Oliver County, North Dakota

Oliver County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 1,877, and was estimated to be 1,898 in 2025. Oliver County is included in the Bismarck Metropolitan Area.

History

The Dakota Territory legislature created the county on April 14, 1885, with territory partitioned from Mercer County. It was named for Harry S. Oliver of Lisbon, North Dakota, a Republican politician and member of the Dakota Territory House of Representatives at the time. The county government was organized on May 18, with Sanger (then known as "Bentley") as county seat. The seat was moved to Center in 1902.

Oliver County is included in the Bismarck, North Dakota Metropolitan statistical area.

Geography

The northeastern/eastern boundary of Oliver County is delineated by the Missouri River as it flows southeastward after leaving Lake Sakakawea. The county terrain consists of rolling hills, mostly devoted to agriculture. The terrain slopes to the east, with the highest point a hill near its southwestern corner, at ASL.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (1.19%) is water. It is the 49th largest county and the fifth-smallest county in North Dakota by total area.

By sheer coincidence, the county seat, Center, named for being near the geographical center of the county, has also been calculated to be the geographic center of North America.

Major highways

25px North Dakota Highway 25
25px North Dakota Highway 31
25px North Dakota Highway 48
25px North Dakota Highway 200A
25px North Dakota Highway 1806

Adjacent counties

McLean County - northeast
Burleigh County - east
Morton County - south
Mercer County - northwest

Protected areas

Cross Ranch State Park

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|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2020

As of the 2023 American Community Survey, there are 727 estimated households in Oliver County with an average of 2.50 persons per household. The county has a median household income of $76,953. Approximately 10.8% of the county's population lives at or below the poverty line. Oliver County has an estimated 61.3% employment rate, with 20.5% of the population holding a bachelor's degree or higher and 94.6% 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 (98.8%), Spanish (0.0%), Indo-European (0.9%), Asian and Pacific Islander (0.3%), and Other (0.0%).

The median age in the county was 46.1 years.

Oliver County, North Dakota – racial and ethnic composition

{| class="wikitable sortable collapsible" style="font-size: 95%;"

! Race / ethnicity (NH = non-Hispanic)

! Pop. 1980 !! Pop. 1990 !! Pop. 2000 !! Pop. 2010 !!

| White alone (NH)

| 2,452 (98.28%) || 2,338 (98.19%) || 2,005 (97.09%) || 1,782 (96.53%) || style='background: #ffffe6; |1,755 (93.50%)

| Black or African American alone (NH)

| 2 (0.08%) || 0 (0.00%) || 1 (0.05%) || 3 (0.16%) || style='background: #ffffe6; |3 (0.16%)

| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)

| 36 (1.44%) || 39 (1.64%) || 25 (1.21%) || 26 (1.41%) || style='background: #ffffe6; |23 (1.23%)

| Asian alone (NH)

| 1 (0.04%) || 0 (0.00%) || 2 (0.10%) || 4 (0.22%) || style='background: #ffffe6; |5 (0.27%)

| Pacific Islander alone (NH)

| — || — || 0 (0.00%) || 0 (0.00%) || style='background: #ffffe6; |3 (0.16%)

| Other race alone (NH)

| 0 (0.00%) || 0 (0.00%) || 0 (0.00%) || 0 (0.00%) || style='background: #ffffe6; |1 (0.05%)

| Mixed race or multiracial (NH)

| — || — || 19 (0.92%) || 12 (0.65%) || style='background: #ffffe6; |59 (3.14%)

| Hispanic or Latino (any race)

| 4 (0.16%) || 4 (0.17%) || 13 (0.63%) || 19 (1.03%) || style='background: #ffffe6; |28 (1.49%)

| Total

| 2,495 (100.00%) || 2,381 (100.00%) || 2,065 (100.00%) || 1,846 (100.00%) || style='background: #ffffe6; |1,877 (100.00%)

2024 estimate

As of the 2024 estimate, there were 1,882 people and 727 households residing in the county. The population density was . There were 922 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 94.5% White (92.7% NH White), 0.5% African American, 3.1% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, _% from some other races and 1.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 2.1% of the population.

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 1,877 people, 760 households, and 537 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 912 housing units at an average density of .

Of the residents, 24.7% were under the age of 18 and 21.6% were 65 years of age or older; the median age was 44.5 years. For every 100 females there were 110.7 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 114.9 males.

The racial makeup of the county was 93.6% White, 0.2% Black or African American, 1.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% Asian, 0.7% from some other race, and 3.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.5% of the population.

Of the 760 households, 27.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 13.4% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 24.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

Education

School districts include:

Beulah Public School District 27
Center-Stanton Public School District 1
Glen Ullin Public School District 48
Hazen Public School District 3
New Salem-Almont Public School District 49
Washburn Public School District 4

Center previously had a separate school district, but it merged with Stanton's in 2004.

References

External links

Oliver County – official website
Oliver County map , North Dakota DOT