Pierce County
County
Pierce County Courthouse
Pierce County Courthouse
Map of North Dakota highlighting Pierce 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: 48°15′N 99°59′W / 48.25°N 99.98°W / 48.25; -99.98
Country United States
State North Dakota
FoundedMarch 11, 1887 (created)
April 6, 1889 (organized)
Named forGilbert A. Pierce
SeatRugby
Largest cityRugby
Area
 • Total1,082 sq mi (2,800 km2)
 • Land1,019 sq mi (2,640 km2)
 • Water64 sq mi (170 km2)  5.9%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total3,990
 • Estimate 
(2022)
3,942 Decrease
 • Density3.7/sq mi (1.4/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional districtAt-large
Websitewww.piercecountynd.gov

Pierce County is a county in the U.S. state of North Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,990.[1] Its county seat is Rugby.[2]

History

The Dakota Territory legislature created the county on March 11, 1887, with areas partitioned from Bottineau, Rolette, McHenry and the now-extinct DeSmet counties. It was named for Gilbert A. Pierce, a Dakotas political figure. The county was not organized at that time, nor was it attached to another county for administrative or judicial purposes. It was attached to McHenry County on February 4, 1889, but that lasted only two months; on April 6 the county government was effected and the attachment to McHenry was terminated.

The county's boundaries were enlarged on November 8, 1892, when Church County was dissolved and a portion of its territory was annexed into Pierce.[3][4]

The geographical center of North America is in Pierce County, approximately six miles (9.7 km) west of Balta.[5] Rugby has a monument for the center at the intersection of U.S. 2 and N.D. 3.

Outline map of Pierce County, North Dakota, 1910

Geography

The North Fork of the Sheyenne River flows easterly through central Pierce County. The county terrain consists of rolling hills, mostly devoted to agriculture.[6] The terrain generally slopes to the north and east, with its highest point a hill near the SW county corner, at 1,634 ft (498 m) ASL.[7] The county has a total area of 1,082 square miles (2,800 km2), of which 1,019 square miles (2,640 km2) is land and 64 square miles (170 km2) (5.9%) is water.[8]

Major highways

Transit

Adjacent counties

Protected areas[6]

Lakes[6]

  • Antelope Lakes
  • Aylmer Lake (part)
  • Battema Lake
  • Buffalo Lake
  • Clear Lake
  • Davis Lake
  • Girard Lake
  • Goose Lake
  • Gunderson Lake
  • Guss Lake
  • Horseshoe Lake
  • Kilgore Lake
  • Lesmeister Lake
  • Long Lake
  • Petrified Lake
  • Ranch Lake
  • Round Lake
  • Sand Lake
  • Smoky Lake (part)
  • Twin Lakes (part)

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1890905—
19004,765426.5%
19109,740104.4%
19209,283−4.7%
19309,074−2.3%
19409,2081.5%
19508,326−9.6%
19607,394−11.2%
19706,323−14.5%
19806,166−2.5%
19905,052−18.1%
20004,675−7.5%
20104,357−6.8%
20203,990−8.4%
2022 (est.)3,942[9]−1.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[10]
1790-1960[11] 1900-1990[12]
1990-2000[13] 2010-2020[1]

2020 census

As of the census of 2020, there were 3,990 people.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 4,357 people, 1,835 households, and 1,145 families in the county. The population density was 4.28 people per square mile (1.65 people/km2). There were 2,199 housing units at an average density of 2.16 units per square mile (0.83/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 94.1% white, 3.9% American Indian, 0.5% black or African American, 0.1% Asian, 0.7% from other races, and 0.8% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.0% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 52.3% were German, 34.5% were Norwegian, 5.5% were Irish, and 2.0% were American.

Of the 1,835 households, 24.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.8% were married couples living together, 5.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 37.6% were non-families, and 34.3% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.86. The median age was 46.9 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $37,091 and the median income for a family was $55,304. Males had a median income of $39,511 versus $21,811 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,575. About 6.4% of families and 12.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.2% of those under age 18 and 19.2% of those age 65 or over.

Population by decade

Communities

Cities

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities[6]

  • Leverich
  • Silva
  • Tunbridge

Townships

  • Alexanter
  • Antelope Lake
  • Balta
  • Elling
  • Elverum
  • Hagel
  • Jefferson
  • Meyer
  • Ness
  • Reno Valley
  • Rush Lake
  • Torgerson
  • Truman
  • Tuscarora
  • White

Politics

Pierce County voters have tended to vote Republican for decades. In only one national election since 1964 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate (as of 2020).

United States presidential election results for Pierce County, North Dakota[14][15]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No. %No. %No. %
2020 1,585 74.48% 497 23.36% 46 2.16%
2016 1,437 69.39% 431 20.81% 203 9.80%
2012 1,465 67.26% 660 30.30% 53 2.43%
2008 1,301 60.82% 792 37.03% 46 2.15%
2004 1,475 67.20% 686 31.25% 34 1.55%
2000 1,348 68.39% 500 25.37% 123 6.24%
1996 1,017 51.52% 671 33.99% 286 14.49%
1992 1,099 45.21% 761 31.30% 571 23.49%
1988 1,422 57.41% 1,008 40.69% 47 1.90%
1984 1,883 71.71% 691 26.31% 52 1.98%
1980 2,273 76.07% 517 17.30% 198 6.63%
1976 1,396 48.35% 1,434 49.67% 57 1.97%
1972 1,970 66.15% 973 32.67% 35 1.18%
1968 1,700 57.07% 1,048 35.18% 231 7.75%
1964 1,178 38.33% 1,893 61.60% 2 0.07%
1960 1,464 44.19% 1,848 55.78% 1 0.03%
1956 1,997 59.75% 1,340 40.10% 5 0.15%
1952 2,806 77.77% 773 21.42% 29 0.80%
1948 1,738 58.86% 1,147 38.84% 68 2.30%
1944 1,992 60.07% 1,307 39.41% 17 0.51%
1940 2,349 61.64% 1,451 38.07% 11 0.29%
1936 912 24.23% 2,168 57.60% 684 18.17%
1932 856 25.68% 2,439 73.18% 38 1.14%
1928 1,469 47.60% 1,606 52.04% 11 0.36%
1924 1,160 46.89% 157 6.35% 1,157 46.77%
1920 2,102 84.59% 294 11.83% 89 3.58%
1916 703 44.27% 789 49.69% 96 6.05%
1912 264 22.39% 453 38.42% 462 39.19%
1908 884 57.37% 610 39.58% 47 3.05%
1904 921 73.39% 284 22.63% 50 3.98%
1900 535 64.93% 276 33.50% 13 1.58%

Education

School districts include:[16]

Former districts:

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ↑ "County History". Official Portal for North Dakota State Government. Archived from the original on February 2, 2015. Retrieved May 4, 2011.
  4. ↑ "Dakota Territory, South Dakota, and North Dakota: Individual County Chronologies". Dakota Territory Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2006. Archived from the original on April 2, 2018. Retrieved February 4, 2015.
  5. ↑ MacPherson, James (June 2, 2010). "N.D. town misses mark as North America's center". USA Today. Retrieved April 15, 2014.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Pierce County ND Google Maps (accessed February 26, 2019)
  7. ↑ ""Find an Altitude/Pierce County ND" Google Maps (accessed February 26, 2019)". Archived from the original on May 21, 2019. Retrieved February 26, 2019.
  8. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on January 29, 2015. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2022". Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  10. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
  11. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
  12. ↑ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (April 20, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
  13. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
  14. ↑ Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 13, 2018.
  15. ↑ The leading "other" candidate, Progressive Theodore Roosevelt, received 276 votes, while Socialist Eugene Debs received 159 votes, Prohibition candidate Eugene Chafin received 27 votes.
  16. 1 2 "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Pierce County, ND" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 13, 2021. Retrieved July 23, 2022. - Text list - The map shows Wolford district's boundaries even though it was disestablished in 2019. 2010 map, 2010 text list
  17. ↑ "Enrollment History Public School Districts 2009-2021". North Dakota Department of Public Instruction. Retrieved August 19, 2021. - Check the 2019-2020 spreadsheet, which does not list Wolford, while previous years do.

48°15′N 99°59′W / 48.25°N 99.98°W / 48.25; -99.98

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