Riparian Restoration Interpretative Site
Stoney Slough National Wildlife Refuge
Tomahawk Lake National Wildlife Refuge
Lakes
Lake Ashtabula
Eckelson Lake
Fox Lake
Goose Lake
Hobart Lake
Island Lake
Kee Lake
Lake Benson
Meadow Lake
Moon Lake
Mud Lake
Round Lake
Saint Marys Lake
Sanborn Lake
Tomahawk Lake
Demographics
2020 census
As of the census of 2020, there were 10,853 people.
2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 11,066 people, 4,826 households, and 2,927 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 5,704 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 96.4% white, 0.8% black or African American, 0.7% American Indian, 0.5% Asian, 0.2% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.1% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 48.4% were German, 37.2% were Norwegian, 8.3% were Irish, 5.2% were English, and 2.7% were American.
Of the 4,826 households, 24.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.8% were married couples living together, 6.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 39.3% were non-families, and 32.9% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.79. The median age was 44.3 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $41,773 and the median income for a family was $59,558. Males had a median income of $42,575 versus $30,361 for females. The per capita income for the county was $26,152. About 6.4% of families and 12.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.6% of those under age 18 and 14.6% of those age 65 or over.
Population by decade
Communities
Cities
Dazey
Fingal
Kathryn
Leal
Litchville
Nome
Oriska
Pillsbury
Rogers
Sanborn
Sibley
Tower City (part)
Valley City (county seat)
Wimbledon
Unincorporated communities
Berea
Eastedge
Eckelson
Hastings
Koldok
Lucca
Townships
Alta
Anderson
Ashtabula
Baldwin
Binghampton
Brimer
Cuba
Dazey
Eckelson
Edna
Ellsbury
Getchell
Grand Prairie
Green
Greenland
Hemen
Hobart
Lake Town
Mansfield
Marsh
Meadow Lake
Minnie Lake
Nelson
Noltimier
Norma
Oakhill
Oriska
Pierce
Potter
Raritan
Rogers
Rosebud
Sibley Trail
Skandia
Spring Creek
Springvale
Stewart
Svea
Thordenskjold
Uxbridge
Valley
Weimer
Notable people
Frank White, eighth Governor of North Dakota and Treasurer of the United States.
Peggy Lee, singer & actress
Earl Pomeroy, U.S. Congressman
Morley Nelson, conservationist
Politics
Barnes County is a reliable bellwether for the state of North Dakota, having voted for the statewide winner in every presidential election since 1896. Like North Dakota as a whole, Barnes County voters have been reliably Republican for decades. In only one national election since 1936 has the county selected the Democratic County candidate.
Education
School districts:
Barnes County North Public School District 7
Enderlin Area Public School District 24
Griggs County Central School District 18
Hope-Page School District
Litchville-Marion Public School District 46
Maple Valley Public School District 4
Montpelier Public School District 14
Valley City Public School District 2
Former districts:
Hope Public School District 10 - Consolidated with Page district in 2020
Oriska School District - Consolidated into Maple Valley in 2003
Page Public School District 80 - Consolidated with Hope district in 2020
See also
National Register of Historic Places listings in Barnes County, North Dakota
References
External links
Barnes County, North Dakota official website
Barnes County maps, Sheet 1 (southern) and Sheet 2 (northern), North Dakota DOT
North Dakota counties
1879 establishments in Dakota Territory
Populated places established in 1879