Ransom County, North Dakota

Ransom County is a county in the U.S. state of North Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 5,703, and was estimated to be 5,617 in 2025.

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.

thumb|Outline map of Ransom County, North Dakota, 1910

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 ASL.

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

thumb|right|Soils of Ransom County

Major highways

25px North Dakota Highway 27
25px North Dakota Highway 32
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

Lakes

Lone Tree Lake

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

| White alone (NH)

| 6,647 (99.24%) || 5,872 (99.17%) || 5,749 (97.61%) || 5,285 (96.85%) || style='background: #ffffe6; |5,363 (94.04%)

| Black or African American alone (NH)

| 3 (0.04%) || 4 (0.07%) || 11 (0.19%) || 19 (0.35%) || style='background: #ffffe6; |36 (0.63%)

| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)

| 7 (0.10%) || 13 (0.22%) || 19 (0.32%) || 21 (0.38%) || style='background: #ffffe6; |18 (0.32%)

| Asian alone (NH)

| 14 (0.21%) || 7 (0.12%) || 14 (0.24%) || 20 (0.37%) || style='background: #ffffe6; |24 (0.42%)

| Pacific Islander alone (NH)

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

| Other race alone (NH)

| 13 (0.19%) || 1 (0.02%) || 4 (0.07%) || 1 (0.02%) || style='background: #ffffe6; |10 (0.18%)

| Mixed race or multiracial (NH)

| — || — || 45 (0.76%) || 45 (0.82%) || style='background: #ffffe6; |123 (2.16%)

| Hispanic or Latino (any race)

| 14 (0.21%) || 24 (0.41%) || 48 (0.81%) || 66 (1.21%) || style='background: #ffffe6; |129 (2.26%)

| Total

| 6,698 (100.00%) || 5,921 (100.00%) || 5,890 (100.00%) || 5,457 (100.00%) || style='background: #ffffe6; |5,703 (100.00%)

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 . 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 population density was .

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.

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

External links

Ramson County – official website
Ransom County map, North Dakota DOT