Ransom County, North Dakota

History

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.

Geography

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. 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 ASL.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 863.855 sqmi, of which 862.472 sqmi is land and 1.383 sqmi (0.16%) is water. It is the 46th largest county in North Dakota by total area.

Major highways

• [[Image:ND-27 (2015).svg|25px]] North Dakota Highway 27
• [[Image:ND-32 (2015).svg|25px]] North Dakota Highway 32
• [[Image:ND-46 (2015).svg|25px]] North Dakota Highway 46

Adjacent counties

• Cass County - northeast
• Richland County - east
• Sargent County - south
• Dickey County - southwest
• LaMoure County - west
• Barnes County - northwest

Protected areas

• Browns Ranch
• Fort Ransom State Historic Site
• Fort Ransom State Park
• Nature Conservancy's Sheyenne Delta
• North Country Trail
• Pigeon Point Reserve
• Sheyenne National Grassland (part)
• Sheyenne State Forest

Lakes

• Lone Tree Lake

Demographics

|align-fn=center 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2020

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

American Community Survey

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.

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.

2024 estimate

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 /sqmi. 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.

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 5,703. There were 2,246 households and 1,420 families residing in the county. Of the residents, 24.3% were under the age of 18 and 21.6% were 65 years of age or older; the median age was 42.4 years. For every 100 females there were 110.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 108.8 males.

The racial makeup of the county was 94.7% White, 0.7% Black or African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% Asian, 0.9% from some other race, and 3.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 2.3% of the population.

The population density was 6.61 PD/sqmi.

There were 2,246 households in the county, of which 28.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 20.7% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 31.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 2,536 housing units at an average density of 2.94 /sqmi; 11.4% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 72.5% were owner-occupied and 27.5% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.0% and the rental vacancy rate was 12.8%.

2010 census

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 PD/sqmi. There were 2,656 housing units at an average density of 3.08 /sqmi. 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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TextData= fontsize:S pos:(20,20) text:Data from U.S. Census Bureau

Communities

Cities

• Elliott
• Enderlin (partly in Cass County)
• Fort Ransom
• Lisbon (county seat)
• Sheldon

Census-designated places

• Englevale
• McLeod

Townships

• 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

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.

Education

School districts include:

• Enderlin Area Public School District 24
• Fort Ransom Public School District 6
• Kindred Public School District 2
• LaMoure Public School District 8
• Litchville-Marion Public School District 46
• Lisbon Public School District 19
• Milnor Public School District 2
• North Sargent Public School District 3
• Oakes Public School District 41
• Wyndmere Public School District 42

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.

References

References

1. "Explore Census Data". [[United States Census Bureau]].
2. "Find a County". [[National Association of Counties]].
3. (2006). "Dakota Territory, South Dakota, and North Dakota: Individual County Chronologies". The [[Newberry Library]].
4. "County History". State of North Dakota.
5. "Ransom County, North Dakota". [[Google Maps]].
6. ""Find an Altitude/Ransom County ND" Google Maps (accessed February 25, 2019)".
7. "2024 County Gazetteer Files – North Dakota". [[United States Census Bureau]].
8. "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Ransom County, North Dakota".
9. [http://www.ransomcountynd.com/what-to-do/ ''What to do'']
10. "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024".
11. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau.
12. (2007). "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library.
13. Forstall, Richard L.. (April 20, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau.
14. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau.
15. "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Ransom County, North Dakota".
16. "County Median Home Price". [[National Association of Realtors]].
17. "Ransom County, North Dakota — Population by Race". CensusScope.
18. (October 6, 2022). "1990 Census of Population: General Population Characteristics North Dakota".
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]].
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]].
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]].
22. "County Population by Characteristics: 2020-2023". United States Census Bureau.
23. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau.
24. "US Census Bureau, Table P16: Household Type". United States Census Bureau.
25. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau.
26. "How many people live in Ransom County, North Dakota". USA Today.
27. Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections".
28. (January 15, 2021). "2020 Census - School District Reference Map: Ransom County, ND". [[United States Census Bureau]].
29. (March 18, 1905). "Ransom County, N. Dakota Its Educational Advantages". [[The Minneapolis Journal]].